Life Is Beautiful
(La Vita e Bella)
1997
* * * 1/2
In 1930s Italy, a bumbling bookseller with a generous sense of humor named Guido (Roberto Beningi) falls in love with schoolteacher Dora (Nicoletta Braschi, Beningi's real-life wife). After many mishaps, he woos her and eventually marries her.
Several years later, the fact that Guido is Jewish is a far more serious problem than before --- finally proven when he and his son are taken to a concentration camp. Gentile Dora manages to follow them and, in doing so, becomes another prisoner. But the men and women are seperated, leaving Guido alone with his son.
But he doesn't want his son to see or know the horrors of what is happening and tries to keep it from him by convincing him it's a game --- and succeeds.
When this film was first released, some critics found this to be brutally offensive: they felt that no film depicting the Holocaust could use humor within its dramatic story.
This has to be one of the most illogical criticisms any film has ever received. Humor is one of the most wonderful God-given gifts that make us human and not animals. When horrible things happen, when people are treated as animals, when the world is falling apart around us, sometimes humor is all that gives some the will to survive. Or the means. It was created by God as a tool that can, if needed, be used as a weapon against evil.
This film doesn't make laughs out of the Holocaust. It does what Schindler's List and The Pianist did in different ways: it merely finds an extraordinary humanity in the midsts of the horrors. Just because this film's humanities are humor, hope, and love and not the darker and more serious selfless generosity like Schindler or survival in spite of the odds and kindness even from an enemy like The Pianist (although this does have all of those listed above) doesn't make it any different in principle. (of course, if you believe that humanity should not be found in a situation involving inhuman things being done to human beings, than I suppose you can object)
The first half is just a silly, light-hearted slapstickish romantic comedy. It's a little too silly at times, but it's absolutely charming, often very funny, and wonderfully played by Beningi and Braschi. More importantly, it makes us simply love these characters.
Which makes the second half all the more devastating.
Not every bloody, horrific terror of the concentration camp is shown. Guido is shielding his son from these, and, as writer and director, Beningi keeps us from seeing any more than we need to. We see glimpses and witness heartbreaking tragedies --- enough to send shivers up any spine --- but they aren't dwelt on once their point is made. This film is about a man who finds a way to give his son a beautiful gift: a life without the never-ending heartbreak and terror the lives of all others in the camp (including himself) that will last all of their own lives.
Now, even with that said, the film still could have been offensive, but Beningi never jokes at death. On top of that, he makes sure we know this is a fable, that this is symbolic. This is what people can do in their lives, whatever the hardships.
But I'm certain that somewhere in the midst of all those camps, someone sitting, waiting for the chamber or the next workload had at least one quip about what was happening. Because people do that: they find something that will get them through it.
The film's critics essentially made an argument that could have been lodged if Beningi had treated the subject differently. But the filmaker found exactly the right methods to make the story an intensely moving experience. The emotional effect this film has is tremendous. What needs to be serious is serious. And effective.
Beningi's direction should also be mentioned. The film moves at a fast, enjoyable pace, but, more importantly, is an absolute visual masterpiece. Beningi and cinematographer Tonino Delli Colli made every shot a living, breathing painting.
Deservedly, this film won Oscars for Best Actor, Music, and Foreign Language Film, and was nominated for Best Picture, Director, Screenplay (Beningi and Vincenzo Cerami), and Editing. However, the Academy did make two major oversights: neither Braschi's performance nor Colli's gorgeous cinematography were given a mention. But bravo to the Academy for recognizing this unforgettable experience in the other ways. (incidently, this was the final film Colli shot)
Additionally, the film won literally dozens of various international awards, all deserved - this is a film that needs to be seen.
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