Family Portrait (1962)
"Cronaca familiare" (original title)

Director:

Valerio Zurlini

Writers:

Mario Missiroli, Vasco Pratolini (novel),

Stars:

Marcello Mastroianni, Jacques Perrin, Sylvie

2 wins & 3 nominations.

Cast

Credited cast:
Marcello Mastroianni	...	Enrico
Jacques Perrin	...	Lorenzo
Sylvie	...	Grandmother
Salvo Randone	...	Salocchi
Valeria Ciangottini	...	Enzina
Serena Vergano	...	Hospital Nun
Marco Guglielmi
Franca Pasut
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Miranda Campa
Nino Fuscagni
Marcella Valeri

Storyline

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Taglines:

Years from now this is the film you will remember Mastroianni for.

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

29 March 1963 (West Germany)

Also Known As:

Family Diary

Company Credits

Production Co:

Titanus - Metro

Technical Specs

Runtime:

115 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

User Reviews

Demonstrates the art of reticence.

How this one slipped off the radar screen is beyond understanding. Against a very muted palette of tone on tone, in which the character Lorenzo's beige over-coat becomes a metaphor of his indefinite link with the beige walled world, director Zurlini weaves a fascinating story of two brothers separated at birth, who effect a tragic reunion in war torn Italy.

Marcello Mastiroianni here offers a performance of greater depth than "La Dolce Vita" (which is just as it should be)but it is youngster Jacques Perrin's "Lorenzo" which surprises.

His performance, (indeed the whole film) is a study in the power of the reticence, understatement and the unsaid. Mr. Perrin's eyes, particularly in the hospital sequences, speak those volumes and light those vistas that would be trivialized in dialog form.

An excellent film with a core of deep sadness, that avoids the fatal commercial trap of sentimentalism.