L’ANIMA GEMELLA (SOUL MATE)
Italy, 2002, 104 minutes, Colour.
Valentina Cervi, Violante Placido, Michele Venitucci, Sergio Rubini.
Directed by Sergio Rubini.
Soul Mate was written and directed by Sergio Rubini, a well-known Italian actor (although appearing in such American films as The Talented Mr Ripley as the police inspector and as one of the thieves in The Passion of the Christ).
This is a comedy about Sicily, about relationships, about marriage. Some consider it is a caricature of the image of Italians and of southern Italians, especially Sicilians. However, Valentina Cervi (Portrait of a Lady, Artemesia) and Violante Placido won acting awards at the Venice film festival in 2002.
1. Interesting and enjoyable? Particularly Italian, Sicilian? The themes, the magic, the superstition, the heightened emotions? Blood and revenge?
2. The Sicilian settings, the village, the fish factory, the coast, the holiday resort? The musical score?
3. The cinematic devices for the transition of sequences, eg the small fish in the bowl, the bigger fish? The use of the bowl and the oil for superstition? Opening out on the action of the film?
4. The fish factory, the preparation for the wedding, the two families happy, Maddalena’s family and their hostility? Teresa and her moodiness, her tantrums during the preparation for the dress and her hair? Tonino and his having abandoned Maddalena? The marriage for money? The families and their pressure? Maddalena being invited with her family for spite, her contemplating suicide? Her going to the wedding?
5. The ceremonies, the scissors not cutting the ribbon, going into the church, Tonino and his hesitation, the ceremony, Teresa and her vindictiveness towards Maddalena, nudging Tonino, his speech, rushing down the aisle? The pursuit by the brothers, the stabbing? His taking Maddalena and escaping?
6. Their driving in the car, going to the cliffs, declaring their love for each other, circling in the car, the tyre breaking, their walking and arriving at the resort? On the way, the hut, the night, the train?
7. In the town, happy together, the diving, the bet, Tonino and his diving, injuring his ear?
8. The barber and his mother, her superstitious friends, fortune-telling? His work, age, scepticism? Teresa's nurse and her bringing Teresa, the request, the threats, the mother refusing to transform her? The barber and his getting the information, forcing his mother?
9. The ritual and his transforming of Teresa into Maddalena? Her exhilaration, her hurrying to Tonino, the pressure on him, the different person, having her own way? His infatuation with her?
10. Maddalena, her recovering, the barber going to kill her, changing his mind, playing the music? His transforming her? Her hurrying to stop her brothers killing Tonino?
11. The brothers, the family, the vindictiveness, the attempted rape? Maddalena saving the day? The confrontation between the two women in their altered disguises?
12. Tonino and his exasperation with what he thought was Maddalena, her tantrums again before the wedding, his finding Teresa? Discovering the truth about her and his love?
13. The families, Maddalena in Teresa's guise restoring them all to good fortunes and achieving peace?
14. The finale with the barber, the money, his improved shop? Watching television and seeing Teresa as Maddalena doing bridal commercials? The happy ending for Tonino and Maddalena, even in Teresa's guise?
