CHIAVI DI CASA (THE HOUSE KEYS)

Italy, 2004, 111 minutes, Colour.
Kim Rossi Stuart, Charlotte Rampling, Andrea Rossi.
Directed by Gianni Amelio.

This is a very moving film by Italian director Gianni Amelio (best known for the political thriller Open Doors, and for the humanity Ladri di Bambini and L' America).

Andrea Rossi, a disabled teenager, portrays Paolo, a young boy hurt during a difficult birth and growing up intelligent but disabled. His father, played by Kim Rossi Stuart, could not bear his presence after birth. At this juncture of his life and fifteen years later, he now wants to see his son again and renew (or, really begn) the relationship.

The film takes place mainly in Berlin where the couple go for hospital tests. The father wants to bond with his son but finds the tests very difficult as well as some of the behaviour of his son. He is helped by a parent who .has been looking after a disabled daughter for twenty years. She is played by Charlotte Rampling in a most sympathetic performance.

The film concludes open-endedly – the father reconciled with his son, the son seeming to accept his father – but, in a crisis on a highway, the boy reverts to somewhat autistic behaviour, leaving his father weeping and the audience wondering how the relationship will continue.

1.The emotional appeal of the film? Children, handicap? Family relationships? Fathers and sons?

2.The Italian settings, the German settings, Berlin? The travels, the hospital? Authentic? The child’s perspective on the world? The musical score?

3.The title, its reference to Paolo, to Gianni?

4.The opening, Alberto at the station, Gianni and his mission? The later information of the back-story? The difficult birth, the death of the mother, the birth of the son, his disabilities, his father’s anger, refusing to see him, fifteen years without seeing him? Remarriage, a child? A new attempt to relate to his son?

5.The train ride, Gianni keeping vigil, the boy at the table, seeing him disabled, his personal charm? The beginning of the bonds between Gianni and Paolo?

6.Paolo’s personality, age, bright, wilful, playing the games, his glasses? His having to be assisted, the toilet, washing, dressing? Which arm to put in the shirt first…?

7.Their going to the hospital, the taking of the blood, Gianni’s feeling faint, managing? Paolo and no trouble? The further tests and all the connections to Paolo’s head? The walking therapy, the German nurse and her demands on Paolo? His being able to cope, Gianni not?

8.Gianny, sympathetic personality, trying to bond with his son, feeling faint when the blood was taken? Wanting air, meeting Nicole, their talking, his lying to her about his son? The further meetings, her sympathy, her own views about the situation, her husband’s inability to see his daughter, caring for her daughter for twenty years? Her admission that sometimes she wished she were dead?

9.Paolo and his watching the disabled games, leaving, getting on the tram, the tram ride? Gianni and his worry, helped by Nicole? The police finding Paolo? His saying it wasn't his fault?

10.Gianni taking Paolo for the trip, to see the girl, Paolo’s explanation of the girl, never having met her? Watching the children playing, not seeing her?

11.Gianni and his decision to care for Paolo, the explanation to Nicole, driving him across the mountains, Paolo and the horn, his wilfulness, Gianni realising it was not going to be easy? Stopping the car, weeping, Paolo getting out – and his autistic experiences of wanting to go home, the repetition of what he had to do, his address?

12.Father and son in the mountains – what future? It not being easy?