INTRODUCTION
’’Life is beautiful’’ - a good, attractive name for a movie. Now even a serial has started in Malayalam with the same name. Also known as ’’La Vita E Bella’’, this movie may be a ’’partial tragedy’’ as we consider the end of it. This is a movie of sacrifice, determination and love. The movie goes through romance to the horrors of World War II.
This is one of those rare movies which lay a feeling in our mind which is quite hard to be forgotten. Roberto Benigni’s efforts didn’t go in vain as everything just went great for the movie as it won a number of International awards as well as nominations.....
THE PLOT
Guido, a Jewish Italian goes to Rome to work as a waiter in his Uncle’s Hotel. Through a series of comical incidents, he falls in love with a non-Jewish school teacher who is called Dora. They marry and later they have a son named Joshua. But the main part of the story is yet to come as the movie takes a huge turn.
The Second World War is on and Hitler’s reign of terror is running wide and wild. On Joshua’s birthday, Guido and Joshua are kidnapped by the Nazis and are put in concentration camps. They are followed by Dora. This movie turns from a romantic comedy into a ’’tragical comedy’’ or something like that.
In the second half, Guido trying all that he can manage to do to save his son from death. He knows that his death is certain, but he never lets his son know about the problems they are facing. He faces everything and even death laughing and says to his son that all this is a game and the winner will get a tank as the prize.
He is trying his best to hide his son from the Nazis. He is just an ordinary person caught up in a struggle, but he gains his motive even after sacrificing himself. That was the only accomplishment that he wanted and he deserved it as his struggle was quite enormous. As a father, he proved that he is a success.
PERFORMANCE
Roberto Benigni has worked really well through out the movie in every field. He is just brilliant as the actor and the fact that he gave this classic to the viewers is quite impressive. Not many of the actors have been able to make you laugh and cry at the same time which explains why this movie is different from the others.
Nicoletta Braschi is good and does her job well. She didn’t have much to do in the latter half as Roberto keeps on stealing the show with his superb acting skills. Giorgio Cantarini is a big name for a kid, but he manages to do his part well even if he does nothing special. The movie just seemed to be so well made.....
CONCLUSION
The movie seems to have got an extra-ordinary theme to prove that the life is beautiful unlike the Malayalam movie with the same name which is no way related to it. All that I can say is that Roberto Benigni’s masterpiece has really gave us one of the best moments as long as a family drama is concerned.
He seems to have taken a bit of risk with the movie as he made something different, but it worked! It may be one of those movies which you may like to keep at home after seeing it once - a sentimental comedy is always a good move for sure. I always wanted to write on a beautiful, worthy movie and finally I managed to do that. I feel so relieved after those horror movies.....
Genre: Drama
Run time: 122 minutes
Release Date: October 23, 1998.
MPAA Rating: PG-13
Starring: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Guistino Durano etc
Directed by: Roberto Benigni
Produced by: Elda Ferri, Gianluigi Braschi
Distributor: Miramax
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