LA GIORNATA BALORDA
Italy, 1960, 84 minutes, Black and white.
Jean Sorel, Lea Masari, Rik Battaglia, Paolo Stoppa.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.
La Giornata Balorda is one of three films made by Mauro Bolognini (pictured) in the early 1960s. The others were La Notte Brava and Il Bel Antonio. The three films had screenplays by Pier Paolo Pasolini, the affluent Italian writer, communist in sympathies. The film shows the life of the proletarian world of Rome in the late 1950s, early 1960s. Pasolini, after writing a number of novels and screenplays, decided to become a director himself, staying with this atmosphere in Accatone. Pasolini, of course, went on to such films as The Gospel According to Matthew, Teorema as with well as his versions of Medea, Oedipus and his trilogy of The Decameron, The Arabian Nights, The Canterbury Tales. His last film was the notorious Salo: The 120 Days of Sodom.
Mauro Bolognini, at the beginning of his career, was to direct for many decades. He contributed a number of short films to the popular genre of the 1960s of portmanteau films. He also, during the 1970s, did a number of period films which recreated Italy and Italian society of the 19th century, Metello, Down the Ancient Staircase and The Inheritance as well as a film version of the Camille story, The Lady of the Camellias (1980).
Jean Sorel and Leia Masari were popular stars of the period. Sorel’s career was mainly in France although he did appear in Sidney Lumet’s A View From The Bridge. Lea Masari’s career was in Italy and France.
1. The meaning of the title, its tone, indication of structure, audience involvement and judgment, theme?
2. The appropriateness of the black and white photography, the location photography in Rome, the musical background and the jazz effects of the early sixties, the neo-realistic treatment of characters and Rome itself? The symbolism involved in this realistic presentation: the structure of one day, the time passing, light and darkness, shadow? Characters within theme symbols, within this environment? The importance of the director's technique, especially slow tracking shots for establishing the passing of time slowly, the pondering of what was happening? The contract with the long sequence of Davide walking around the city in search for work?
3. The importance of the structure: the long opening shot with its angle tracking, its being resumed at the end, the gradual revelation of the atmosphere of this poor quarter of Rome, the various levels on the apartment building, the revelation of the mother-in-law and her work and attitudes, Ivana and the child, the gradual moving upstairs to Davide and his mother and making him the centre of the film, the events moving from there with the light of the motives given at the beginning of the film to his ultimate return to Ivana and the child, and the final shot? A formality appropriate to the film and for response?
4. The importance of the opening sequence with the length and the angle of the shot, the tracking underneath the open way, the revelation of the washing, the buildings. the number of floors, the atmosphere of poverty, children? What was communicated by this opening shot? The introduction of the dustman and the referring to him, the conversations with him? Symbolism of the dustman? The importance of the mother-in-law's song? Attitudes and tone of people in this part of Rome? What attitudes did we have when we returned to the people and this atmosphere after the experience of the day?
5. The focus on Ivana and the fact that she was so young, that she was outside with the children, that she had to be called in to look after the baby? The Madonna style of presenting her? Victim, abandoned irresponsibly by Davide, loving him, eventually loved by him? Audience response to this kind of young mother? To the baby itself? Ivana's mother and the discussions about poverty and her looking after the children? The conversation of the children giving their background, poverty, brothers in gaol, etc? The transition to Davide's mother and her attitude, Davide beginning his day as he got up and got dressed, his casual approach, his irresponsibility as he went off to search for work?
6. The character of Davide as emerging from this kind of environment? Un ragazzo di vita? Who was responsible for his attitudes, himself, his friends, environment? The fact that he was so young, and had a child? His being out of work for so much? His searching out his uncle, the implications for pride in searching out his uncle? Their conversation, his challenge, seeming hostility, his uncle helping him? The appeal to family bonds? The reference to accountant Muglit? The discussion with him, the reference to the other man, the irony of his being run around? The length of the film given to his search for work, walking around Rome, passing the boy with the cream buns? Presenting Davide as a type of young man in this kind of Rome? experiencing its oppression and hostility?
7. The importance of the character of Marina, encountering Davide on their way to work, insinuating sexual liaison, the explanation of the background of their growing up, sexuality? Marina's attitude to Ivana and the child? The fact that she had work, the coincidence of her being the manicurist for Muglit? The encounter with Davide, the encounter with the corpse and Marina's fear, Davide's attitude? (Preparation for the stealing of the ring, the ironies of the discussion about death and the meaning of life?) The importance of Marina's collusion with Davide to blackmail Muglit and the way that she did it?
8. His eventually getting a job, the arrangement with Carapeti? Their driving together, the exhilaration of work? The importance of the incident where Carapeti picked up the prostitute along the road, her discussion with Davide and the similarity of backgrounds of poverty in the countryside, poverty in the city? Her decision to be a prostitute, her personality? The effect? driving off without paying her? Carapeti and representing the same way of life as Davide?
9. The transition to a different atmosphere in Rome with the arrival at the beach, the irony of meeting Muglit's wife and knowing what he was doing back in the city? The introduction to Freja? Her wealth, indolence, fascination with Davide? The sexual overtones as he appeared on the beach, shirt and trousers, her reference to shirt and blue jeans and a tuft of hair? Inviting him to go for a swim? The sensuality? The transition to the mansion and the contrast with the slums in Rome? The background of the illegal dealing of wealth, the political involvement of the Honourable Member and his family staying with them? Davide and his innocence and guilt in participating in this? The sequence at the wharf and threat to the man who threatened to expose him? The irony of Freja's chasing them in the truck, the sexuality and the burning of the truck? The pathos of Freja's giving him the money and yet his being taken in by Carapeti?
10. The pathos of his return to the city on the bus, his wandering through the shops and the darkened streets? At home and yet alien? His future?
11. Davide as young, irresponsible, his age, lust and love, need for work, hoping to get money to buy his job and have some kind of stability, his impatience, sensuality, flirting? A victim of society and people? His aims? The contrast with his return and their acceptance of him, his love for Ivana and promising her the job and marriage? (The irony of his declaring his honesty and yet his robbing of the corpse?) The final scene of his playing with his son? An optimistic or a pessimistic ending?
12. After his return and audiences shift of attitude towards him, what had been achieved? What insight into society and human nature?
