MEDITERRANEO
Italy, 1991, 90 minutes, Colour.
Directed by Gabriele Salvatores.
Mediterraneo is a light, often humorous, look at a group of soldiers, Italian soldiers, stationed on a Greek island in the Mediterranean during World War I. They have very little active participation in the war, rather they spend their time guarding the island and getting to know and relate to the inhabitants of the island.
The film, surprisingly, won the Oscar for best foreign film of 1992. The film is attractive to look at, has some genial performances - but is a very light and airy look at its theme. Direction is by Gabriele Salvatores.
1.The impact of the film? As entertainment? Exploration of World War II and Italian participation? Its winning the Oscar for best foreign film?
2.The widescreen colour locations, the Mediterranean and the Aegean, the island and its landscapes, seasons, weather and moods? The experience of war and the visualising of war? The musical score?
3.The title and its focus? The effect of the Mediterranean on its inhabitants?
4.The picture of the war, a memoir, the Italians and their perceptions, non-combatants and the alleged easy action in the war? The men stationed there, tricked into being there? The earthiness of their experience and its effect, aftermath?
5.The plan, the arrival of the boat, the island, the boat and the destruction, the angers of the men, radio contact and loss of contact? The group settling in, their putting a military order on the island? The search for the people and the impact of their absence? Their decision to stay, the Mediterranean and the island changing them?
6.The portrait of the people of the Aegean, their background, history, social structures, village life, farms? Isolation from other islands? From the world? The children and their future? The adults and their survival? The priest and his control? The religious background and the orthodox church? The absent men and their return? The bonds between the soldiers and the inhabitants? Sport, prostitution, artwork, food? The Germans? A lifestyle on the island?
7.The portrait of the men? The leader and the misfits, not going to the prostitutes, painting? His control? The painting of the frescoes on the chapel? Firena and his help? His discovering the children, finding the community? The Greek poetry, his falling in love with Vasilissa, the prostitute? Firena ultimately marrying Vasilissa? His hiding so that he could stay behind? The brothers and their background, going out into the countryside, to the hills and the cliffs, meeting the shepherdess? Their relationship with her, sexuality and innocence? Their setting up a household? Lieutenant Lo Russo and his toughness, his macho posturing - and sublimating it in folk-dancing? Colisante and his shyness, declaration of love? Strazzabosco, his pet donkey, its death, his grief? Relating to the women? Noventa and his memories of his pregnant wife? Each of the characters in themselves? The details of their individual characters, their forming a group?
8.The arrival of the Turks, the Turkish leader? The supply of hashish, stealing their weapons and possessions? The drinking? The after-effect on the men - and their not feeling as if they had been oppressed?
9.The character of the priest, his role in the village, his control, helping the soldiers, the artwork in the church, the guns?
10.The character of Vasilissa, strong woman, background of Athens, her family? Her relationship with the men? The role of the prostitute in the village? Sexual appetites and release, soldiers on foreign land? Firena and his loving her and the proposal to marry, the marriage?
11.The shepherdess in the hills? Her relationship with the brothers? The women and their relationship with the men? The married woman and her affair?
12.The portrait of the children, their relationship with the soldiers, the sport, play?
13.The pilot and his information? The passing of the war? The husbands' return? Life resuming, the soldiers going? Those who stayed?
14.The postscript with the '90s, the aftermath of the war, those who have stayed? Lo Russo and his disillusionment, staying on the island? Vasilissa's death? Montigni visiting, searching for Firena, finding him and Lo Russo, their memories of the idyllic time on the island? Its influence on their later lives? Its being an episode in the past and life resuming as normal? The story of war, peace and human nature?
