Silent Film of the Month: The Adventures of Pinocchio (1911)

 

Run Time: 50 minutes. Studio: Società Italiana Cines. Director: Giulio Antamoro. Main Cast: Polidor, Augusto Mastripietri, Natalino Guillaume, Lea Giunchi. 

The 1940 Disney film version of Pinocchio has had a permanent effect on how people view the character and his story. Though there have been many film versions of the character since then, almost all of them have been at least partially inspired by the Disney movie. However, the story of Pinocchio has been around much longer than that. In fact, Disney's version wasn't even the earliest film adaption of Collodi's classic story. In hindsight it is a bit shocking to watch a film version of Pinocchio that came out before the Disney version was even thought of and was not affected at all by that landmark movie. However, that is also what makes this 1911 silent movie such a joy to watch. 

The storyline here definitely reflects Collodi more than it does Disney. While Disney created a tightly woven and traditionally structured story, this silent film keeps the very episodic nature of Collodi's original version. The storyline here is simply treated as an excuse for the wooden puppet to get into one misadventure after another. Unlike the Disney version, Pinocchio's goal to become a real boy is less important than the various misadventures he gets in along the way. 

With its episodic structure, this is easily the most playful film adaption of the story. Imagination and fun set pieces take front stage here. As such it lacks the emotional connection of later film adaptions or the depth of Collodi's original story. However, it makes more than up for this in pure fun. There is such a surrealistic and playful tone here that I couldn't help but have a great time watching it. The movie doesn't take itself too seriously and we don't have to either. We can just enjoy the pure imagination and silliness. This is heavily enhanced by the look of the film, which embraces the more surrealistic and adventurous feel of the story. There are times when the costumes can look a bit more like something out of a play version than a film adaption, but this actually fits perfectly with the tone of the film.  Ferdinand Guillame (an acrobatic clown who was already well known to Italian movie goers) is very charming and energetic in the main as the main character. He can mug at times but that honestly fits considering the tone of the film. 

As an adaption, this film is rather strange. Most of the set pieces come directly from the original. However, they seemed to be shuffled into a completely random order. The result is that none of the sequences seems to lead into the next. As episodic as the original story was, each misadventure seemed directly lead into the next. As fun as this movie is, the shuffling of scenes from the original story can make it feel a bit disjointed in a way that the source material did not.

The same year this film was released, Collidi's original story was reissued in a new storybook version which featured new illustrations by Attilio Mussino. Interestingly the look of this film is extremely similar to that of Mussino's illustrations. For many Italians of that generation Mussino's illustrations become the definitive look for Pinocchio.

If you want to watch this fun film, you can do so below.

Resources Used

Pinocchio: The Making of The Disney Epic by J.B. Kaufman

https://wise-cafe.com/2023/08/31/pinocchi-o-rama-8-pinocchio-aka-the-adventures-of-pinocchio-1911/

 

Movie Review: Trifole

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful film from Italy. 

This movie tells the story of a young woman, who feels she has failed at everything, staying with her grandfather, a truffle hunter whose way of life is being threatened by the changing world around him.

This is a truly lovely movie. Much of the film is very quiet and mediative. The Italian countryside is just as much a character here as the granddaughter and grandfather. With the opening scene of the granddaughter silently walking to her grandfather's house, we are immediately whisked away to this beautiful area. Though the setting is devoid of other people, it never feels empty or lonely. Instead, it feels calm, peaceful and free. It so different from the busy modern world around us that it feels like an escape and retreat. Instead of feeling sorry for a man living by himself, we almost envy him. Here is where the emotional core of the story lies. The old man has found the way of life that gives him comfort and peace but is on the verge of losing it, while the young woman feels she may never find it. This contrast may be simple and straightforward, but it hits us emotional regardless of where we are in life because it gives us an automatic rapport with these characters. The characters themselves are wonderful. They are likable and the emotional connection that grows between them is absolutely lovely. This is due both to the writing and the fantastic chemistry between Ydalie Turk (who also co-wrote the script with the film's director Gabriele Fabbro. 

This movie unfortunately has a bit of messiness in its third act, where it briefly loses sight of what the heart of the story is. However, the film comes back strong with an emotionally powerful ending. Usually such a fault would have me give this a lower grade, but the rest of the movie was so perfect that I can easily overlook and forgive this.   

A wonderful movie. 

Movie Review: There's Still Tomorrow (C'è ancora domani)

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A wonderful dramedy from Italy.

This movie not only takes place in post-World War 2 Italy but is very much inspired by Italian films from that time period. There's Still Tomorrow obviously took much inspiration from the classic Italian neo-realist films such as those by Vittorio De Sica, Roberto Rossellini, Giuseppe De Santis and the early films of Fredrico Fellini. This is not only shown by the film being in black and white but also from how the shots are framed, the set designs and the focus on the smaller moments. This works perfectly for the smaller slice of life story being told. At times it feels like we are watching a documentary about real people rather than a fictional movie. For a movie set in a real time and place, this film makes us feel like we are truly looking at Italy of 1946. This sense of authenticity makes its messages about domestic abuse and feminism seem all the more urgent and real to us. The social commentary here is also incredibly well written. The filmmakers do not show characters doing horrible things simply because they are evil but rather because they are products of a society that taught them that this is the way they should act. This movie's main and most important message is that every generation should strive and work towards making life better for the generation after them. This is a beautiful message and setting the film in the time and place of a country going through great changes, helps drive home the point perfectly. Yet this film tells this important story in an entertaining way by having some truly funny comedic moments throughout. Some of these comedic moments even caused the filmmakers to briefly leave the neo-realism style of filmmaking for a more fantasy based one. The sudden and abrupt change makes these comedic moments all the funnier and spontaneous. Yet, at the same time these moments also help tell the story instead of interrupting it.    

One of the most important factors for this film is the wonderful lead performance by Paola Cortellesi (who also directed this movie in her directorial debut). Cortellesi has made her name in her home country as a comedic actress, but she is just as great here in the dramatic scenes, bringing a real sense of humanity to this character. Yet with this being a dramedy, she does get some time to show her comedic chops, and she is just as wonderful there. 

A pure cinematic delight. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Movie Review: Parthenope

 

Michael's Movie Grade: C

A stylish but hollow art film from Italy. 

If you are expecting a movie that is on par with director Paolo Sorrentino's previous films (The Great Beauty (2013), The Hand of God (2021)), you are bound to be disappointed. This is not to say this movie is without its good qualities though. This is a very beautiful looking film and that is not just because actress Celeste Dalla Porta is so incredibly beautiful. The cinematography is absolutely lovely here and the location shooting in Naples and Capri are a wonder to behold. With how beautiful these shots are, it is easy to feel like you have been transported to these amazing places. There is not much of a story to this film as we simply follow a beautiful young woman through a few different years of her life. Luckily our main character is quite likable, and it is pleasant to spend some time with her. She may not be as complex as the script wants us to believe she is, but we do care about her and enjoy her company. The entire cast is great, but Celeste Dalla Porta really shines in the title role. 

The main problem with this film is that it so desperately wants to be insightful and profound but actually says nothing. There is a lot of dialogue here that comes off as very self-important. In fact, though it is simply meandering and meaningless. The writing here comes off as if the filmmakers are unsure of just what they are trying to say. There are a few times this movie leans more than a little into surrealism. Not only is this surrealism completely pointless and adds nothing to the story, but it also feels out of place. These scenes simply feel like they belong in a completely different movie. At 2 hours and 17 minutes, this movie is also much longer than it needs to be and can very much drag at points. 

While it has its good points, this film can't help but feel like a letdown after Paolo Sorrentino's previous work. 

-Michael J. Ruhland

Video Link: A Tribute to GINA LOLLOBRIGIDA

Movie Review: L'immensita

 

Michael's Movie Grade: A-

A beautiful coming of age film from Italy.

This film has a very simple storyline. A transgender boy growing up in 1970's Rome feels like none of his family understands him and watches as his parent's marriage falls apart. As simple as the story is the emotions it will evoke are anything but simplistic. This is at once both a film filled with great joy and one that will truly break your heart. Both the joyous moments and the heartbreaking moments feel completely authentic. Director/Writer, Emanuele Crialese based much of this movie off of his own childhood and even if you did not know this going in, you can fully feel it. This is not a film about gender identity, mental illness, the collapse of a marriage, infidelity or spousal abuse (although all of these appear in the movie). Instead this is a film about human beings. As the film goes on, we truly care about these characters deeply as if they are our own friends. There are many times in which we simply want to reach out and give them a hug. The heart of this movie is in the mother and child relationship. This relationship is far from simplistic in any way. You can tell that the two truly do care about each other, but you can also tell that neither of them understands the other. The mother can't understand her child calling himself a boy and why he wants to go off to an abandoned area during his free time (it is because there is a girl he meets there, who seems to be the only person, who kind of understands him). The complicated relationship he has with his mother is expressed in two especially great scenes. One of these he tries to defend his mother when some creepy guys hit on her followed by his reaction to her calling herself ugly, and the other one is when she wishes to go under the table to play a child's game with the children at a party. These two scenes perfectly show how complex this relationship is but in a way that feels perfectly real and relatable. This relationship and these characters feel all the more real with the incredible performances of both Penélope Cruz and Luana Giuliani, both of whom simply light up the screen whenever they appear. This movie also does a wonderful job of balancing its mature themes and heartbreaking moments with moments of great humor and joy. Yet the humorous and fun scenes never feel out of place but instead seem to stem directly from the story and never dimmish the more heartbreaking moments. 

This is a wonderful movie. 

A Tribute to ANOUK AIMÉE

Video Link: A Tribute to SOPHIA LOREN

Video Link: A Tribute to ANITA EKBERG - Adyfilk

Video Link: An Introduction to the New Wave Movements - TCM

Video: The MOST BEAUTIFUL SHOTS of FEDERICO FELLINI Movies

Silent Films on TCM this April.

Hello my friends, I feel it is safe to assume that many of you are silent movie fans by how much I write about silent films here on this blog. Sadly there are too few TV channels today playing silent movies. Luckily we still have TCM. For your pleasure I am listing what silent movies will be on TCM this April, so you don't miss them.

Monday April 1st

Torrent (1926) Director: Monta Bell. Starring Greta Garbo and Ricardo Cortez. 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern.

The Temptress (1926) Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo and Antonio Moreno. 6:45 pm Pacific, 9:45 Eastern.

The Mysterious Lady (1928) Director: Fred Niblo. Starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel. 8:45 pm Pacific, 11:45 pm Eastern.

The Kiss (1929) Director: Jacques Feyder. Starring Greta Garbo and Conrad Nagel. 10:30pm Pacific, 1: 30 am Eastern.

The Single Standard (1929). Director: John S. Robertson. Starring Greta Garbo and Nils Asther. 11:45 pm Pacific, 2:45 Am Eastern.

Tuesday April 2nd

Wild Orchids (1929) Director: Sidney Franklin. Starring Greta Garbo and Lewis Stone. 1:15 AM Pacific, 4:15 Am Eastern.

The Saga of Gosta Berling (1924) Director: Mauritz Stiller. Starring Lars Hansen and Greta Garbo. 3:00 AM Pacific, 6:00 Am Eastern.

The Gold Rush (1925) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Mack Swain. 6:15 AM Pacific, 9:15 AM Eastern.

Sunnyside (1919) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Enda Purviance. 8am Pacific. 11 am Eastern.

Wednesday April 3rd

The Battleship Potekin (1925) Director: Sergei Eisenstien. Starring Alexander Antonov and Vladimir Barsky. 3 am Pacific, 6 am Eastern.

Thursday April 4th

Flesh and the Devil (1926) Director: Clarence Brown. Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. 5pm Pacific, 8pm Eastern.

Love (1927) Director: Edmund Golding. Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. 7:15 pm Pacific, 10:15 pm Eastern.

A Woman of Affairs (1928) Director: Clarence Brown. Starring Greta Garbo and John Gilbert. 9 pm Pacific. 12am Eastern.

Friday April 5th

La Bohme (1926) Director: King Vidor. Starring Lillian Gish and John Gilbert. 1:30am Pacific, 4:30am Eastern.

Sunday April 7th

The Best Man (1928) Director: Harry Edwards. Starring Jimmy Hertz and Joy Lind. 9:30pm Pacific, 12:30 am Eastern.

Thundering Fleas (1926) Director: Robert F. McGowan. Starring Our Gang. 9:51pm Pacific, 12:51am Eastern.

Bright Eyes (1922) Director: Malcom St. Clair. Starring Dave Anderson and John J. Richardson. 10:11pm Pacific, 1:11am Eastern.

Thursday April 16th

The Gold Rush (1925) Director: Charlie Chaplin. Starring Charlie Chaplin and Mack Swain. 5pm Pacific, 9pm Eastern.

Sunday April 21st

King of Kings (1927) Director: Cecil B. De Mille. Starring H.B. Warner and Ernest Torrance. 10pm Pacific, 1am Eastern.

-Michael J. Ruhland
       

1959 Americans and Foreign Movies

The following pages are from a 1959 issue of Boxoffice Barometer. How times have changed. Hopefully someday great foreign films will again receive the love and attention they deserve here in the US.


-Michael J. Ruhland