ITALIAN FOR BEGINNERS
Denmark, 2000, 109 minutes, Colour.
Anders W. Berthelsen, Anne Eleanora Jorgensen, Lars Kaalund, Peter Gantzler, Annette Stovelbaek.
Directed by Lone Scherfig.
Italian for Beginners is a Dogme film the most accessible of the Dogme films up till 2001. It is a light comedy with serious undertones. Set in Copenhagen, according to the Dogme creed, it uses real locations (churches, restaurants, municipal halls) and uses natural lighting.
It has an excellent cast, a range of characters in the suburbs of Copenhagen. They are brought to life with feeling and with dignity. The film also highlights various themes of caring for parents, deaths in families, love and romance. It has many comic touches perhaps a little unexpected for such a Scandinavian film.
The film was award winning, the Critics' Prize and the Ecumenical Award at Berlin, Best Film at the Troia Film Festival. It is a very humane and enjoyable film.
1. The Dogme films: the Dogme creed, natural locations, natural lighting, no special effects, ordinary performances, no credit to the director?
2. The Copenhagen setting: the church, the hotel, the apartments, the municipal hall, the streets, the football stadium a sense of realism? Musical score?
3. The title and its focus on the course and the various people who came to it? Paid for by the council, the students, the instructor and his death, Finn taking over? The voyage to Italy, the trip to Venice and the difference between Italy and Denmark for the resolution of problems?
4. Andreas and his coming to the church, the assistant and her helping him (and the humour of her robbery and hold up career, drugs, time in prison and her discovering God)? His own wife's schizophrenia and death and its effect on him? Temporary posting? The minister and his being ousted, his resentment, lurking around the church, ridiculing Andreas, setting people against him at funerals? Andreas and his discussions with the minister and trying to resolve the problems? His staying at the hotel, the friendship with Jorgen Mortensen? The room, the isolation? The swimming pool and Jorgen talking with him there? His sermon and the sisters present, the person walking out and the possibility of cancelling the ceremony? The later ceremonies, the funerals, the organist (having been thrown over the balcony by the previous minister)? The two choir men? The Christmas celebration and the numbers in the church? His own beliefs, discussions about God? The meeting with Olympia? Friendship, attraction, the funeral and his helping her? Meeting Karen at the second funeral? His friendship with Jorgen, meeting Finn, the advice to Jorgen about Giulia? The people urging him to take the parish? His searching, the Christmas dinner and his joining the staff in the kitchen? His going to the classes, enjoying them? His going to Venice, the relationship with Olympia? His future?
5. Olympia, her awkwardness, dropping things in the bakery? Looking after her father and his constant abuse? Her going to the Italian lessons, belief that her mother was an Italian opera singer? Her father's resentment of his wife walking out? Going to the classes and enjoying them? Bringing the cakes and dropping them? Her return home, talking to her father, discovering that he was dead? The character of the father and his viciousness but his leaving money to his daughter? Her arranging the funeral? Information that her mother had died, going to the church, meeting Karen, discovering the truth? Their becoming friends, going to the Italian class? Her getting the money, wanting to buy the hairdresser's for Karen, the suggestion that the money be spent on the trip to Italy? Her going, the relationship with Andreas? Their future?
6. Karen, her hairdressing, the clients from the hotel? Finn coming unwillingly, attracted to Karen, not getting his hair cut? Her mother and her alcoholism, coming to the shop, Karen going to the hospital, caring for her, bathing her? The mother and her vicious taunts of Karen? The phone call and the sadness of her death? Karen and the plea by her mother to increase the morphine, her doing it? Later telling it to the head nurse? The relationship with Finn, going to the classes, attracted by him, the sexual encounter? Overhearing him mocking her mother and her anger? His apology? Olympia offering to buy the hairdresser's? Going to Italy, the reconciliation with Finn?
7. Jorgen Mortensen, his injury, worrying about impotence? A nice man, but timid? His role in the hotel? His boss and the change of job, demoting him yet not losing his salary? The attraction to Giulia and his shyness with her? Finn's mockery? The discussions with Andreas at the swimming pool? The Italian classes, planning to speak to Giulia, Christmas and her acceptance? In Venice and the proposal?
8. Giulia, in Denmark, working at the restaurant, abused by Finn? Her being sacked with him? Her prayers that Jorgen will notice her? The haircut and his noticing it? Going for a walk, the Christmas celebration? Italy, her going round the corner to pray in church to accept him or not?
9. Finn, short, the footballer, friendship with Jorgen? His harshness and criticising all his customers? His getting the sack? Talking with Jorgen at the stadium? His taking on the Italian class? His abuse of people there? His attraction towards Karen, the haircuts, the sexual encounter, his apology to her? The reconciliation in Venice?
10. The head nurse, going to the classes, her friendship with Karen, looking after her mother? The other ladies and their sitting together? Going to the restaurant and being attacked by Finn?
11. The trip to Venice, the atmosphere, the gondolas, the meal, the happiness together, the couples and their future?
12. A humane look at people in their ordinary situations, their hopes, relationships, shyness? The significance of religion the role of Andreas, the empty church, people coming to church to hear him, people seeking his advice, Jorgen, Finn, Giulia, Karen and Olympia? Giulia as the Catholic and the emphasis on her Catholicism? An entertaining, humorous and humane film?
