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.