IL DOLCE E L'AMARO

Italy, 2007, 98minutes, Colour.
Luigi Lo Cascio, Donatella Finocchiaro, Tony Gambino..
Directed by Andrea Porporati

Il Dolce e l’Amaro is yet another strong Italian film about the Sicilian mafia.

This film takes place over a period of 20 years, beginning with the introduction of the young boy, Saro, to his imprisoned father, discovering that he is killed soon after. The adult Saro comes under the influence of Gaetano (Tony Gambino) who sponsors him as his son, competing more successfully than his own son in the criminal world. He is set up after coming out of prison for robbing a woman of her jewellery in a gas station - which is a cover for ambitious bank robberies that take place in Northern Italy, the criminals travelling back and forth by plane. He is then initiated into the Cosa Nostra, the allegedly “honourable men”- who show no sense of honour in their cruelty and betrayal.

He flees to Northern Italy, meets the love of his life, sets up there after communicating with a judge who is a friend from childhood but whom he had attacked. He makes a full confession to the judge - and confesses it was he who was to kill him. The judge states that part of the bitter and sweet of his own life is to have the possibility of death (which does occur).

The film ends on an upbeat note, the young Mafioso changing his life - and experiencing a similar bank robbery that he perpetrated years earlier in which he gets an uncontrollable fit of laughter. Laughing at the folly of the world of the Mafiosi.

1. Italians on the Mafia? The portrait? The history? The moral judgment? The city of Palermo investing in this film - anti-Mafia? The impact of the Mafia at the beginning of the 21st century?

2. The Palermo settings? The city? Islands, the prison? The beaches? The contrast with Turin and the north? The musical score?

3. The title, as explained by Gaetano as well as by Massirenti at the end? In Saro's life? His accepting this?

4. The opening, Saro and his brother and mother, on the boat with the carabinieri, going to the prison, the director sending him in, the meeting with his father? The only meeting with his father? The
guards going in and killing his father?

5. The initial scene with Gaetano, looking at the sun, Gaetano forcing him to say that it was the moon? Saro admitting seeing things through Gaetano's eyes? Gaetano as his godfather? His father's best friend? Gaetano's own son Mimmo, ineffectual? His father wanting him to be with Saro to learn?

6. The portrait of Saro: at a young age, the years passing? His background, his father in prison, his godfather? His being chosen, knowing only the delinquent and gangster way of life? His being patronised by Gaetano? The friendship with Mimmo? His relationship with Ada, love, the proposal, her refusal, not wanting to be with him as he was, his violence towards her and her being hurt? His seeing her with Massirenti, his brutality in bashing Massirenti, Massirenti not defending himself but challenging him? His admiration for Massirenti, a boyhood colleague - and relying on him at the end? The socials, the party, delivering cocaine to the wealthy? The encounter with the woman with the wig, learning sexuality, deciding to rob her? The arrest, his pride, in jail, his portrait being painted by the artist, his being patronised by the senior gangster, praised? Coming out, Gaetano and his reprimanding him for what he had done? Setting himself and Mimmo up with the service station, his enjoying it, as a cover for flying north, the bank robberies - and the touch of lunacy with the man unable to speak the dialect and people not understanding him, the teller and her fear, the translator helping, taking the money? Getting praised? The mission in Milan, the photo, the target? Mimmo going, climbing the steps, waiting at the lift, the plan, Mimmo and his freezing, Saro and his killing the two men, in the lift, covered with blood, the escape? Letting off steam afterwards with the women, the dance? Mimmo and his bravado, covering up, Saro saving face for him yet Gaetano knowing? The time passing, the celebrity life? The party, being inducted into the Cosa Nostra, the drawing and the burning, the ritual, yet Uncle Pietro and his humiliating Gaetano? The consequent work, status? Mimmo and his inability to do things well, singing, dancing? The resentment of Saro and thinking he had told his father? The further commission, to kill the judge? The insinuations by Uncle Pietro and the group that Gaetano had betrayed his father and ordered his killing? His visit to the don in the prison? His being convinced, picking up Gaetano, the final talk, Gaetano accepting his fate? Saro escaping the thugs? Working out what had happened, that he'd been set up to believe the lies about Gaetano to get rid of him? His fleeing to northern Italy, finding Ada? The sudden arrest? His working in the drycleaners and liking it? With Massirenti, Massirenti's words, his decision to confess, that he was to kill him and didn't, the further confession? The witness protection scheme, going back to northern Italy, with Ada, her pregnancy? The family? Working in the kiosk? His reflection on his ways, a different way of life? The symbol of the bank robbers and his fit of laughter at what they were doing? His future?

7. Gaetano, the don, his dontrol, the people coming to him for help? Wanting things done - and Mimmo and Saro burning down the shack on the beach? Going swimming with the girls? Saro proving himself, Mimmo ineffectual? Mimmo's lack of character? The garage after the jail, the robberies? The mission in Milan, Mimmo boasting, unable to fire, the aftermath and his singing? His father knowing the truth? His marrying? His child? Feeling betrayed by Saro?

8. Ada, the teacher, her relationship with Saro, love for him, refusing the proposal? Unable to live with a gangster? Her friendship with Massirenti? Going north, the farewell, Saro wanting to celebrate his induction, the meal, her leaving, the brutality of his rape, her bitterness towards him? Her going to the north, Saro finding her, the bond between them? The pregnancy and his arrest? The return, the happy family?

9. Saro and his marriage, the choice of his wife, the pregnancy? The going to the beach, wanting to park, meeting the judge and talking with him? Saro abandoning his wife and child, never seeing them again?

10. The portrait of the dons, in prison, waited on hand and foot by the police, insulting the police? The artist in jail? The don’s signing the paintings? Uncle Pietro, his commissions? Gaetano and his role? Their getting rid of Gaetano and setting him up?

11. The character of Gaetano, a loyal don, his part in the committee, his being humiliated at the induction, his love for Saro, dissatisfaction with his son? Accepting his death?

12. The world of Palermo, ordinary people, the pervading presence of the Mafia, dependence on them? High society, wealth, luxury and drugs?

13. Saro, from an ordinary world, becoming more than he expected - and finally reflecting on what he really wanted out of life, Massirenti explaining to him that whether he lived or died, he had made a
free choice? Saro and his final choices?