tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79723819638700739.post3271645028047723802..comments2023-12-19T08:12:59.428-08:00Comments on Post-Punk Cinema Club: Una vita difficile (1961)a ppcc representativehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03533616493105736109noreply@blogger.comBlogger2125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79723819638700739.post-67540639981475281102020-08-05T18:16:10.681-07:002020-08-05T18:16:10.681-07:00Yeah I feel like you didn't really understand ...Yeah I feel like you didn't really understand the context of the film, the tongue in cheek manner of pretty much all of Silvio's behavior, or even the geography of Italy. A guy from Rome is never considered a southerner. That's reserved for darker skinned Italians from places like Naples and Sicily. If anything, Elena would be considered more of the proletarian hick for being from a small town and having no education. Remember, Silvio was a university student when he joined the army. If anything he would be more of a bourgeois type guy choosing to live the life of the working class. Not to mention he was from Rome which was seen by the rest of Italy as being the ideal because it's where everything happened. People from small towns like Elena would absolutely see a guy from Rome as a good catch regardless of how he presented himself. At least back then.<br /><br />I also don't see what the point of spending a lot of your review comparing it to "We All Loved Each Other So Much." Yes that's a wonderful film but as you said, it had a lot of similar scenes to this film and yet you seem to gloss over the fact that this probably means it stole those scenes from "A Difficult Life." Or it could mean that in fact those kinds of things actually happened in that period in Italy. Either way, these are two different films dealing with similar periods in Italy but that's kind of where the similarity ends. I feel like if you're reviewing a movie you should stick to that movie's attributes instead of discussing how you liked another movie more. To make a comparison to films you know a lot about; there's an awful lot of similarity in the masala movies of the 70s (even down to using the same actors over and over), but that doesn't mean they don't all have value in their own way.<br /><br />Instead of focusing on the satirical nature of the film, it seems like you got bogged down in Silvio's bad behavior as though anyone would really behave like this in real life and not have his ass kicked repeatedly. This is why this film is a classic of Commedia all'italiana. Dino Risi has said that none of the things in this film are meant to be taken seriously. Everything was exaggerated for comedic effect. Getting irritated by Silvio's behavior is like hating Steve Martin for acting like such a jerk in "The Jerk." That's what's funny about it! <br /><br />The suggestion you made that selling out may actually enrich your life is made very clear in the film again and again and also what makes Silvio's actions so ridiculous. Of COURSE selling out will make your life better. Otherwise nobody would do it. Silvio keeps running across people who have nice cars and his protests against their selling out seem to get more halfhearted as the film goes on. Eventually, he realizes everything he could have had if he had compromised a bit. It's the scene when he's sitting with his son trying to explain why he didn't take the job the rich guy offered. The camera is tight on Alberto Sordi as he gets a look of utter sadness and loss on his face. It's the moment in the film when Silvio reaches a turning point. <br /><br />I was surprised you mentioned none of these things in your review so I'm guessing maybe your experience with Italian neo-realism isn't that extensive or you just hated the movie so much you didn't watch as closely as you might have. To each his own. Your observation that the film was well-made as though this was the reason it's considered a classic is missing the point. Most of the Italian neo-realist films were well made because Cinecitta was a very well-funded studio that attracted famous actors and directors from all over the world. It was like the Bollywood of Europe during this period. Maybe read up on the film a bit more and go back and watch again. There is a lot you seem to have missed.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-79723819638700739.post-75430274613128418272011-03-19T19:07:03.860-07:002011-03-19T19:07:03.860-07:00Alberto Sordi is no likeable as a character actor?...Alberto Sordi is no likeable as a character actor? are you mad?? Dreaming of the Medicis and a house in Tuscany by any chance? Rubbish.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com