CASOMAI
Italy, 2002, 114 minutes, Colour.
Stefania Rocca, Fabia Volo, Gennaro Nunziante.
Directed by Alessandro D' Alatri.
Casomai was very popular in Italy. As of 2008, Hollywood was interested in doing an American remake.
The film has been shown all over Italy since its first release for couples in preparation for marriage.
The film opens with a young couple driving to a village church to arrange for their wedding. At the ceremony, the priest gives an extensive homily, opening up the wonders of marriage as well as all the possible difficulties. The film uses flashbacks and flash-forwards to illustrate the characters of the couple as well as their future life and the difficulties and stresses to their marriage.
Stefania Rocca is very sympathetic as the bride. Fabio Volo, a television actor, is convincing as the bridegroom. However, the priest is very effective (and his name is Don Camillo) in offering a very positive image of a priest, a sympathetic pastor, someone practical in giving advice to a married couple. The film was also effective insofar as the couple is an ordinary couple rather than special. Most audiences could identify with them.
The film does not shirk the difficulties ahead for the couple: the cooling of their love, the birth of the children, the issue of abortion, work stresses, the husband isolating himself, marital infidelity. However, deep down, the film draws on the love that the couple have for each other.
The story is by the director Alessandro D' Alatri. In 1999, D' Alatri made a very interesting film about the hidden life of Jesus, Garden of Eden, speculating on Jesus and his ability with languages, the possibilities for travel, his being a rabbi and Joseph being a rabbi – all ideas drawn from the text of the Gospels.
The film won a commendation from the ecumenical jury at the Montreal film festival in 2002.
1.Comedy? Drama? Moral fable? Italian style? Characters, verve? The Catholic background?
2.The mountains, the city of Milan, the urban aspects, country aspects? The television style? The musical score and songs?
3.The structure, the drive, the flashbacks, the flash-forwards, the fantasy? Audience knowing what was going to happen in the marriage? The effect on understanding the nature of marriage and commitment?
4.The title, slang, the fable?
5.Tomaso and Stefania? Their age, background, in love? The drive to Stefania’s village? The church, meeting the priest? The ceremony? His interrogation? His beliefs? Corresponding to their beliefs? The preparation for the marriage, the sermon during the ceremony, the priest going over the realities of marriage? The challenges? The reaction of the congregation? Statistics about successful marriages?
6.The life story, Stefania and Tomaso? Their work, show business, the meeting, going out together, the relationship? The issue of pregnancy, birth and sensitivities? The effect of the child? Growing up, each and their love for the other, the work, the consequences of work and separation, the nanny interviews, Tomaso and his friends, sport? Family, meetings? The temptations? The award, the producer? The night, the gossip? Stefania as a mother, her work, son? The background of pregnancy and abortion? Pressures? Infidelity? Divorce – and the Kramer vs Kramer syndrome? Bitterness, reconciliation or not?
7.Tomaso and his friends, advertising, sport, talk? The producer?
8.Stefania, her friends, her mother?
9.The child in focus, the pregnancy or not?
10.The return after the flash-forwards and fantasy to the wedding? The couple’s reaction? The vows and celebration?
11.The character of the priest, the Catholic background, personality, integrity, the pastoral type, his questions, his purpose in the sermon?
12.The moral conclusions for the couple? For their friends and family? For the audience?
