BURNING HEARTS/TI MANGIO IL CUORE

Italy, 2022, 115 minutes, Colour,

Elodie, Francesco Patane, Lidia Vitale, Francesco Di Leva.

Directed by Pippo Mezzapeso.

This is a striking drama. It also is a very grim story from southern Italy, traditional families, working the land, farms, yet deep-seated rivalries, rage, vengeance and violence. The Italian title suggests that a vengeful heart will gnaw at us.

And, again very strikingly, it is filmed in black and white.

The opening sequence sets the tone of the film, massacres on a farm, one family destroying the other, shooting, a little boy surviving hiding in the shed, and the huge herd of pigs emerging with him, and a close-up on his face, the face of vengeance. It is 1960.

The action then moves to 2003, the little boy is now the Don Michele, married, grown-up sons, working the farm, but still in rivalry in competition with the opposing family. There is also a third family in the region who seem to act as a buffer between the two rivals – but, as we finally see, that is the surface appearance.

The screenplay suggests to us that we think about the Montagues and the Capulets, but not quite in the Romeo and Juliet romantic perspective. They were from northern Italy but their lives were lives of vengeance in rivalry. Now, there is a tense relationship, sexual, between one of Don Michele’s sons, Andrea, and Marilena (popular Italian model and singer, Elodie), the wife of a son of the other family who has had to disappear, hiding in a cave. They have two children.

There are tensions when lovers meet, Don Michele observing, commanding his son to break the relationship – and his son swears he will but immediately meets Marilena again (and quite a delightful small sequence as he charms her children).

We know that where this will lead – and it does. Except that there is the surprise killing of Don Michele but vengeance tells his family that all the generation of their opponents must be eliminated in compensation. And, with varying degrees of grimness, this happens.

But the film moves in developments we might not have anticipated. Marilena seeks refuge with Andrea’s family, which they accept, reluctantly, especially severe is Andrea’s mother, and outspokenly vengeful matriarch. Complications, pregnancy and Marilena becomes part of the family. But, the expectation is that Andrea will be the executor of the vengeance. He has never killed, finds himself in a situation where he shoots. Audiences who remember Al Pacino has Michael Corleone in The Godfather and his descent into assuming the Godfather role, will follow Andrea’s decline with the same interest and revulsion.

Southern Italian rivalries, the background of the Camorra, the externals of a pious Catholicism and processions, and a final close-up of Andrea and Marilena’s son, the camera looking into his eyes and suggesting we see the future.

1. The original title, the heart consuming others, the English title?
2. The Italian setting, the peninsula, the town, the farms, 1960, 2004 (much the same), buildings, warehouses, church and processions, funerals, socials? The moody score?
3. The black-and-white photography, the graphic effect?
4. The prologue, the massacre, the ruthlessness, the two families, the pigs getting out of the stall, Michele and his surviving, the close-up of him and expectations of revenge?
5. 2004, Michele as the patriarch, the devotion of his wife, her ruthlessness also, his sons, the members of the family, the confrontations with the rival family, the third family and possible mediation?
6. Hatred, revenge, violence, all-consuming rage and hostility?
7. The auction sequence, the rivalry, Marilena and her bid, on behalf of the family? Her status? Her husband in hiding? Her two children?
8. Andrea, young, attracted to Marilena, the encounter with her, her response, the rendezvous, the meeting, the sexual encounter? Michele and his awareness, his confronting his son, forbidding any contact, making his son swear? Yet Andrea continuing to meet with Marilena? The cafe sequence with the children and his charm with them?
9. Michele, the management of the farm, his threats to his son, the support of his wife? The cattle, out in the fields, his being killed? Desecration of the face? The notice board and the photos – and the faces? His funeral, those attending, the atmosphere?
10. Vincenzo Montanari, leadership of his family, his sons and those who work for him? At the auction, his leadership, mediation, present at the funeral, at the meals, at the procession? Seeming benevolence?
11. The decision for revenge, for all the sons of the rival family, the discussion about Michele’s death and the seven sons being worth his?
12. Marilena, coming to the house, the meals, the hostility of the son, the mother and her concern? The pregnancy, the fact that the child would belong to the family, therefore protection?
13. The burden on Andrea, his never having killed anyone, the demands on him from the family, his mother’s expectations, his fears, the first confrontation, the dare, and his shooting? The consequences for him, his character, the taste for killing, the gradual transformation in decline, becoming ruthless? The fights with his brother? His care for Marilena, the pregnancy and his expectations, his mother saying it was a boy? The gradual alienation from Marilena, confrontations, hitting her, forbidding her children?
14. The symbolism of the processions, the Catholicism, signs of the Cross, nominal faith? The role of the priest? The procession, the police, the women and the veils, Marilena standing out? At the end, her defiance of Andrea, his searching through the procession, her escape, the pursuit?
15. The various members of the families, their loyalties, betrayals? Andrea and the confrontation with the alleged traitor, making him eat excrement, shooting him?
16. Immaculata, the attraction to the widower, the presence of his Downes Syndrome son (and moments of joy)? Marilena encouraging Immaculata? Andrea and his threat read her marriage, marrying her?
17. The Italian style of the gathering, the dance, partners, Vincenzo, Marilena, Andrea dancing with his mother?
18. The final pursuit, confrontation with Andrea, his death? Fears for his face? The irony of the traitor, going to the procession, joining Vincenzo in carrying the statue?
19. An insight into traditional families, farmers, rivalries and hatreds, vengeance? The introduction of the drug theme? The Camorra?