Salvatore Todaro is the captain of the Cappellini. He leads in his own way.
COMANDANTE, Italy, 2023. Starring Pierfrancesco Favini, Johan Heldenbergh, Massimiliano Rossi. Directed by Edoardo De Angelis. 121 minutes.
We don’t see many films about Italian involvement in World War II, especially naval warfare, and, more especially, submarine warfare. The story is based on characters and events, over a couple of weeks in the autumn of 1940. The focus, as the title indicates, is on the submarine, Comandante, (Todaro), a dedicated man, injured in a training accident and wearing a back brace, devoted to his pregnant wife. He’s a tough but sympathetic commander of his men.
Ultimately, again as the title suggests, the focus of this drama is on the man himself rather than on the details of war, although these are significant. For this reviewer, the film is the portrait of a humane man, in situations of war being challenged to act in a humane way. Sequences are context for his humanity. However, other critics and bloggers have complained there is not enough action in the film. Some have even suggested the focus on the humanity, sentiment, breaks the film down.
For this reviewer, with the focus on the humanity, the portrait is very moving, especially at the end and the final information about the fate of the Comandante.
But, there is quite some action, especially as the submarine tries to get through the straits of Gibraltar. There is camaraderie among the troops, especially with the Neapolitan cook and his specials and his singing.
The key drama is the submarine’s encounter with a Belgian cargo ship, allegedly neutral, carrying British arms. The Belgian crew are stranded, an appeal to the Comandante, his ethic of doing the right thing means that the Belgians come on board, crowded, two trying to sabotage the submarine, but a greater bonding between the Italians and the Belgians – especially with the offer to make a special Belgian dish and the answer is fries, something the Italians are wary of, but ultimately enjoy.
The Comandante is played by veteran Italian actor Favini, who is always convincing in the wide range of roles he performs. There is a mention or two of Mussolini and the film offers a reminder of Italy in World War II but also a reminder of humanity and integrity in leadership.
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Set in postwar 1940s Italy, it follows Delia breaking traditional family patterns and aspiring to a different future, after receiving a mysterious letter.
C’E ANCORA DOMANI/ THERE’S STILL TOMORROW. Italy, 2023. Starring Paola Cortellesi, Valerio Mastandrea, Ramona Maggiora Vergano. Directed by Paola Cortellesi. 117 minutes.
This is quite a striking film in its own right. However, it was the most successful Italian film commercially in Italy in 2023, and one of the most all-time seen Italian films. It is the work of popular singer and actress, Cortellesi, who collaborated with the screenplay, directed her first feature film and plays the central character.
The setting is Rome, 1945-1946, in the aftermath of Italy’s defeat in World War II. There are still American GIs present in the city. The setting was the subject of a number of Italian films of the period, particularly Roberto Rossellini’s Roma, Citta Aperta (Rome, Open City) and of Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves. The visual style, black-and-white photography, highlighted realism and had the title Neo-realism.
Now, almost 80 years later, Cortellesi has decided to make her film in this style, using striking black-and-white photography, a great sense of realism, and a focus on ordinary people, their lives, their interactions, their fears and hopes.
One of the main reasons for the impact of this film is its portrait of a housewife and mother, Delia, in an Italian patriarchal society and family. In fact, the startling opening of the film, the wife awakening, her husband in bed turning and slapping her. And, throughout the film, there is repetition of this kind of domestic violence and abuse, subjugation of the wife, patriarchal presuppositions about the role of women, but also the effect on the new generation, especially the couple’s teenage daughter who is to be engaged, and has this model of marriage hovering over her.
While the initial impression of Delia is that she is completely downtrodden, her husband’s doormat, the screenplay soon indicates that she has a larger life of her own, is involved with work around the city, injections for the homebound, sewing and mending, close women friends, especially at the market. And, she has great care for her daughter and the prospective engagement which excites her.
But, the family is poor and the daughter’s fiance comes from a self-made wealthy family (indications of wartime black market exploitation). A key scene in the film is the in-laws coming to a meal, waited on by Delia who is dominated by her husband, the wealthy family condescendingly sneering. The meal is a calamity.
Delia has encountered a friendly African-American GI. Even though they cannot communicate by language – he will have a significant role, offscreen, in the future of her daughter and the prospects of her marriage with the wealthy young man. Delia also encounters a mechanic, who has loved her in the past, she still having emotions for him.
The climax, for those who don’t know their Italian history and politics of the time, is something of a surprise, not quite expected, but a strong moment when Delia asserts herself, supported by her daughter, to her husband’s dismay. Well worth seeing.
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