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Life Is Beautiful |
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The jovial Guido arrives in an Italian town with
dreams of a new life. His wealthy uncle offers
him a job (waiting tables at his restaurant)
which this free-spirited optimist graciously
accepts. Through a series of highly
coincidental and comical events, Guido falls
deeply in love with Dora, a school
teacher—whom he refers to as "princess."
Their sweet romance eventually blooms into
marriage and a child of their own. Yet, in the
background of this developing romance lurks
the atrocities of World War II. As Italian Jews,
Guido and Dora soon experience their "fate"
under German rule, and are taken to a
concentration camp. The two are separated
upon arrival, leaving Guido to look after their
young son, Giosué, on his own. In an effort to
protect the innocent child from the brutal reality
of their circumstances, he tells Giosué that it
is all a game: the train ride to the camp, the
rationed food, the uniforms, the living
conditions. Guido works diligently to create
this fictitious play-land for his child, enticing
him with the ultimate prize—a real army
tank of his own.
Positive Elements: Guido's
commitment to his wife and child are
immeasurable. His joy, dedication and
ultimate sacrifice paint a moving picture of
love. Guido's passion for life and all its
experiences place the character trait of
optimism on a well-deserved and
oft-overlooked pedestal. Aryan mindsets and
prejudices of the era are in no way
glamorized. Instead, the film reveals the
ridiculous nature of embracing the ideology of
a superior race.
Spiritual Content: Early on, Guido
is introduced to a potentially superstitious
"theory" which states, "If you think, it will be."
There are several occasions in which he
"practices" this theory. His tone points toward
"wishful thinking" rather than any sort of
spiritual intervention. In one particular incident,
Guido longs to catch the eye of Dora who is
seated in the balcony at the opera. Under his
breath, he repeats the phrase, "Look at me
princess." Dora eventually graces him with the
long awaited glance.
Sexual Content: Minimal. Guido is
captivated by Dora's beauty and spirit early on.
While admiring her from a distance one day,
he quietly expresses his affection to himself, "I
feel like making love to you ... not once, but
over and over again. But I will never tell you
that." While separated in the concentration
camp he utters a similar statement while
dreaming of one day being reunited with his
wife.
Violent Content: The WWII
concentration camp setting mandates a
certain amount of psychological horror. Yet,
this film minimizes those atrocities in favor of
exploring man's resilience. One night, while
returning to his quarters at the concentration
camp, Guido comes across a pile of dead
bodies. While conceptually overwhelming,
sensationalism is again avoided. In the midst
of the German retreat, [WARNING: Major Plot
Point Revealed] Guido is captured, taken
around the corner and shot. Viewers are
spared the gruesome details of his murder.
Crude or Profane Language: One
mild profanity (jacka--) and one use of the
Lord's name in vain. Jews are referred to in
derogatory, but not profane terms on several
occasions.
Drug and Alcohol Content: Minor
characters drink wine and smoke in social
settings on occasion.
Other Negative Elements: Early in the
film, Guido demonstrates a curious habit of
snatching hats. In a sly manner, he swaps his
old hat for one that is new.
Summary: Roberto Benigni is not
the first to recount the atrocities of the
Holocaust through film. It is a painful piece of
history—not soon to be forgotten. While
acknowledging and respecting this reality,
Benigni manages to do something no other
writer has done. He injected this horrific time
period with a story of hope, joy and an almost
surreal optimism. He captured a love more
precious than words. A dedication beyond all
expectations. Despite its English subtitles,
American audiences are still sure to be drawn
in by the underlying brilliance of Life Is
Beautiful. Rarely has an Oscar award
winning picture been so worthy of such
recognition.
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