Rome:Open City & A Special Day
Rome:Open City
Response by Giana Orlando
Some aspects of Rome:Open City I found interesting was how the film dealt with the theme of truth. First when watching the film, I had to realize that this was the perspective of some Italians during WWII. They saw themselves as victims, which is strongly portrayed in the film; however the Itlains were not entirely innocent in reality, as most were not part of the rebel groups. Another example of truth I found interesting was the consistent references of Christianity, especially with the Priest. The Priest in the film is supposed to be following the teachings of God; however, there were moments in the film where the Priest’s actions were questionable in terms of following the rules of Christianity.
In Christianity, God tells his followers not to sin or deceit others at all, as it is wrong. The Priest lied to the Germans about helping an old man to stop a little boy from setting off a bomb. In that scene the Priest falsely uses one of the sacraments of the Catholic church (Anointing of the Sick) in order to make his lie more convincing. Then he let a man die from not revealing information. Now, as both the situations where to prevent something even more terrible from happening, it makes one question where the line is drawn in the rules of Christianity. Is doing something bad, to stop something worse from happening, considered a sin? Lying to others and letting a man die would be considered a sin if looked at by themselves. It also begs the question that if you do something bad and ask for forgiveness, does this mean that committing a sin is allowed as long as forgiveness is asked for? As a person who grew up in a Catholic household, it is interesting to see how in the film, and in real life, the hypocrisy when practicing Christianity and where the real truth of the religion lies.
On another note in comparison to the film, showing a Priest committing sin in order to stop something bad from happening also shows how wartime is presented. It explores the fact that anyone will do anything in order to protect those they want to protect.
A Special Day
Response by Giana Orlando
In the film A Special Day, the two main characters (Antonietta and Emmanuelle) are seen as lower level citizens in society and are unable to live equal lives compared to the people around them. Antonietta is a wife and mother of six children. At this time, mothers are seen as 24 hour care takers to both their children and husbands. In the film, Antonietta is unable to go to the parade unlike everyone else, because she must stay home and clean the house. In the first scene Antonietta is seen turning on all the lights and getting her children and husband ready, making them breakfast and trying to get them out the door as fast as possible. Even though she has a different and interesting day with Emmanuella, her day ends with her feeding her family, getting them ready for bed, turning off the lights, and going to the bedroom to pleasure her husband, as he wants more kids. The beginning and end of the film show that even though she had a great day with someone new, her life is going to stay the same as a servant to her family and home. Emmanuelle does not go to the parade because he is anti-fascist and a homosexual man. Society abuses him because in one of his first scenes, he is seen about to commit suicide because he can not deal with how people treat him due to his life style. At the end of the film he is seen leaving for a concentration camp, as he is taken away by two fascist men. It is also interesting to see how the structure of the film helps show how nothing is going to change for these characters, even though they talk about how they want something different for themselves their entire time together.
Roma Città Aperta 1945, Rome Open City
ReplyDeleteRoberto Rossellinni, Sergio Navidei, Celeste Negarville, Aldo Fabrizi, and Federico Felini present in a documentary style and drama blend in symphonic passion with beautiful-tragic location scenes and studio scenes. The blend expresses a stark visual dialogue and aesthetic. One is transported in the angst and hope, bleakness, dream to survive, and protect. Stun, stun, tempo of the soundtrack aligns to the premise to die with conviction if that is what is takes. This film ignites Italian Neo Realism depicting levels of corruption as integral to the success of War. Set in the immediate aftermath of the WWII occupation. The city itself is a protagonist engaging the viewer. It is in the snap of abrupt editing from scene to scene that an elixir of human melo drama and the efficacy of destructive arms are defined by systems of oppression. Corruption, compromise, conviction, scapegoating, human collateral damage and duplicity and hope are revealed.
One thread of scene-to-scene sequence I enjoy is the interaction between Don Pietro Pellegrini and Major Bergman at the office-slash-torture room when the major’s irritability with the priest elevates since he assures him Giorgio Manfredi would never talk and betray the Resistance cause. The major’s anger builds as he darts up with hands in his pants circling around the priest as he raises his voice in threat. The softness of Fabrizi’s delivery in face gestures and vocal temperance contrasts that of the stiff demanding Major of death. The slight closing of Fabrizi’s eyes as he gestures left to right head motion, physically and verbally anchors an absolute “NO” that Giorgio “non parlara, non parlara” He will not talk, he will not divulge. He asserts a higher power than the torture and annihilation regime. The close-up frames of the two men with the interrogation light of the angled lamp- studio lighting adds to the tension. Bergmann attempts to convince the priest to impose his wish to have Grigio “talk” as he opens the door to the torture room for the priest to see Giorgio shirtless tied to the chair with the flaming torch and Nazi officers preparing to inflict torturous abuse for him to break his silence. Bergmann stands on the left side of the doorway gesturing for the priest to look inside and see how Giorgio is going to processed into submission. The door closes and Grigio’s moans commence as Major Bergmann picks up his cigarettes to tuck in his pocket heading into the salon of duplicitous conspirators.
After a brief announcement by a different soldier that the sympathizer who is arrested with Girogio has been eliminated, Bergmann picks up his smoke vice and tucks it in his pocket with a smug look on his face. Then, the frame breaks to show the viewer Bergmann’s continued vices as he immediately heads to the entertainment area where he darts to the bar. As the frame widens one is aware of the players who collectively contribute to the corruption and torture, and possible death of the main male protagonist. The door to the torture room is closed immediately. Girgio’s moans and groans continue as major Bergman picks up his cigarette pack moving behind the priest in arrogance and anticipating some hint that Girogio’s torture will break the clergy’s stance. He hesitates slightly in profile snub as he opens the door into the salon where 8 other conspirators are enjoying their vices. Immediately Bergmann goes for the bottle as piano keys timber against the spine. He strides away from the camera as Marina and Ingrid are framed in the corner of the leather sofa embracing each other with one hand and smoking with the other. Ingrid’s inquisitive gaze toward Bergmann as Marina simultaneously looks content and lost. It is eerie how in the women’s embrace coping and survival mechanisms are in place. For this scene sets up the culminating events to follow.
Una Giornatà Partuculare-A Special Day, 1977 The anvil and looming drum tempo of the film introduces the concierge woman played by Francoise Berd exemplifies the sinister-spy on you neighbor- for the military state. Her character is shown hanging the Fascist Flag with the symbolic eagle and the Nazi flag with the Swastika at the beginning wide shot in the film. The inverted symbol was appropriated from Sanskrit by the Third Reich. Ancient Indian and Persian cultures utilized the symbol form as part of distinct religious belief systems. For some the symbol represents “the mark of wellbeing “ whilst others used it in alignment with the power of the sun and spirituality at the beginning of the film. The Buddhist svastika faces left while the German symbol of hatred faces right on an axis tilt.
ReplyDeleteRosmunda the parrot is symbol of the humans caged in oppression. Both species long to be free. Propaganda being fed to the population is mirrored by the bird’s parroting of Antoinetta’s name. This repetitive chatter also augments the relentless radio broadcast of the grand Nazi and Fascist day of celebration blaring across the desolate courtyard of the humble apartment buildings. Rosemunda’s brief flight out of the cage brings Antonietta and Gabriele together shifting their lives into the angst and curiosity divulge in bursts of sarcasm, fear, anger, desire, defiance, and unexpected alliance away from the mandated idolizing crowds. Gabriele represents life experiences that Antonietta has never had, could have had, and could have if her life were different if she had completed elementary school or secondary. Gabriele is a radio announcer whose character is based on the life of Nunzio Firogamo who a radio broadcaster and presenter was. Gabriele is a gay man living in constant vigilance and anticipation of being taken away by authorities for being himself. He and Antonietta form a chaotic, yet profound bond in one day through oppression and unmet needs to belong and to be accepted beyond a utilitarian scope. The glimpses of playfulness are immediately snuffed out by swirling fear. Their vulnerabilities fall into a moment of torturous of sexual accommodation for they are not meant to be a couple or an affair.
Gabriel increasingly vents in burst of sarcasm, fear, and helplessness. He also shares with Antonietta meaningful moments of connection by gifting her a Three Musketeers book, wanting to dance with her, and making helping her with the laundry, a preparing an omelet for her. Acts of kindness she has never experienced and leads her to assume Gabriel is interested in her romantically. In the 21st century’s society and legal standards, their sex scene represents a type of rape since she forces herself onto him.
Both characters are exquisitely portrayed by Sofia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in a raw unglamorous depiction filmed in beautiful sepia. Antonietta and Gabriel fall into simultaneous acceptance expressing their conflicting roles as pawns of the hateful regime and its machinations. Both obtusely collide and comfort each other. The simple understated sets of the apartments and the building rising above a bare ill-nourished courtyard. An aesthetic balance is attained with the intended choice by the production team to include original news footage of the infamous day on May 6th 1938 when 50,000 soldiers and fascist sympathizers at The Via Trionfale, today known as Via di San Gregorio in Rome were summoned to roll out the red carpet for the Nazi regime by Benito Mussolini and accompanied by King Victor Emmanuel III.