MADE IN ITALY
UK/Italy, 2020, 93 minutes, Colour.
Liam Neeson, Micheal Richardson, Lindsay Duncan, Valeria Bilello.
Directed by James D' Arcy.
This is light entertainment for audiences who want an easy film to watch. In many ways, it is also slight. However, there is quite an emotional underlying theme and audiences will find some emotional satisfaction at the end.
The two central characters, Robert Foster and his son Jack, played by real-life father and son, Liam Neeson and his son Micheal. There is a are some echoes in the screenplay of the sadness in their actual lives, the skiing accident of Natasha Richardson, her untimely death. In fact, in 2016, Micheal officially changed his surname to that of his mother. And, through his mother, he is part of the several-generations Redgrave family. (He also acted with his father in the thriller, Cold Pursuit.)
Jack manages a gallery in London, is separated from his rather haughty wife whose family owns the gallery. They are going to sell it. Jack, who has invested so much of his life in the gallery, approaches his father, artist Robert, trying to persuade him to sell their family Palazzo in Italy so that he can buy the gallery. The house has not been lived in for 20 years.
So, on the one hand, there is all the comedy and drama of finding the house again, assessing its disrepair, making resolutions to improve the property, getting local help, the role of the estate agent (a rather acerbic Lindsay Duncan), potential buyers (who seem rather obnoxious).
On the other hand, there is also the story of Natalia, single mother, working in her local restaurant in England, returning to renovate an old building and making a success of her local restaurant. (No need for the gift of prophecy to see where this will lead!).
But, at the core of the story, is the relationship between father and son, the audience discovering that the father has protected his son after the death of his wife in a car accident, sending the son, age 7, off to boarding school, trying to protect him by removing all memories of his mother (but, Jack, later finding them all stored in the Palazzo). So, some emotional scenes, recriminations, understandings, reconciliation, love.
And, once again, the gift of prophecy is not needed to anticipate what will happen about the gallery and the sale as well as what might happen with the building.
Enjoyable performances, audiences charmed, as Jack is, by Natalia, Valeria Bilello. And, of course, constant vistas of the Tuscan countryside (made more forcibly by some sequences as Jack returns from Italy and walks around London, near Stockwell Underground, the narrow streets and the old cafes.
The film was written and directed by actor James D’ Arcy (Hitchcock, Dunkirk).
1. The title? Italy? Tuscany? And the vast contrasts with London? The location photography, the vistas, the Palazzo, the village, restaurants? The musical score?
2. The theme of father and son, bonds, alienation, misunderstandings, opportunities to get to know each other, transformations, understandings, reconciliation?
3. Liam Neeson and Micheal Richardson, father and son, playing father and son? Some similarities with their real life and the death of Natasha Richardson?
4. Jack, age and experience, marrying his wife young, alienation, separation, her family owning the gallery, wanting to sell it? Jack and his skills, exhibitions, investing his life in the gallery? Wanting to buy it?
5. Making contact with Robert, Robert never going to the gallery (and Jack finally finding out that his wife had urged Robert not to)? Robert and his way of life, Jessica/ Jennifer? Driving to Italy with Jack? The background of the Palazzo, their family home, Robert and the death of his wife, grief, shielding Jack, sending him to boarding school? Hoarding all his wife’s belongings in one of the rooms? Its decaying condition? The plan to sell?
6. Finding the house, the dark, the walls, holes, weasels, decaying aspects, solid bone structure and its walls? Water system? Electricity?
7. Kate, estate agent, rather acerbic, her reaction to the house, of Robert’s painting on the wall? Her comments, bringing the American clients and their rude behaviour, Robert ousting them? Her gradually mellowing?
8. Father and son, working together, meeting with some of the locals, the locals gathering and working on the repairs?
9. Jack, wandering into the town, the restaurant, the encounter with Natalia? Her cooking the meal? Her story, a year in England, learning English, the restaurant, the return, renovating the restaurant? Its success? Jack and Robert later going for the meal, the birthday celebration, Natalia story and her husband going off, the issue of custody of their daughter, her ousting him from the restaurant? Robert and Jack pretending to cook the meal?
10. The successful renovation? Jack and his spending time with Natalia? Recounting his memories, not having memories? The tyre on the rope, its being restored, his falling into the water? Her falling in?
11. Jack deciding to return to England, seeing Natalia with her former husband and the girl, his wrong conclusion? In England, its drab appearance round Stockwell Underground, the streets, the restaurant, meeting with his father?
12. The importance of Jack discovering the room with his mother’s belongings, the paintings, the toys? The discussions with his father, his father’s explanation, shielding him? Jack not crying at his mother’s funeral? Being a man? The impact of the room and the mementos of his mother, the paintings? Taking some to England?
13. Going to the gallery, the encounter with his wife, the divorce papers, no sale for the gallery?
14. His return to Italy, his father selling his London house, giving Jack the money? The Palazzo, restored, Kate and her idea, the art lessons, the visitors? Robert and his coaching?
15. And Jack and Natalia together? A local gallery? Made in Italy?
