GLI OCCHIALI D’ORO (THE GOLD RIMMED GLASSES)

Italy/France, 1987, 110 minutes, Colour.
Philippe Noiret, Rupert Everett, Valeria Golino, Stefania Sandrelli.
Directed by Giuliano Montaldo.

The Gold-Rimmed? Glasses is based on a novel by Giorgio Bassani. It is a story about World War Two and prejudice in the Italian city of Ferrara.

Rupert Everett portrays a young student studying at the university who experiences anti-Semitism, even from his fiancée who intends to become a Catholic and is flirting with a fascist count. The other character is a doctor, a homosexual, played by Philippe Noiret. He plays this role with great compassion. He is shunned by his patients, is suspected of being a collaborator. However, he becomes involved with a young man and is his benefactor – only to be humiliated and robbed, his gold-rimmed spectacles being smashed, by the young man.

The film has a very strong cast led by Noiret and Rupert Everett. It recreates the atmosphere of Ferrara during the 1940s. It also makes the point that one hundred and forty Jews were transported to the camps from Ferrara. The film shows the fascist background in Italy, the collaboration with the Nazis, the anti-Semitism.

At the core of the film is Philippe Noiret’s performance, a humane performance as a doctor, shunned by patients, persecuted because of his orientation and behaviour and falling on hard times.

The film was adapted for the screen by writer-director Giuliano Montaldo. He began with action films in the 1960s like Grand Slam and Machine Gun McCain?. However, in the early 1970s, he wrote and directed a film about the trade unionists, Sacco and Vansetti in the United States. He followed with other political films including one about Giordano Bruno. As with this film (which won an award for its composer), his films are scored by the veteran Ennio Morricone.

1.An interesting film? Historical? Humane? Italy in the 1930s? The perspective of the 80s?

2.The atmosphere of Ferrara, the city itself, in the 1930s and 1940s? Décor, costumes? Atmosphere? The period sense? The contribution of the musical score by Ennio Morricone?

3.Issues of fascism, the Mussolini era in Italy, leadership, the public’s response? The families in Ferrara? Divided loyalties? The Jews, anti-Semitism? The issue of sexuality and orientation? The war? The film combining all these themes?

4.The title, the opening, Eraldo breaking the glasses? The end?

5.Philippe Noiret as the doctor, his work, painting, the students? The patients, their growing suspicions? His meeting Eraldo, the attraction? His becoming his benefactor? The relationship? The scandalous aspects in Ferrara? The doctor as a good man, his wisdom? The attacks? His happy times, sadness? His friendship with David? David and his supporting him? Building him up? Death? His being homosexual and an outsider in this kind of society?

6.The staff, the anti-Semitism, ousting the Jews? The attitudes of the students and the virulent anti-Semitism?

7.The character of David, Rupert Everett in the role, his family? As a student? The events of 1938? The summer, the holidays? His friendship with the doctor, talking with him? David as an observer? His relationship with Nora, love for her, her relationship with the count, her anti-Semitism, wanting to become a Catholic? His friendship with other students? The clashes with the students? His future and survival?

8.Nora, her father? Interactions with the doctor? David, love? France? The tensions, relationships, Catholicism? The impact of war?

9.Eraldo, his age, experience, his boxing? The encounter with the doctor? The doctor’s infatuation? The holidays? Sharing with the doctor? His rejecting him, robbing him, breaking the glasses? Flaunting his behaviour with the women?

10.The pathos of the story? The combination of anti-Semitism and anti-homosexuals? The impact on Italy of the 40s? On families? The subsequent decades and this perspective on these issues?