IL POSTINO
Italy, 1994, 113 minutes, Colour.
Massimo Troisi, Philippe Noiret.
Directed by Michael Radford.
Il Postino is a very agreeable film, a film about older men, sharing experiences, creativity and friendship.
The film is set in the 1950s on an island off the Italian coast. Celebrated Chilean poet, who had leftist sympathies is living in exile from his native Chile. On the island, the postman who delivers his letters is ambitious for something different from being a fisherman like his father and the other people in the village. He begins discussions with Neruda, Neruda takes more notice, they discuss metaphors, poetry, the postman himself rather ingenuously wanting to be a poet but thinking he is not. However, he does create metaphors and wins the heart and hand of a young woman who works at the local café – despite her vociferously opposing mother.
The film also has a background of Italian politics in the 1950s, the rise of the Christian Democrats, the opposition of the Communist Party – and the protests, police violence at protests, deaths. The film has a sad ending with the news of the death of the postman and Neruda discovering it several years later. Massimo Troisi is the postman, an embodiment of an Italian peasant who is creative, warm in friendship. Troisi died just after the making of the film. French actor Philippe Noiret is very good as Neruda.
Another film on this theme was the Chilean film, With a Burning Patience.
The film was directed by British director Michael Radford who has made only a few films. They include his expose of life amongst the wealthy British in Kenya, White Mischief, his version of The Merchant of Venice with Al Pacino and Jeremy Irons and the heist thriller, Flawless, with Demi Moore and Michael Caine.
1.A film of friendship, poetry, the imagination?
2.Pablo Neruda, his character and reputation, Chilean, as a poet, Nobel Prize winner, sentenced to exile, living in Italy? His household, secretary? His work in exile, contemplation, the beaches, his personal style, friendship, sharing? Portrait of the poet?
3.Italy, the locations, the island, the village, life in the 1950s? The citizens and their hopes, reliance on fishing, the hopes for politicians and new building? Politics, communism, Christian Democrats? The elections, the promises, failure?
4.Italian protests of the 50s, demonstrations, riots, the police, brutality, deaths?
5.The portrait of the postman: his age, living with his father, the expectations that he become a fisherman, his wanting something else in life, the letters from the relatives in the United States? The job for the postman, delivering letters solely to Neruda? His friendship with the postmaster and their discussions? Going to Neruda, delivering the mail, his curiosity, his awkwardness, helping Neruda out with practical details? Neruda and his offhand manner? Neruda gradually taking notice of him? Their discussions, the research, poems, the postman and his reading the books, asking Neruda about metaphors, their sharing? The joy of metaphors, the example, his trying them out himself?
6.Neruda, his poetry, metaphors, creation, the sea, the beach, the walks?
7.The young girl, her work in the café, the postman meeting her, the infatuation, falling in love, discussing it with Neruda, metaphors, his writing poetry for her? Her mother, her being upset, the suggestive nature of the metaphors? Her finally capitulating?
8.The postman, the change, his love, marriage, his poems?
9.Neruda and his leaving, the years passing, the citizens seeing him in newsreels? His being busy, international travel, seen in Paris? The island people and their reactions, thinking he had neglected them? In gratitude?
10.His visit, seeking out the girl, meeting her son? Hearing the story, the postman and his poem, going to the demonstration, the speeches, his invitation to recite, the riot, the police, his being bashed, his death?
11.A film about a more meaningful life, possibilities, shared experiences and views, creativity, friendship?
