IO SONO L'AMORE (I AM LOVE)

Italy, 2009, 120 minutes, Colour.
Tilda Swinton, Flavio Parenti, Eduardo Gabbriellini, Alba Rohrwacher, Bippo Delbono, Diane Fleri, Maria Paiato, Marisa Berenson.
Directed by Luca Guadagnino.

Italian film-making in the older classical style.

In the 1970s, Italian directors like Mauro Bolognini made films that were portraits of a time and, often, of a family immersed in that time. The films concentrated on the look and the feel of the period and situated their characters and their interactions and struggles in lavish tableaux, in melodramatic interchanges, sometimes quite operatic, with a score than emphasised this mood and this atmosphere. The same could be said of Io Sono L'Amore. However, the time and the setting are more of the present, the early 21st century.

The writer-director has had a long association with the star, Tilda Swinton, and they have been in pre-production for a many years. While the film is about a family, an industrial dynasty from Milan, it is very much about her character, Emma, a Russian immigrant who has borne her business tycoon husband three children and has become the lady of the mansion. The long opening of the film shows her preparations for a birthday dinner, the arrival of the guests and their chatting at pre-dinner drinks and then the meal with a speech by the patriarch of the family and his handing over the reins of the business to his son and grandson.

It should be said that the film dwells lovingly and in close-up on rooms and furnishings, art work and, especially, sumptuous meals and table settings.

And it goes on from there... Business issues like selling the company, father eager, son opposed. Emotional issues like the daughter studying in England and coming out. The widow of the patriarch still asserting her influence. But, most of all, the focus is on Emma, her relationship with her husband who is business preoccupied, her love for her son, Edo, who wants to start a restaurant with his friend, Antonio, and eventually an affair with Antonio which transforms her but leads also to some grief.

Many reviewers have found the film elegant and involving. This reviewer admires the elegance but, despite Tilda Swinton's nuanced performance, not so involving. Part of the difficulty (which, it should be said, was a great plus for many including Tilda Swinton, the director and the producers) was the use of selections of music by John Adams. At times the score counterpointed the action but, often, it seemed incongruous, especially in the long credits sequence, tracking through the snowy suburbs of Milan, to a disconcertingly jaunty accompaniment.

It is, however, a strong attempt to embrace Italian traditional film-making and use it for a contemporary story.

1. The acclaim for the film? In the classical Italian tradition? The 1970s and 80s? Portraits of families and family sagas?

2. The title, its application to Emma? Emma as the focus? Relationships and love, absence of love? Mad love?

3. Milan and the locations, the opening tracking shot? The city of Milan? The mansion, the interiors? Shops and restaurants? The Italian countryside? The mountains?

4. John Adams’ musical score, the adaptation of his pieces for the various episodes? A commentary on the events and characters? Touches of incongruity?

5. The opening, the vistas of Milan, the snow, the score and its jollity compared with the visuals?

6. The Lecci family, their mansion? Emma as the hostess, details of her being busy in preparation, the meal, the cooks and the maids, the preparation of the table? Ida preparing the clothes? A sense of the status of the family?

7. The various members of the family gathering, fashionable, wealth? Drinks, chat? Eduardo and his having been in the race, having been defeated, visitors commenting? Going to the meal, lavish, the various courses, the visuals of the food and the service?

8. Emma and Tancredi, a devoted husband, father, a successful businessman? As a person, Gianluca and Eduardo, Betta? His distance from his children? Edo and his bringing Eva? The welcome, the talk at the table, business interests, family interests? Themes? The possibilities for Tancredi and Emma and their life?

9. Eduardo senior, his birthday, the family feting him, the cake? Antonio and his bringing the cake? The speech about the company, his speaking as the patriarch, the history of the company, his decision to have two heirs, Tancredi and Eduardo, the different responses at the table?

10. The passing of time, Eduardo senior dying? Tancredi and his management of the company? Edo being busy, his friendship with Antonio, the plan for the restaurant? The difficulty with Antonio’s father, Edo interceding?

11. Emma finding Betta’s letter, Betta in the United Kingdom, her art, the revelation of her sexual orientation, her friendship? Emma keeping it a secret? Yet receiving Betta well when she arrived?

12. Emma’s story, her presence in the household, Tancredi and his visiting Russia, meeting her, marrying her, bringing her to Italy, the children, her caring for the household – and her living a kind of Italian version of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House?

13. Her decision to go to Nice, to see Betta’s exhibition? Her relationship with Betta? Betta’s arrival, her snubbing her boyfriend? His being mystified?

14. Shopping, the restaurant, with Rory and Eva, their talk, Antonio and the meal, Emma talking with him, the kiss, the impact? The character of Rory, the mother-in-law? Her fashionable style, watching everyone? Eva fitting into this family?

15. Edo and the plan for the dinner, asking Antonio to cater? Emma doing the planning? A visit to Antonio, the relationship, the affair, the effect, secrecy?

16. Tancredi and Edo in London? The business meeting, the members of the board, the discussions about the sale? Tancredi wanting it, Edo not? The issues?

17. The inner back in Italy, Emma teaching Antonio how to make Edo’s favourite Russian soup? Serving the dinner, Edo’s reaction? His negative response? Suspicions, exiting, Emma going out to talk with him, the confrontation, his falling and hitting his head, in the hospital, his death? The family present? Expressions of grief? Eva pregnant?

18. Emma and her grief, Tancredi and his upset?

19. Emma and the crisis in her life, the packing, confronting the family, the grief at the wake? Her decision to leave? Tancredi and his disbelief and reaction? Betta supporting her mother and understanding her?

20. Emma released from the doll’s house, going to freedom – where and what would happen to her?