TRAGEDY OF A RIDICULOUS MAN

Italy, 1981, 116 minutes, Colour.
Ugo Tognazzi, Anouk Aimee, Laura Morante.
Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci.

Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man was Bernardo Bertolucci's film immediately after La Luna. Bertolucci had made an impact in the '60s with his Before the Revolution and The Spider's Stratagem, political allegories with a leaning towards the Left. His The Conformist was an international success in the early 170s. He became a famous name with Last Tango in Paris and 1900. Bertolucci still probes the Italian political and social situation, with a leaning towards the Left. His style is Italian in the grand manner, almost operatic. He is famous for having symbolic dance sequences in his film: the dance sequence takes place at the end of this film as the hero rediscovers his son.

Ugo Tognazzi, the Italian actor and comedian, is very good in the role of the self-made industrialist. Anouk Aimee is in quite some contrast as his French wife. The film can be seen as a straightforward story about terrorism, industrialists, the need for social change in Italy. It can also be seen as an allegory (taking up soon after 1900) the political and economic situation of Italians. The hero then stands for the ageing Italian. The ending is deliberately enigmatic - and open. The film had mixed response on its first release.

1. Bernardo Bertolucci's work and his reputation? Interest in political situations in Italy, the history of the 19th. century and 20th. century, Right and Left, economy, terrorism? Conscience-stirring? Italy and the need for social revolution? The personal story as a political allegory? The point of view and Bertolucci in middle age?

2. The title and its references throughout the film? Primo seeing himself as ridiculous, as a child, growing up? His looking in the mirror and considering himself and his face ridiculous? The title and its reference to tragedy for the Everyman? The ridiculous hero standing for the Italians, middle aged men, fathers? The rags to riches self made man? The man who can see that he is ridiculous and therefore has some insight? The ridiculous man with his drives, fears, insecurity? By whose standards is he ridiculous? his own, the other characters, the audience's judgment? The meaning of the title? that all are ridiculous? Could the audience identify with a ridiculous hero?

3. The focus on tragedy and its tradition, operatic nature, the fall of a great man etc.? Tragedy in the Italian operatic tradition? In the contemporary American tradition where the ordinary salesman can be a tragic hero? Fatal flaw. sin, disaster? The end of this film with the redemption of tragedy and the enigma?

4. The Italian settings: the picture of Northern Italy, the country around Palma? The factory and the detail of production, milk, cheese, the pigs? The mediaeval castle and the contemporary house modelled on it? Wealthy homes and poor hovels? The contemporary world of the police, cars, helicopters? The contrast with the woods and the chestnut-drying cabins? The local atmosphere of the film? Its universality? Musical score and the references to opera and Primo's singing?

5. The impact of the editing? The highlighting of the external events? Primo's voiceover and comments on his interior reactions? The visuals moving to the next event while still delaying on the audio of Primo's reflection? The forward movement of the film? The pacing and the atmosphere of realism and the serious, the insertion of the comic? The clownish aspects of the characters and their behaviour? The puzzling atmosphere? Life and death? The final dance and the ending? The pace for a tragedy or not?

6. The film working on the level of realism: Italian industrialists, terrorism, family grief, media interference, the police and their work, the social and economic significance of the factory? The references to contemporary Italian troubles e.g. Giovanni's file and its contents?

7. The initial emphasis on the ridiculous: Giovanni's gift to Primo for his birthday ? the cap, the binoculars, the flare gun? The irony of Primo's use of it to see and respond to Giovanni's kidnapping? Barbara and her slipping on the side of the road? The marshall and his pomposity and falling over? The cook and her learning rock and roll and Primo's joining in? The sexual encounter with Laura and her baring her breasts? Adolfo's final frenetic dance? Barbara and the gun on Primo? Ridiculous comments on the serious issues?

8. Primo and the significance of his name? First? His birthday, the cap, his relationship with Giovanni, his reaction to his kidnapping? The importance of the narrative and the voice-over? The linking with internal and external worlds? His attitudes as factory owner, self-made, husband, father, wealthy man? The changes in twenty years? His being forced to decisions? The irony of how he was forced? The repercussions and the ending?

9. Primo's story, his memories, the courtship of Barbara and the marriage, the birth of Giovanni, the establishment of the factory and Giovanni's growth as a symbol - reflection of the factory's growth? Primo’s attachment to both? His house? His being despised by Giovanni? The reaction to the kidnapping? His grief, search with the car, the letters? His insertion about Giovanni's hugging him? Relationship with Barbara? Response to the police? His worrying and wondering? The response to Barbara's assessment of their property, the visit of the usurers and his being bewildered? The encounters with Laura, his memories and speaking with her? Waiting at Adolfo's and his lust for her? His response to her baring her breasts while forging Giovanni's letter? The puzzle about Adolfo and the news of Giovanni's death? His comments about not telling Barbara and his avoiding opportunities? His consoling Barbara, the sexual relationship - The breakfast in bed? His devising the plan, the discussions with Laura and Adolfo? The forging of the letter? The visit to the numerologist? The cases, the gun, the walk in the woods, Barbara's confrontation with the gun? The final meeting and the fulfilment of his hopes for the saving of the factory? His following Adolfo and watching him dance? The puzzle about Giovanni's reappearance? Following, dancing? His refusal to probe the reality of his son's being alive? The biblical references to lost sons and dead sons coming to life again?

10. Who kidnapped Giovanni? Who planned it? What really happened to him? The role of Giovanni himself and his plans to kidnap his father? Laura's contribution? Her own plan? The use of Adolfo and his communicating information? Barbara's participation?

11. The character of Barbara: her mother's grief, searching for her son, waiting, the response to the letters, her taking an inventory of the house, her hosting the usurers, her loving relationship with Primo? The police, the fainting? The case and the gun in the walk through the woods? Her binocular-watching for Giovanni’s return? The ambiguity of her relationship with Laura - hostility, friendship? Her happiness at the end? The enigmatic foreigner? The loving mother and wife? Her passivity and aggressivity?

12. Laura and her grief, her presence at the search, memories and her being at school with Giovanni, his girlfriend? Barbara's taunt at Laura? Her waiting? The kissing of Primo? Communication of information? Her work, presence at the factory, her studies? Adolfo and the search for him at the pigsties? The plan? Her forging the letter? Baring her breasts? The ending and her participation in the plan? Her telling part of the truth only? The younger generation and the involvement of women in terrorism in Italy?

13. Adolfo and the enigma of the worker priest? The photo of John XXIII? Confessions and his breaking the seal of confession? His status as priest, home that he lived in, poverty? His Bible and quoting Scripture? Giving information to Primo? His work, the pigs? Being part of the plan? His anxiety? Relationship with Giovanni? His final dance? The significance of religion in Italy of the '80s? The change of style from clericalism to worker priest? Bertolucci's inserting this character and the quotations from the New Testament?

14. Giovanni and his presence, the initial chase, the enigma of the kidnap, the file and the Milan police examining it? His reappearance as the lost son? Dancing with his mother?

15. The maid and her jolly chubbiness, cheerfulness, service of the household, the parties, staying up late? The rock and roll dancing? The contrast with the marshall and his pomposity? The satire on the police and their self-seriousness? The special squad from Milan searching the house?

16. The media, the helicopters, the newspaper reports?

17. The usurers and the bizarre party, the negotiations by whispers? Their eating, singing, dancing? Prim 's visit to the Baron to get the money for the ransom and his riding around the city on bike with the money?

18. The numerologist and her influence on Barbara? Her phoniness, her knowledge of the truth?

19. The social situation of '80s Italy? The fable and the truth told about the situation? Realism versus operatic style? Insight through a personal story? Italy in the '80s?