La Vita e Bella

This very controversial tragicomedy by Roberto Benigni hit the U.S. and Europe like a lightning bolt. It infuriated the conservative Jewish community calling it "an insensitive portrayal of the Jewish concentration camps" by taking the Holocaust lightly and by "poking fun at the sufferings of the Jews." I even had a friend who actively campaigned not to watch it by posting internet reviews highly critical of the film.

Since criticisms came strong, I had to watch the film myself and see whether the allegations were true. I was grateful that I listened to my 'reel' instincts or I lost my chance of watching one of the most wonderful films of all time.

Guido (Roberto Benigni) was a happy-go-lucky Italian Jew who had only humour and belief in the power of imagination and of love up his sleeves when he courted the beautiful Dora (Nicolleta Braschi) who was currently engaged to a Fascist. But the power of love triumphed as Dora chose him over his fiance and together they started to build a family of their own.













But this was during Hitler's war and the Reich was determined to wipe out all the traces of Jewish blood on the face of the earth. Jews from Italy were deported to the German borders where they would remain inside the concentration camps. Dora insisted that there had been a mistake, that her family had been taken inside the death trains. But the German soldier said that there was no mistake: only Jews were to be taken. Her son, including. Unwilling to depart from her loved ones she made the ultimate sacrifice of shedding her racial identity and taking on a Jew's so she could be with them, until death. The second half of the film begun here with its muffled poignancy and suffering disguised and hidden from Guido's son, Giosue (Giorgio Cantarini) and revealed only to the viewers.

Equally unwilling to let Giosue experience the horrors of war and the inhumanity of life inside the concentration camp, Guido invented a game of make-believe where the price was not only freedom but a lifelong gratitude and love and affection.

Having seen the film at last, I can say that it deserved it's Oscar nod (Best Picture and Best Actor) but not it's unfounded accusations. Go out and rent a copy!!!

Director: Roberto Benigni
Cast: Roberto Benigni, Nicolleta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini
Country: Italy