MARCELINO PAN Y VINO
Spain/Italy, 1955, 91 minutes, Black and white.
Pablo Calvito, Juan Calvo, Fernando Rey.
Directed by Ladislao Vajda.
Marcelino Pan Vino is a de1ightful film. It is certainly a film for children that will delight adult audiences as well.
It is a reverent film, capturing the atmosphere of a friary, religious fervour and the simplicity of faith. It also provides an interesting Christ-figure - the man in the attic is found to be the suffering Christ reaching out his hand to accept the gift of bread from a little boy.
The film was made in Spain in the mid-50s. It uses amateur actors who all rise to the occasion. What might have been over-pious or mawkish, comes across as engagingly fresh and delightful. It is enjoyable to watch - and repays reflection.
1. An entertaining film? Delight far young audiences? Adults? An inspiration?
2. The quality of the black and white photography, the use of light and darkness, black and white and compositions? The atmosphere of the friary, of the landscapes, of the -interiors, of the attic? The musical score - and the pleasing ballad?
3. The story within the story: the Franciscan friar, the feast of Marcelino, the sick child? The dramatising of the story about the building of the friary, the old farmhouse after the wars? The Mayor's agreement? The establishing of the monastery and the group of friars? Their style
of religious life in the monastery?
4. The baby on the doorstep? The surprise, the search for the parents? The decision to keep the baby? Calling him Marcelino? Marcelino growing up in the friary? The monks depending on him for the spirit of joy there? His nicknames for them all? The discipline of his not going to the attic? The story of the man in the attic? Marcelino and his playfulness, his imaginary friend Manuel? His talking to him? The courage to go up the stairs? The discovery of the man with his arms outstretched? His running away, the curiosity? his compassion for the man on the crass? Getting some bread for him, the hand reaching out and taking it? The friendship and their being together In the attic, talking together? The monks following Marcelino to the attic? Marcelino and his wish to see the mother of the man on the cross as well as his own? The monks discovering the child lying by the statue? The quality of the performance of the little boy as Marcelino, credible?
His joy, life in the monastery, his friend, the relationship with Jesus on the cross? The ballad and his life in the friary being illustrated by the ballad?
5. The group of friars: the Superior, the various brothers with their nicknames - 'Brother Door', 'Brother Ding Dong', 'Brother Bad', 'Brother Cookie', 'Brother Baptism'? Their love for Marcelino, the discipline about going to the attic, their following him up the stairs? Their amazement? The place becoming a pilgrimage centre?
6. The Mayor, the blacksmith, the young mother, the civil guard? The gallery of characters building up the main story?
7. The dramatisation of Christ on the cross - the crucifix, the little bow not knowing its meaning, responding with compassion, sharing his bread, his conversation with Jesus, his being with Jesus?
8. A fable illustrating God's love for human beings, the response of humans to his love - the childlike faith?
