IL BELL' ANTONIO

Italy, 1960, 105 minutes, Black and white.
Marcello Mastroianni, Claudia Cardinale, Pierre Brasseur, Rina Morelli, Tomas Milian.
Directed by Mauro Bolognini.

Il Bell Antonio was directed by Mauro Bolognini. A prolific Italian director for forty years, he came into his own at the beginning of the 1960s with La Notte Brava, La Giornata Balorda and Il Bell Antonio. He continued during the 1960s but made a number of significant historical films in the 1970s including Metello, Bubu, Fatti di Gente Perbene, Down the Ancient Staircase and The Inheritance.

Also significant is the fact that the screenplay was written by Pier Paolo Pasolini, the communist novelist who was to begin directing films with Accatone in the early 1960s and went on to The Gospel According to Matthew and a significant career.

The film is based on a novel by Vitaliano Brancati, A Portrait of Sicily, during the 1930s. However, the screenplay has been updated to the 1950s. It recreates the atmosphere of Sicily, the affluent families and their ambitions, the standards of honour, especially for marriages, arranged marriages. However, the theme is also about male impotence. Marcello Mastroianni portrays Antonio who has spent three years in Rome and returns to an arranged marriage with Barbara, Claudia Cardinale. Everybody has great expectations of him. He has the reputation of a seducer. He is expected to succeed in the world of business. However, he is impotent. The marriage falls apart and he risks incurring the wrath of family and public opinion.

The film, in some ways, was before its time. However, it indicated themes that Bolognini was interested in pursuing for the next forty years.

1. The tone of the title, handsome Tony, from Antonio’s point of view, from the point of view of everyone else? From the audience's point of view? The potential for ironies in image and reality? Heightened by the final scene of Antonio looking in the mirror at his mask and the reality?

2. The black and white photography, Catania, the atmosphere of Sicily? The city, the houses of the rich, of the middleclass, the country estates, the country vineyards and orchards? The claustrophobic atmosphere of Sicily, of Catania? The contemporary music?

3. The impact of the film for Italians, non-Italians? Originally the story was not in fascist times but transferred to the sixties. The emblem and symbol of Italy as a nation, Antonio as handsome but impotent? The implications of masculinity, sexuality and impotence? How seriously presented, comically, satirically?

4. The political implications of the story, the shadows of fascism? Italy’s place in the world? Marcello Mastroianni as symbol of handsome Italy?

5. How well did the film set the Catania world: Antonio’s house, the neighbours coming on to the balcony etc., Antonio’s reputation and the way that he was talked about in the city, his friends, parents? The background of religion and the way that it was continually portrayed? The society and upper-classes of Catania? The middle-classes trying to make their way? Old-style formality? A closed world, arranged marriages etc.? Money? Morality? The influence of the church and tradition as against modern greed? Cynicism?

6. Marcello Mastroianni as the choice for Antonio? His presence, appearance, style? Seeing him first on his return, the importance of his reputation, everybody's reaction to him, the girl next door? The various outings and the presentation of the man-about-town, driving around the city with his cousin and their conversation, the visit to the whore house and upper society being present, the way that he was introduced, political connections, the possibility of a career in business and politics? The crookedness and corruption of the background as presented in the brothel? His going off with the girl and the indications of impotence? The prospect of marrying Barbara? His seeing Barbara and the change of attitude, the possibility of love?

7. Antonio’s father and his career, attitude, response to Antonio’s reputation, cynical style, sexuality and the memories of his own father? The arranged marriage, the deals with the Puglisi family, the celebration? His attitude towards his wife? His preoccupation with the story about the impotence, his intervention, shame? The veering into satire with the presentation of visiting a mistress and the irony of his death, his photo?

8. Antonio’s mother as the typical Italian mother, the religious and fearful background, support of her husband, the happiness of the marriage, the importance of her intervention with Barbara and the sacristy and all that they stood for and the nature of their clash? Worry, Antonio’s reputation, her being satisfied with the maid's pregnancy at the end?

9. What were the values of Antonio’s parents, as handed down by Italian tradition, as cynically expedient? How realistically presented, critically?

10. The Puglisi family and their status in the town, formal ways of behaviour, Antonio’s courting of Barbara, the formality of the wedding, the aftermath of the wedding, in the discussion about the impotence and the annulment? Their arrogance, the values as compared with Antonio’s parents? The initial attractive presentation of Barbara, the young Claudia Cardinale, her photo, the emphasis on her being an angel, an ideal woman? Her formality and primness, her ignorance, her behaviour during the courting? The sensuality and the inner drive for love but her ignorance? Her marriage. in the country, her continual wanting to love Antonio? Audience curiosity and ignorance about his impotence? The scene in the countryside and her reaction? The reason for her change of attitude, the ideal woman becoming calculating, greedy? Her harshness, encounter with Antonio’s mother in the sacristy, with Antonio himself? Having the church on her side? The portrayal of her second wedding and her looking at Antonio?

12. The presentation of the church, the laws about marriage, annulment, the impression that the church supported the rich? The discussions about church law, divorce and annulment? What validity, what points were being made?

13. The contrast of the world of Antonio’s cousin, friends? Their presence throughout the film, aping Antonio’s reputation? The pathos of the sequence where Antonio explained the truth to his cousin? The cousin's reaction, audience reaction? The truth for Antonio, the tenderness of his story, the emotional conflicts, the impotence, the hopes with Barbara?

14. How credible was what had happened to Antonio? His capacity for love, inability to express it, tenderness for Barbara, the hurt at what happened? The irony of the hope, of the neighbour?

15. The effect of entering into this world of Sicily, the close-ups, the slow moving around the city, apartments, country houses? The audience being invited to ponder? Participate in the sense of failure?

16. The seriousness and humour of the servant and her presence throughout the film, at the country house, at her becoming pregnant and our knowledge of the father? Her saying the day and everybody going along with this?

17. The serious exploration of the character and plight of Antonio, the significance of his final gazing into the mirror?

18. A satiric film, a comic film, a study of Italy?