BUBU

Italy, 1971, 105 minutes, Colour.
Massimo Ranieri, Ottavia Piccolo, Antonio Falsi.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.

Bubu is based on a novel by Charles Louis Philippe, set in Paris, but here transferred to Turin at the end of the 19th century. In 1970, Bolognini had produced a period drama, Metello, with Massimo Ranieri. This film is a companion piece with the same star.

The film recreates the period beautifully, almost like paintings come alive. During the 1970s Bolognini was to continue to make 19th century period dramas with great success including: Libera My Love, Drama of the Rich, Down the Ancient Staircase and The Inheritance.

This film, however, is a rather grim story. Bubu (Antonio Falsi) works in a bakery but he forces his girlfriend, Berta (Ottavia Piccolo), into prostitution and lives from the money that she makes as a prostitute. He is a repellent character and is a grim and brutal pimp. Massimo Ranieri plays Piero, a potential hero for the film and a possible saviour for Berta.

The film highlights the harsh aspects of 19th century society, especially in the Italian cities – the poverty, social oppression, the pressure on people, especially women, to work as prostitutes.

This film finds its place among the work of Mauro Bolognini – who during the 1960s had been a chronicler of contemporary stories filmed in realistic black and white, who becomes the chronicler of 19th century Italy in his sumptuous films of the 1970s.

1. How interesting and enjoyable a period film? The quality of the production, humanity of the film in its themes and characters?

2. The quality of the period recreation, colour, locations, atmosphere? Musical accompaniment? The audience being credibly transported into the life of another time?

3. The importance of' technique, slow camera movement, angles etc. for the creation of an atmosphereof character exploration? Society? Pessimism of life?

4. The title and the focus on Bubu? How central a character was he? The Irony of his being presented as a hero and yet his change? Bubu as a theme for this film? The focus on him as a person?

5. How is Bubu the catalyst for what happened, especially to Berta? The filling in of his background, his family and his mother at the market, his work as a baker and his giving up of his job? The quality of his love for Berta? The motivation for his giving up the job and becoming a pimp? A realistle outlook on life, a whim, an unreal hope for easy wealth? The film’s dramatisation of his hold on Berta? His presuppositions about life, work, women? A male attitude towards life? His lack of work, laziness, cruelty to Berta? How did he persuade her to become a prostitute? Did he still love her? Comment on the lyrical scene of the party with the pimps and the prostitutes and the happiness in that atmosphere? Bubu and his relationship with his friends? The impact of Berta’s having syphilis, his inability to cope and his panicking, visiting his friend for advice in the pool room? The inavitability of his criminal action, his robbery? The amateur nature of it and his arrest? Prison and the effect on him? His brutal attitude, his wanting to take Berta back and use her? How much of a lout was he? The fact that he could control people and win? How detailed and accurate a portrait of this kind of man? Symbol of power? A symbol of Italya as a pimp?

6. The film’s portrayal of Betta - how sympathetically? Her place in the family, their poverty, her leaving home and her father? Her bond with her sister and the model of prostitution? The film opening with her at work, the hard work, the indication of her future poverty and labour if she continued in this way of life? Her love for Bubu? Her love for her family? The fact that she could he persuaded by Bubu to be a prostitute? What judgment did the film make on her life as a prostitute? The collage of her at work? How innocent did she remain dedpite her work? Her love for Bubu and devotion to him, giving him the money? The accidental meeting with Piero in the market place, listening to the music, the loss of the purse? The impact of the day with him? An alternative person in her life? How credible a woman? How admirable, how much a pathetic ictim of society?

7. The impact of her having syphyllis, her visit to the markets, her going to hospital? The scenes in the hospital and the effect of the people around her? the advice that she received, her visitors? Bubu and his reaction? Piero and his reaction? Indication of his involvement with her, hie fear about himself, reaction to her, fear for her? The device of their comminiction by letters? The stigma of syphilis? Her return and the other prostitutes laughing at her? The difficulty of remaining a prostitute? Her desperation, her wanting to kill herself? Her desperation with Bubu in prison? Images of the death of prostitutes from the funeral sequence earlier in the film? relationship with Piero, the way that it had beenbuilt up, the sexual consummation? His offer to help her? Her return to him, the possibility of a bond between them? Bubu’s iIntrusion and the sense of helplessness as Piero stood and she went back to her life?

8. The film’s presentation of and comment on the world of pimps? Prostitutes? brutality? A lot of jovial good humour, yet the pathos and the victimisatiom of the individuals?

9. The film’s presentation of the word of the prostitutes, their life, work, relationships, the difficulties of soliciting, the types that they meet? Brutality and degradation? Male female relationships? Women’s sexuality being used? The gaudiness and the expectations of appearances? The importance of the funeral scenes? Blanche and her way of life, her relationship with her pimp, the pathos of her degradation as a model for Berta?

10. How important a character was Piero? The background of his coming in from the country, trying to work in the city, loneliness, relationship wIth Luka, his infatuation with Berta, his humiliation and his love? The letters when she was in hospital, his continuing to see her, his helping her and the possibility of a future? The pathos of the final image of his looking at the end? Luka as a character, a contrast with Piero. His observations on human nature, on the prostitutes, the funeral, his seeking Berta out to help Piero?

11. How insightful into human nature and the victimisation of human nature? Insight into society and relationships, pressures? Insight into Italy?