rossangela

I love this film, partially for the tender story, but also for the scenes of an almost empty Rome. The main character, Gianni, is a gentle, caring guy with a knack for feeding a bunch of women, when most stores are closed for the national holiday of "Ferragosto," when most Italians head for the beaches and mountains. It's a quiet, endearing look at a typical Roman way of rolling with the punches, and getting by in creative ways. I especially recommend this movie for anyone who loves Italy or who has been there during the holiday of Ferragosto. I really like all the different female characters especially the mother of Gianni.

This film is rich in cultural, historical and social history. It shows how tough and brutal life could be in pre-WWII Sicily. I like the way the town evolves from a dusty run-down village to one of modern Italy. The ending is very dreamlike and confusing, but you can make of it as you want. It is artistic and a cause for post-viewing discussions.

My only beef about the film is the subtitles that they chose to make with white lettering, not outlined in black. When will film companies finally realize that they need to make subtitles more readable --- research shows that yellow with a blue outline is easiest on the eyes. We missed a lot of the dialog due to difficult to read subtitles. But as far as the actual CRAFT of the film -- it is superb.

This film is an underrated masterpiece, and it is mind-boggling that it didn't win Best Picture, and certainly Best Actor for Andy Griffith. I would add that (since I'm writing this in March 2017) it seems to be art predicting life, because the character and story of Lonesome Rhodes is so much like the rise to power of entertainer, Donald Trump. Both of those men knew how to manipulate the populace through mass media and outrageous statements that enthralled the less educated public. My husband and I saw this on TCM late last night, and with each scene in the film we were more and more convinced that this is a very significant film, and deserves to be resurrected on the big screen in some trendy art cinema. As a total cinephile, I believe that this is one of the best political/social satires I've ever seen. I has given me much more respect and admiration for Andy Griffith -- who knew he was such an outstanding actor?! The script and directing are top notch and deserve the highest awards. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED as a revealing metaphor for Trump-like scoundrels.