The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.

Review #1436: The Garden of the Finzi-Continis.

Cast: 
Lino Capolicchio (Giorgio), Dominique Sanda (Micòl), Helmut Berger (Alberto), Fabio Testi (Malnate), Romolo Valli (Giorgio's Father), Camillo Cesarei (Micòl's Father), Inna Alexeievna (Micòl's Grandmother), Katina Morisani (Micòl's Mother), and Barbara Pilavin (Giorgio's mother) Directed by Vittorio De Sica.

Review: 
"I am basically an unhappy man. Life gives me always the impression of cruelty. I read the newspaper - crimes, murders, divorces, and so on. I do not find evidence of sincerity or solidarity there. I love humanity, I trust humanity, but humanity has a way of disillusioning me. The pictures I direct are nearly always melancholy. This comes from the contrast between my love and my disillusion. I am an optimist. I love life. I seek perfection. If my art seems pessimistic, it is a consequence of my continuing optimism and its disillusion. At least I have enthusiasm. It is necessary to all professions to have enthusiasm in order to have success."

De Sica had an early career in film and Neapolitan singing in amateur entertainments (with his first film credit being a short appearance in 1917). He took study in accounting and military service before taking a job in the theater, and he gradually became a matinee idol by the time of the 1930s through going from clowns to leading romantic comedy roles. In 1935, he starred in the film I'll Give a Million, which happened to be the first writing credit for Cesare Zavattini, a future collaborator with De Sica on three decades of writing. Five years later he would take up directing with Red Roses [Rose scarlatte], co-directing with Giuseppe Amato. His first triumph was with Shoeshine [Sciuscià] (1946), a classic of Italian neorealism, which were generally characterized by exploring the poor and working class of Italy (on location) and the difficult conditions of post-World War II on a economical or moral level with typically non-professional actors. This film, alongside Bicycle Thieves [Ladri di biciclette] (1948) and Umberto D. (1952, De Sica's favorite of his films) are generally referred to as neorealism classics of De Seca, with the former two garnering Honorary Academy Awards and praise (moreso abroad than with Italy, with certain audiences decrying his portrait of Italian life). He would with directing along with acting appearances (most notably with A Farewell to Arms in 1957) throughout the rest of his life before his death in 1974 of surgery due to lung cancer. In his career, he would direct over 30 films (with some shorts done for anthologies) over a 34-year run that led to critical attention from audiences at times that garnered four total Academy Awards (two honorary and two for Best International Film for Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and this film).

The film was adapted from the 1962 novel of the same name by Giorgio Bassani, who wrote numerous novels of the experiences of Italian Jews during the time before and during World War II. There is a tragic nature to a film rife with mood and memory of a time long past, of lost affection and lost places gone to the ravages of prejudice and the passing of all things that wither all gardens. One can't escape everything through a stone wall, really, though the garden never seems to be out of our focus for too long. It isn't the easiest film to approach, but I give it credit for keeping its integrity through 94 minutes without seeming too maudlin to view for world cinema. The youthful quartet that make up the film were all in their first few roles, such as Capolicchio (known for television work prior to 1968), Sanda (a French actress and model making her Italian debut), or Testi (stunt-man-turned-actor starting in 1968), or Berger (later known for his amoral/sensually ambiguous characters in European cinema). Each do their part in generating a curious tale, starting with Capolicchio and his observant eyes that make for a caring soul to follow with. Sanda reins in a performance wracked with allure and mystique that draws one in to her garden of life that grows and withers with others for effect. Testi and Berger do just as well in accompanying the action with wilting and desire, respectively. In the end, this is a fair movie to pick through with people that ultimately fall prey to time with De Sica's encompassing and haunting work with plenty to think about with romance and death.

Overall, I give it 8 out of 10 stars.