LA VITA E BELLA (LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL)

Italy, 1997, 116 minutes, Colour.
Roberto Benigni, Niccholetta Braschi, Horst Buccholz.
Directed by Roberto Benigni.

Pleasing audiences has been the quest of Italian comedy actor Roberto Benigni (Down by Law, Son of the Pink Panther, Johnny Stecchino). With a pliable face that can be doleful as well as gleeful, he is in the tradition of the sad clowns with both their slapstick antics and the presentation for pity of 'the little man'.

This is all present, and very amusingly so, in the first half of Life is Beautiful. But as many readers will know, the second part of the film takes place in Auschwitz and many have held their breath how Benigni could make comedy in the situation of a concentration camp. And what about taste? Well, although the action seems far-fetched in reality, the love that a father shows his little son in the hardships of the camp makes for a moving story and many moving moments. Benigni makes his points against fascism by mocking it (upsetting teachers with a parody of a class on racism) and then showing deep humanity in the face of inhumanity - especially in the scenes with the German doctor who loves riddles. Life is Beautiful won the Grand Jury Prize at Cannes, 1998. Affirmation of life.

1.The idea of the film: Italian comedy, pre-war Italy, romance transferring into the horror of the concentration camps and the Holocaust. Comedy to tragedy?

2.The impact of the film? The critique of comedy in the concentration camp? Yet the pathos of the individuals in the family, trying to cope and survive? The effectiveness of criticism of fascism by mockery (Benigni's comedy? The lecture? The engagement party and the horse...?).

3.The acclaim of the film? Oscar nominations? Cannes? Seen by the Pope?

4.The work of Roberto Benigni? His skill as a comedian, mime? The portrait of the bittersweet comedian, the little man? Farce, pratfalls? His ability to gain laughter and pathos? The work of Benigni as actor, writer, director?

5.The opening of the film and the glimpse of Giosue? The pathos to come? The transition to the car, the brakes getting out of control, Guido and Ferruccio and the crowd waiting, the king, the fascist salute? The entertaining mockery? The poetry, the crash? The farmyard, the encounter with Dora and his always calling her Principessa? The rescue, the gift of the eggs, the eggs in his hat - and the later comedy?

6.Going to Arezzo? Searching for his uncle? The house, the plans to open the bookshop, working in the hotel? The anti-Semitic vandals in the house? His uncle's reaction? Going to the hotel, the training - and Guido and the comedy of remembering the menu? Meeting Dora in the street and the crash? Her attraction towards him, his fascination with her? Going to the office, being kept waiting, Rodolfo and the arrogant bureaucracy of Mussolini's era? The refusal to hear him? The irony of the eggs? The encounter with the fascist man and his two sons, Adolf and Benito? The comedy about the exchange of the hats?

7.Dr Lessing as the tourist, his friendship with Guido, his fascination with riddles, his friendship and reliance on Guido? The irony for the later meeting?

8.The comedy of the meal for the inspector, Dr Lessing not wanting his, Guido giving the menu and producing it instantly? The fascist inspector and his going to the school? Guido going to see Dora, the encounter with the principal and her staff? The meeting, making a date with Dora? The parody of the class on racism and ethnic purity?

9.With Dora, the attraction, going to the operetta, his sitting downstairs and staring at her and pretending to be deaf? The rain after the opera, the mad drive home, her tearing her dress? His knowing how to get the key in calling out 'Maria'? His setting up the coincidences - with the hat? Her amazement?

10.Ferruccio and his friendship, the importance of the philosophy of Schopenhauer and willing to go to sleep? The preparation for the party, Dora and her mother and her not wanting to go, forced by her mother? Dora with Rodolfo as her fiance? His kow-towing to the officials and her not wanting to go? The party, the lavish preparation, the anti-Semitic spraying of the horse? Guido and his pratfalls? The dancing, under the table? Her wanting to be carried? Guido coming in with the horse and taking her away?

11.The transition to five years later? The happy household, Giosue and their life in Arezzo? The bookshop? Taking Giosue by bike? The indications of anti-Semitism with the shop, Giosue and his asking about prejudice and Guido's ability to make jokes about who was acceptable in a shop or not? His grandmother arriving, her talk with Giosue, his charging her? The preparation for the party?

12.The arrival of the Germans, coming into the shop, the slogans? The arrest, Guido and Giosue going to the train? The uncle? Dora and her discovery of the truth, her hurrying to the railway station? Her demanding to go on the train? The train journey to Auschwitz?

13.The gradual introduction of the jokes and play to Giosue? The Jews and dogs not being admitted to the shop? The playful tone - yet Guido wanting Giosue not to be disturbed?

14.The nature of the game about going on the trip, the competition, the tank as a prize? Guido's ability to sustain it? His spontaneous responses to situations, his wit, sometimes desperation? The detail he attended to for all the action and problems in Auschwitz? The effect on him? On Giosue? The participation of the other prisoners?

15.The train ride to Auschwitz? The arrival and seeing Dora, the separation? The hut, the bed and the bunks? Guido and his interpreting the German - and the mockery of all the orders given by the German? The establishing of the game?

16.Giosue, his age, experience, an attractive little boy? The audience sharing Guido's concern? The effect of being in the camp, wanting to stay, getting the points, wanting to go home, persuaded to stay because of the tank? Hiding? Needing food?

17.Bartolomeo and sharing the bunk, carrying the anvils? Life in the hut? Surviving?

18.The loudspeaker and his talking to Dora, calling her Principessa, assuring her that they were safe? His playing the Offenbach music and the memory of the theatre?

19.The personality of Dora, her teaching in Arezzo, the chance encounters with Guido? Her mother? Rodolfo and her not wanting to conform, leaving the party on the horse? The happy household? Her decision to go to the concentration camp? Desperation at the station, going on the train? The arrival, the separation? Her suffering?

20.Dora and the gas chambers, the discussion about soap and buttons? The showers? Dora sorting the clothes? The impact of the brief sequence where Guido sees the heaps of bodies? This sequence as a critique of the horror of the Holocaust?

21.Guido finding Dr Lessing, his inviting him to wait on the tables, the children and Giosue entering into the game, hiding, getting the food, saying 'Grazie' and Guido teaching them all to say it and deflecting suspicion? Dr Lessing and his seeming willingness to help? The dismaying irony that all he wanted was the solution to his riddles?

22.The changing situation in the concentration camp, the Germans fleeing, Guido and his attempt to find Dora, the trucks, calling out, the disguise, hiding Giosue and telling him to be silent, his climbing the wall, his being caught, the last image of him with his funny walk and entertaining Giosue, the pathos of his being shot?

23.Giosue and his coming out into the deserted camp, the Americans arriving, his seeing the tank, the GI carrying him on the tank, his winning the game and the competition?

24.Giosue and his seeing Dora, their being united? The impact of the experience of the Italian Jews, in Italy, concentration camps, hardships, survival and love? The final words of tribute by Giosue to his father?