TO FORGET VENICE

France/Italy, 1980, 110 minutes, Colour.
Mariangela Melato, Erland Josephson.
Directed by Franco Brusati.

This film won several awards in Italy in 1980 and received an Oscar nomination for best foreign film of that year. It is a pleasing film made by Franco Brusati who made the attractive film about Italian migrants in Switzerland, Bread And Chocolate.

This film takes a cross-section of people, rather eccentric but nevertheless representing common attitudes towards life. The past is explored with the insights of the present and the need for freedom from the past is desperately felt. The memories and the liberation from memories is a major theme and well acted by its leading players: Swedish Erland Josephson, who appeared in Ingmar Bergman's Scenes From A Marriage and Face To Face, and Mariangela Melato, who appeared in so many of Lina Wertmuller's films. The film evokes the North Italian countryside, the heavy traditions and the need to break through into the contemporary world. A film for those exploring themes of middle age.

1. The quality of the film? Its impact in 1980? Awards?

2. The significance of the title? the way that it was used throughout the film, the forgetting of the past? The importance of memory and forgetfulness? inattentiveness as well as deliberate forgetfulness? Liberation? Venice and its symbolism and tones of a dying city magnificent in its past? The symbolism for MM of past, present and future? Nostalgia, innocence, realism? Fear and hope? Values?

3. The colour photography of the Italian countryside, homes, activities in a country town? The variety of the musical score: opera, popular songs?

4. The focus on the present in the screenplay: Anna and her work on the farm, Nicky and his watching the soccer and the involvement of Picchio, Claudia and her class, Marta, and the preparation for Nicky's arrival? The establishing of the group of characters to be explored and seeing them in their ordinary occupations?

5. The focus on Anna and moving from present to past? The adult Anna in the same room as the dramatisation of her memories? The first communion atmosphere, Claudia and her visit to the attic, Anna's hostility, getting Claudia to dance, throwing darts and eggs at Anna's parents? Anna's later going back into her past, the memories of her mother and her being abandoned by her father, her tantrums, her pretended suicide and plans to go to Paris? The indication of Anna's isolation, hatred, loneliness and hard life? Her hard work? Aspects of sexuality and withdrawal?

6. The transition to Nicky and his being present in his past? Rossini in his real life, Nicky's bringing the classic nude pictures? Rossini's poring over them? Nicky's idealising of Rossini? The embarrassment about the Michelangelo picture? The prying on the washerwomen and their nudity? Rossini's brazen exhibitionism and his reserve? His putting on Rossini's soutane? memories of isolation? Withdrawal? Homosexuality? His later sitting on the stairs and remembering Marta's birthday? Marta and her protection of her brother? Their father as the wizard? Offering Marta wealth, beauty, love? Nicky as the frog prince? The crystal ball? His later finding the crystal ball and its smashing? His memory of his praying in the past?

7. Anna and her hard work on the farm, the visitor buying fruit and her sexual taunts? Her femininity? The relationship with Claudia and their sharing the room, nudity? Their taking one another for granted? Their love, friendship. sexual relationship? Anna and her enjoyment of the outing? Her watching Marta and Nicky? Her practicality in taking the car to get the doctor for Marta? Her tiredness after Marta's death? The clash with Claudia and the bitter words expressed? Her withdrawal to the attic and the encounter with Picchio? The sexual relationship and her taunting him, her being afraid of him? her cutting off her hair? The practicalities of leaving the farm? The farewells to Katarina? Claudia and Anna on the bus and her holding Claudia's hand?

8. Nicky and his interest in the football, arranging for Picchio to play, tending his injury? His tender manner? His pride in his car? The greeting for Marta, picking her up, dropping her? Laughter in the household? Getting ready to go out and the shower and suggestions of homosexual themes? The outing and his dancing and singing? The irony of his meeting Rossino through his son? The memories and seeing the change in Rossino and himself? watching the wedding? Rossino sending the token to Picchio? The memories in the household? Memories when Marta was dying? his response to Marta's death? The piercing of her heart? his farewell in the group and not leaving? his drinking, eating, relaxing and letting go of the past? The discovery of the crystal ball and its shattering? His ability to accept the old and face the fact of his middle-age? The importance of the final discussion with Picchio and farewelling him? The lonely bachelor, business interests, relationships, sexuality? Final self-acceptance?

9. Claudia and her taking the school children for an excursion, seeing the couple making love and her watching? Her period, the discussions with Anna before the outing? Her place in Anna's past? Anna's accusations of a sense of unreality? Her enjoying of the party? her concern about Marta's death? Her giving the camomile tea to Anna and Anna's violent reaction? Her being hurt? Leaving the house? The holding hands in the bus?

10. Marta and her getting ready for Nicky's visit? Her not seeing her until she was made up and then only when she was dying? Her being carried by Nicky? Her laughter? Her being a celebrity, the bride and the group feting her during the dinner, her singing, dancing with Nicky, her being tired? Relationship with Katarina and her fussiness about the meal, going to Venice? The arranging of her to wear the Pamela? Her collapse? The death? Her wanting the crystal ball, her heart being pierced? Her achievement in life, enjoyment of life? Her explanation of her past, concert tours, opera success? Her living in her family's memory?

11. Picchio: the young man, attached to Nicky, soccer-playing, partnership in business with the car, his arrival and charm with the family, the wash and shower and the later comment on his liking to be admired? The homosexual relationship and his sensitivity to Katerina's visit to the room later? Preparation for the outing, enjoying it? Teaching Anna to drive, going for the doctor? The encounter in the attic with Anna? her challenge to him, his sexual advances, nudity? Nicky's farewell to him? His going on his own way? A sketch of a young man, relationships?

12. Katterina and her age, absentmindedness, holding on to traditions, the preparation of the dinner, the insistence about the capitol Pamela, her reaction to Marta's illness, the calling of the doctor? The piercing of the heart? her going away? her farewells and not knowing really what was happening?

13. Rossino - the young boy, the friendship, the girls? Seeing him in his middle-age, balding? His memories? The marriage of his daughter? His relationship with his wife and the incident in the washroom? His memories of the past and invitations to Nicky? His sending the gift token with his son?

13. The attention to detail of the film and its capture of moods? The strong units making up the screenplay? The device of the presence of the character within his or her memories? The long sequence of getting ready for the outing? The long sequence of the outing? The intention of going to Venice and the voyage thwarted? Death and memories? Waiting?

14. How typical or untypical the characters presented? The human conflicts that they represented and symbolised? The importance of memories and the past, values, their hold, protecting and isolating, real, the need for healing? Memories stunting growth, perpetual fear? The courage to break through the past?