Divorce Italian Style

Pietro Germi's Divorce Italian Style was a very interesting and entertaining movie from a comedic standpoint. There were definitely stark contrasts in Italian humor in cinema in the early 1960s from humor in American cinema during the same time period. One of the main differences I found was the open sexuality of the film. Germi is consistently including references to sexuality and using it as the punchline for many of the film's ongoing jokes (for example, Rosario and his fiancé constantly being walked in on by Ferdinando who doesn't seem to care). The ending of the movie was also not typical of early American humor; the end isn't exactly happy, it was more clever and cunning and seemed to imply that the cycle of infidelity and over the top romance never ends. Finally, the style of humor was a lot darker than was American humor from the same period; the whole movie and many of the punchlines are centered around Ferdinando's desire to kill his wife.

Divorce, Italian Style

A certain type of Italian comedy is apparent in "Divorce, Italian Style." The type of comedy is reflective of the challenges faced during the postwar economic boom; it is a type of dark humor that will have you cursing and laughing at the characters.
This satiric type of humor is not something I see very often with contemporary film; I think Germi's comedy is one of the most important elements of this film. When Baron adjusts the volume of his own voice over, I was take aback. One does not usually experience these type of scenes unless the movie is solely comedic. There's an awareness of Baron's character that is beyond the realm of the third wall--not so quite the fourth wall because he does not look into the camera. This comedy is refreshing and used to lighten up the mood as well as reveal the paranoia of his character.

The meaning of Divorce in Divorce Italian Style

Divorce Italian Style was my first experience with an Italian satirical comedy from the 60s. I was pleasantly introduced to how masterfully the societal trends of the time could be turned into objects of satire in this film. Throughout it's duration, we are thrusted deeper into the mind of our protagonist, Baron Ferdinando Cefalu, a man married to a woman named Rosalia. Despite the fact that they are married and Rosalia seems to show a great amount of affection toward "Fefe," as the plot progresses, it becomes clear that this affection is not reciprocated by Don Fefe in their relationship. This may very well be a normal part of all relationships, as sooner or later one or both parties involved might have their love for the other fade with time. The key to overcoming this dilemma in many marriages is to find a healthy way to either resolve the lack of appreciation for the other person or find a way to separate amicably. However, as we see in the film, Fefe does not deal with his apathy for Rosalia in a healthy way at all, but instead goes from fantasizing about murdering her to actually being the person responsible for her death. Not only is he unable to resolve his lack appreciation for Rosalia, he is unable to peacefully divorce her as divorce was illegal in Sicily during the time the film takes place. This is why it is so important to recognize the view of divorce that was held not just by Sicilian society of the time, but by Fefe himself. In his mind, as we are shown, it is easier to contrive an intricate plan driven by lust and facilitated by deceit and murder as it is to simply separate from his wife. This is possibly a reflection on the whole of Italian society when it comes to their ideas' of divorce, and Fefe was simply a tool used by De Sica to get that message across. It is not only impressive that De Sica accomplished the feat of getting his message across; it is remarkable that he was able to do so in a film that falls under the genre of comedy. The film is undoubtably funny, and for a director to not only circumvent the laws of censorship brought about by the backlash against the Neorealistic era which preceded it, but also shed light on a serious issue using a film which has the tone of a Cohens Brothers movie, was nothing short of spectacular.

Satire and Cynicism in Divorce Italian Style

Divorce Italian Style is a witty satirical comedy that highlights some very interesting themes about Italian society and culture. The film essentially uses comedy as a tool to expose the shortcomings of the legal and social framework in Italy during this time. Although Ferdinando never directly protests the divorce law, his convoluted plan to set his wife up with someone then kill her and get a minimal jail sentence demonstrates the rather backwards and hypocritical system that was enforced from both above and below. 

I was curious to know more about censorship and its role in shaping the film during the time it was made. Specifically, would it have been acceptable to openly criticize an outdated law or did writers and directors have to utilize satire and comedy to communicate their criticisms? I think this relates to our modern concept of political correctness and how some people argue that it can interfere with free speech. 

Further, I thought it was interesting the way death was utilized a source of humor in the film. I was surprised at how directly and candidly death, an often taboo matter, was portrayed in the film for example in the recurring fantasized deaths that Ferdinando has about Rosalie dying. I think this implies something cynical about Italian society but also inherently neorealist as death represents the ultimate universal fate. 

Divorce Italian Style

Divorce Italian Style is  a satirical comedy about the dramatic concept of infidelity in Italy. An important aspect of this comedy is the social connection to laws surrounding divorce in Italy. Throughout the film, characters appear to be extremely disloyal and not place emphasis on longevity of relationships. Throughout the film examples of infidelity appear such as Ferdinando's desire for Angela, Rosalia's desire for Carmelo, the unexpected twist of Carmelo's desire for Rosalia while being married, and in the final scene when Angela flirts with the boat driver. Divorce Italian Style complicates the stereotypical characterization of women by characterizing the two main female characters as disloyal. Rosalia is a stereotype of the needy and unattractive wife. Angela is a stereotype of the pure and beautiful young woman. However, both characters are not loyal to the men in their lives. Although Angela and Rosalia are presumed to be opposites of each other, their infidelity makes them more similar. However, this similarity is only present to viewers during the very last scene of the film.

Bicycle Thieves Reaction

My familiarity with De Sica's Bicycle Thieves was previously restricted to an episode of the Netflix Original 'Master of None,' in which the show pulls direct storylines and references to/from the film in its season 2 premiere. Show creator Aziz Ansari's character Dev faces a similar conflict as Antonio, except he has had his phone stolen instead of a bicycle. He is even driven to taking another man's phone to call his own, accidentally running off with it when he spots his thief.

The show, however, is much different from Bicycle Thieves in that the stakes are much lower. Bicycle Thieves contains a strong amount of desperation that is sensible through its characters and neo-realistic elements. As Antonio searches the city of Rome in efforts to find his bike, hope continues to diminish. He even is willing to potentially compromise the trust of his son in order to steal a new bike and ultimately provide for his family. I am glad that I got to see the classical work that inspired something else that I am a fan of.

Bicycle Thieves

Combining methods of traditional cinema as well as Neo-Realist elements, Vittorio De Sica’s Bicycle Thieves attempts to shed light on the postwar poverty in Italy as well as the citizens who fought through it. Antonio’s search for his stolen bicycle may not be a believable endeavor, but the events of the film reveal avenues of empathy towards the lower class, and people who lash out in times of desperation. In contrast, Bicycle Thieves also exemplifies the consequences of such desperation, and how losing one’s way can drastically deteriorate relationships with family, friends, and oneself.

While watching The Bicycle Thief, there were very dramatic scenes as well as scenes that weren't very realistic. Although, this film did paint a pretty accurate picture of poverty in Italy after the second World War. In reality, the film was overall pretty sad, since Antonio and his wife had to sell their sheets back to a company, just to buy the bike he needed to work once he finally got a job. And, by losing the bicycle, he lost the mobility to be able to work, and to be able to support his family during these tough times. The film also displays moments of irony, seeing as Antonio keeps running into the thief but can never actually catch him. Another ironic moment in the film was when nobody really helped him get his own bicycle back when it was stolen, but as soon as he attempted to steal a bike, he was caught instantly by people on foot. Overall, I couldn't see the underlying messages as well through the irony and some of the elements that made parts of the film seem unrealistic.

Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieves exemplifies the life in Italy post World War II.  Italian neorealism is portrayed in this movie where the Father tries his best to support his family but clearly struggles. This film shows the social orders in Italy.  Specifically, when the thieves steal Antinio’s bicycle and the desperate measures he goes to in order to get it back.  This story of the bicycle represents Italian neorealism by the working class and the challenges they are faced with.

Bicycle Thieves: Fighting Against the Crowd

Upon first viewing the film Bicycle Thieves, which I only first did yesterday, I was immediately struck by one key aspect of the film: the sharp dichotomy between the crowds and the independence of Antonio. The opening scene of the film in fact depicts Antonio finally getting a job, breaking free of the masses still looking for work. He and his son, Bruno, then continue with the rest of their deeply personal, yet comparatively small, story independently, with crowds only serving represent regression to a life doomed to go nowhere. One scene in which this can be seen perfectly is when Antonio goes to get help from Baiocco at the union hall. Individually, Antonio is able to be shown compassion and understanding, with Baiocco offering to help him look for his bicycle. However, when a crowd of other union workers appear, the individual tragedy of Antonio is lost among the group mentality of the workers. In A History of Italian Cinema, author Peter Bondanella mentions that "In De Sica's universe, economic solutions are ultimately ineffective in curing what is a meaningless, absurd human condition" (87). This "condition" is the welfare of these people in a post-World War II Italy. No one, not even Antonio's fellow laborers with similar plights, is able to help and sympathize with him. At the end of the film, Antonio is not only disgraced in the eyes of his son when he steals a bicycle and becomes a thief himself, but his struggle is also seen as even more meaningless when he regresses back into the crowd that he tried so desperately to escape throughout the film. 

Bicycle Thieves

Bicycle Thieves was my first experience with the genre of Italian neorealism. Like most of the Italian public at the time of the film's release, I do not have a background in Film and Media studies. Therefore, I can understand why "Bicycle Thieves" (like most neorealist films) did not climb to the top slot for box office sales during the 1940s and 50s. Unlike the American exports that dominated the Italian market, Bicycle Thieves presented a realistic portrait of everyday life in Italy.

While watching the film, it became clear to me that I was not a member of De Sica's intended audience. He aimed to make an impression on the Italian citizens of the postwar period, portraying experiences to which they could relate. This audience was composed of individuals that had been primed to crave truth and realism, as they had been force-fed a false reality by a fascist government for a significant portion of their lives.

Though documentary films have grown in popularity, in the era of "fake news," it is difficult to place trust in any purported illustration of truth. I feel that the modern American viewer is inclined toward more fantastical films. Americans work long hours and come home to witness the horrors of life in the contemporary era (e.g. mass shootings, terrorism) documented and dissected in extreme detail on the news. Accordingly, I believe that the public hungers for a quick laugh and/or an escape from the frightening realities of contemporary life.

I found "Bicycle Thieves" to be artistically and aesthetically impressive, but I was not majorly impressed by its plot. I came of age in an era dominated by films packed with twists and turns (sometimes excessively so) and special effects bolstered by tremendous budgets. However, from hereon out, I will try to view films without a prior conception of what elements must be present for a film to be considered "good."

Vittorio De Sica, The Bicycle Thieves, 1948