FADING GIGOLO
US, 2013, 90 minutes, Colour.
John Turturro, Woody Allen, Vanessa Paradis, Sharon Stone, Liev Schreiber, Sofia Vergara.
Directed by John Turturro.
Certainly an offbeat title. And the premise of the plot is rather suspect, though treated more gently than might be expected.
We are introduced to two characters, one in his middle age, the other older. They are played by John Turturro and Woody Allen.
Fioravante (Turturro) is a quiet character, who works in a flower shop and is an expert as at floral designs. He is helping his friend, Murray, packing up books because people are less interested in books these days. Murray has visited his doctor for a dermatology procedure and the issue has come up about sex, relationships and a menage and Murray has the bright idea that his friend, Fioravante, might respond to such requests and start a career as a gigolo. Murray is eager to be his agent – and even more eager not only to have an agent’s fee but, as waitresses do in restaurants, share tips.
This might not be the story an audience would like to watch – but, it is treated with more humanity than might have been expected, raises issues of sexuality and relationships, and does so with some humour.
There is little given about Fioravante’s background or why he should agree to take on this role. Seeing him with a number of clients shows his sympathy, kindness and regard for women. One is played by Sharon Stone, initially shy, but wanting revenge on her husband. Another is played by Sofia Vergara, who is in for the experience. But one woman he encounters is a widow from the strict Jewish community in Brooklyn, who stirs emotions in him as well as in herself.
It should have been said earlier, that the role of Murray is very much a typical Woody Allen character, full of anxious remarks, full of one-liners, keeping the audience very much amused with his worrying character and his style. And suddenly it is revealed that he has an African-American? wife and several children with whom he is a tender father.
This brings in the Jewish community, very strict in its regulations, Murray not fitting into their ideals. Liev Schreiber is one of the local equivalent of police, keeping an eye on everyone’s behaviour, even to arresting people and bringing them before a bench of Rabbis for judgement.
This means that there is a lot of comedy about groups in New York City, humour about this Jewish community, for instance, serious young Rabbis-in-the-making, refusing to be interested in or coached in baseball – but some relent!
The screenplay was written by John Turturro, who also directs, so it is a vehicle for himself, his character, his moral behaviour, his concerns, the experience of being a local gigolo and its repercussions for himself and his moral perspective.
A different New York story.
1. The New York story? Orthodox Jews? Italian community?
2. The settings, the streets, apartments, the shop, the park? The jazz score?
3. The title, Fioravante, his life, little background given, his talk about his mother, an ordinary woman? His age, the flower arrangements? The neutral morality?
4. Woody Allen as Murray, his character, one-liners, his typical delivery, human? The situations? His wife and children? Inter-racial marriage? At home, talking, playing with the children? The baseball? Lice and the children’s heads? Going to Avigal? Seeing the crash and the argument on the road? Fioravante helping him pack? Going to the dermatologist? Her proposal, the thousand dollars? The idea of the gigolo? Talking this over with Fioravante, trying to persuade him, the commission for agents, sharing the tips? Changing their names? Danny Bongo? Arrangements, the phone calls, the menage, teaching the Jewish boys baseball? Introducing Avigal to Fioravante, his being taken by the Jewish supervisors, taken to court, ringing his lawyer, relying on him in the case? The accusations? Avigal and her coming in, speaking? Fioravante and his leaving, the French woman in the cafe, prospects to continue the business – or not?
5. Fioravante, as a friend, robbing the shop as a boy, the flower arrangements, listening to Murray, the proposal, his self-image, and what women saw him, sexual attraction? The issues of payment? Going to Dr Parker, his tenderness, talking, the drink, the gentle dancing, her being persuaded? The different visits? With Selima, her energy, wanting things rough? The menage? His not wanting to follow through? Dr Parker seeing that he was in love? Avigal coming to see him, being different? The visit to his house, his cooking, slitting the fish? On the carousel, seeing her, sitting with her? The walk in the woods, revealing her hair, her breaking the laws, the kiss? Avigal coming to see him, the farewell, his interchange with Dovi?
6. Dr Parker, the dermatologist, her empty marriage, shyness, changing, the sexual encounter with Fioravante, vengeance for her husband? The cash and her being wealthy? Talking to Selima? The menage, recognising Fioravante in love?
7. Sophia, her character, bold, rough, the menage?
8. The different women and their going in to Fioravante, the collage?
9. Avigal, the Jewish widow, with the children for the lice, the rules for widows, covering her hair, the discussions with Murray, the connection with Fioravante, the visit, the love, the carousel, the kiss in the woods, speaking up in the case? The farewell to Fioravante, loving Dovi? His work with the patrol, with the rules, his lack of self-confidence? In love?
10. The Jewish patrol, Brooklyn, the crash and the anger of the driver, Dovi and his being part of this? The children, the rules, being busy, learning baseball? The court, the rabbis and the panel? The application of the rules? Listening to Avigal?
11. The credibility of the plot? Had it been a woman instead of Fioravante? Moral issues? Personal issues?
