IL MARE
Italy, 1962, 110 minutes, Black and white.
Renato Scala, Umberto Orsini, Francoise Prevost.
Directed by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi.
Il Mare is a moving piece of film-making by Giuseppe Patroni Griffi, writer and director of many films over the 60s and 70s. He is clearly influenced by the films of Michelangelo Antonioni, especially the films made at the beginning of the '60s, L'Avventura. The film uses effective black and white photography, slow tracking over exteriors and interiors to try to film an environment for the psychological troubles of the characters. They are not explained, they are simply presented and explored. The complexities are left to the responses of the audience.
The film is very much one of the early '60s - and is interesting as showing the style of Italian film-making (in comparisons and contrasts with later decades).
1. The impact of Italian films in the '60s, the Italian film industry, the emphasis on style? Existential content? Quality and art-house film-making?
2. The writer-director and his work, exploring characters, environments, psychological themes? Within the exploratory styles of the Italian industry at the time?
3. Black and white photography, Capri and its seasons, moods? The sea, the land? An environment for characters?
4. The dramatic impact of the film? interest, exploration, understanding - enjoyment?
5. The basic situation at Capri, the winter? The characters found there? Reasons and lack of reasons for their presence, behaviour? Sketches of characters and behaviour? Purpose - purposelessness?
6. The young actor and his arrival, going to the house, his behaviour, the long, ruminative shots? The sea and his coming to an island? The actor, his career, theatrical in his behaviour and attitudes? Re-enacting his parts? Why his visit to Capri? The visit to the bar? His demands, alone? The young man in the street, their encounter, clash, physical, wrestling? Psychological struggle? Drinking, his dominance of the young man, hurting him? Their meeting the girl, the attraction? The puzzle? His ousting the young man, sending him
away? Discovery of the unconnected phone? The liaison with the girl, sexual encounter, the, morning after and his being unsatisfied, going in search of the young man - and his disappearance? Left at the sea? The purpose of the experience? What happened to the young man, what had he gained, lost? Purpose or futility?
7. The young man in the street, his presence, reason for being in Capri, a loner, drinking, the physical struggle, attraction, killing, taking risks, playing games, the attack on the old man, the encounter the girl, her participating in his activities? His being controlled? Wet, changing clothes, making the phone call - seeming to have relations in Rome? His leaving? To death? The pessimism of this exploration?
8. The woman and her being in Capri, her clothes Relating to the two men? Going on the games and risk-taking? Relating to the young man, the sexual encounter?
9. The film as a presentation of a world out of season? Microcosm? The people, the bars, the hotels, the boat? What kind of world was established and explored?
10. The film as a symbol of the human condition? Contemplative style? Insight for audiences?
