PARTHENOPE

Italy, 2024. 136 minutes, Colour.

Celeste Della Porta, Stefania Sandereli, Gary Oldman, Silvio Orlando, Luisa Ranieri.

Directed by Paolo Sorrentino. 

A Paolo Sorrentino film. By this stage in his career, Paolo Sorrentino is so well known, especially for The Great Beauty tand he television series, The Young Pope, The New Pope, that audiences will want to watch each of his new films eagerly. There is always something in his explorations of Italy, the Italian people, Italian culture, his native Naples and his critique of Naples…

But, in the early part of Parthenope, some audiences, including this reviewer, begin to wonder whether they should continue watching. It opens in 1960, moves to the1970s in various dates over the next 10 years or so. There are central characters, but there is also a succession of episodes, somebody remarking that they are random, and one wonders what Sorrentino is really offering, what he wants us to look at, reflect on, what conclusions to be drawn, if they are to be drawn.

But, accepting the characters, new characters and episodes all suddenly brought to the fore, and then moved away from, the audience may begin to ruminate as they respond to the always attractive visuals and become somewhat used to the tantalising unexpected episodes.

The film, the title character, Parthenope, a striking and beautiful presence by Celeste Della Porta, who has to age from 18 to 32, shows her to be an ambitious student and her subject of enquiry, anthropology. And this theme pervades the film, especially in her interactions with the role of the detached Professor, played by veteran Silvio Orlando. In fact, she will specialise for her early studies and then her degree in anthropology. And the question she often raises with the retort by the Professor, what is the definition of anthropology.

His contribution to the answer by Sorrentino is the drama of this film. The final statement is that anthropology is: “Seeing”. So, what are we seeing, what have we seen, what does it mean in terms of being human, independence, relationships, love?

For audiences contemplating seeing the film, there are a wonderful views of Naples, the mountains, the Mediterranean, Capri. There are intriguing guest performances in those random episodes, discussions with American novelist, John Cheever (Gary Oldman), an interview with an eccentric screen agent, the social occasion where a Naples-born celebrity actress makes a speech with a savage attack on her city, the annual miracle of the link with location of the blood of the patron San Gennaro and the bizarre behaviour of the local Archbishop, the public witness to the consummation of a marriage, the final interview with the son of the professor.

Which is not to underestimate the ordinary themes of human life, growing up, family and relationships, self-image, suicide, family grief…

And, finally, and Parthenope  in her 60s played by veteran actress Stefania Sandrelli, bringing the human themes to a conclusion, and the anthropological exploration.

1. Audience response to the films of Paolo Sorrentino? His perspectives on Italy, Italian history, politics, culture? Moral issues? Religious issues? The Catholic Church?
2. The title, the focus on Parthenope, the mythology, the siren, the myth, Naples, her being named after the town?
3. The structure of the film, 1960, the episodes in the 1970s, 1982, and moved to the present? The stages in Parthenope’s life, the continuous narrative, the importance of the various flashbacks, information and light from the flashbacks?
4. The visual style, the beauty of nature, Naples, Car pre-, sea, the mountains, the vistas of the city? Mansions, entertainment styles? Funerals? The Cathedral and the blood of San Gennaro? The walks around the town, the beaches, restaurants? Theatre? The University, the lecture rooms, professorial offices? The range of characters and their worlds?
5. The opening, 1960, the coach, the, Dante, parents, the birth of the water, Parthenope, her naming?
6. In appear and the 70s, aged 18, the actress, her presence, her beauty (and the ability of indicating her ageing from 18 to 32)? The world, her age, Sandri and his love for her, her response, disappointing him, her brother, his moods? The water and the swimming? The affection? The range of friends, partying, the lifestyle of the 70s? Leading up to the scene of her brother, standing, looking at the camera, the sea, his death? The impact on the family? The parents?
7. The episode with John Cheever, Parthenope reading his novels and liking them, meeting him, his drinking, the issue of sexuality, homosexuality, drinking, the impact of her scenes with him?
8. Her studies, the professor, the exams and questioning, the panel, his listening to her, the intervention, the result? The later dealings with the professor, discussions, subjects the theses, the effect of the suicide and her wanting to investigate, his suggestion about the miraculous? And her going to the Cathedral, the encounter with the Bishop, the professor warning her against him, his criticisms of the professor? The thesis, the ceremony of announcing the marks, her high distinction?
9. The issue of anthropology, as a means of interpreting this film, Sorrentino is anthropology of Italy, of Naples, asking the definition, the inability to give a different definition, the ultimate statement that anthropology is Seen? Sorrentino and his seeing, Parthenope and her seeing?
10. The random episodes and their being introduced, the relationship to Parthenope? The development of the screenplay, stops and starts? John Cheever? The actress and her coaching, urging Parthenope to acting, the card, the visit, her face being covered, the encounter, the kiss, the effect on Parthenope? The discussions about the actress, the actress is visiting Naples, high society and the gathering, Parthenope present, the actress, vein, her speech, the denunciation of Naples, so vigourously, Parthenope and the discussions with her?
11. The episode of the public witness to the consummation of the marriage, Parthenope and her encounter with their 20, the sexual encounter, the effect on her, his taking her to this event, the range of people, the young couple, her embarrassment, his embarrassment, their being urged on, Sorrentino making the audience complicit with all the observers? The motivation for the witnessing of the consummation and the consequent air, the family, business?
12. The episode at the Cathedral, the strange personality of the Archbishop, the discussions with Parthenope, her questioning him, the annual event of the liquefaction of the blood of San Gennaro, the Archbishop feeling responsible, the response of the crowds, the ceremony, no liquid, the woman in the crowd and the period blood, his denunciation of her? Sexuality issues, celibate clergy? The effect of the experience on Parthenope?
13. The cumulative effect of her experiences, from wealthy young girl, to society, yet her detachment, her literary interests, anthropology, her achievements, the effect of the various episodes on her as she grew older? Her work in anthropology – giving the high mark to the pregnant young the discussions with the professor?
14. The professor and is retiring, his urging her to take positions, is talk about his son, the separation from his wife, eventually introducing her to his son, audience response to the sun, as a child of the enormous size, the nappy, his face and smiles, watching the television, his cheery words, and his father having given his life in devotion to his son?
15. The transition to the 2020s, Parthenope and her age, her achievement, students, anthropology, the 40 years between the audience seeing her at 32 and then seeing her in her 60s, the audience filling in the details of her life, alone, academic, with students?
16. The visit home, memories, the focus on her eyes, her seeing, her personal anthropology is a woman, 20^th and 21^st-century, Italian, origin in Naples?