A simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet, and then uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.A simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet, and then uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.A simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet, and then uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.
- Won 1 Oscar
- 31 wins & 20 nominations total
Calogero Azzaretto
- Bookseller
- (uncredited)
Simona Caparrini
- Elsa Morante
- (uncredited)
Angelo Casadei
- Cinema Spectator
- (uncredited)
Chuck Riley
- Narrator of Theatrical Trailer
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaWriter/co-director/star Massimo Troisi postponed heart surgery so he could complete the film. The day after filming was complete, he suffered a fatal heart attack.
- Quotes
Mario Ruoppolo: Poetry doesn't belong to those who write it; it belongs to those who need it.
- Alternate versionsThe Italian version of the film includes an additional title credit for Massimo Troisi, listed as co-director of the movie together with Michael Radford.
- ConnectionsEdited into Somebody Down There Likes Me (2023)
- SoundtracksMadreselva
Written by Francisco Canaro (as F. Canaro) and Luis César Amadori (as L.C. Amadori)
Performed by Carlos Gardel
Courtesy of E. Musical Pirovano
Featured review
Wonderfully warm and charming
Mario takes up the job of postman on a small Italian island. The island has a new resident, the famed exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda, and he is receiving heaps of mail (mostly from women, to Mario's fascination). Mario strikes up a friendship with Neruda, who helps the not-overly-literate Mario develop his writing skills and appreciate poetry and prose. Then Mario meets a beautiful woman in the village and his new-found poetic skills are put to the test.
Great film. Wonderfully warm and charming, with a mellow style that is very engaging. Sweet plot that develops at just the right pace. The discussions between Neruda and Mario are a wonderful insight into creativity and how art is formed. The way Mario develops his creative side is also great to witness.
It does falter a bit in the third quarter or so. A certain point, about halfway through the movie, felt like a natural ending to the movie so it was difficult for the writers to develop the plot from such a high. Not that it was dull from that point on, it just didn't have quite the same ability to enthral. The ending is quite emotional though.
Great performances all round, especially by Massimo Troisi as Mario. He would go on to get a Best Leading Actor Oscar nomination for his efforts. Troisi also co-wrote the film and received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Sadly, he never saw the fruits of his labours as he died of a heart attack 12 hours after filming ended.
All in all Il Postino received 5 nominations at the 1996 Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director, and ended up winning one, for best score.
Great film. Wonderfully warm and charming, with a mellow style that is very engaging. Sweet plot that develops at just the right pace. The discussions between Neruda and Mario are a wonderful insight into creativity and how art is formed. The way Mario develops his creative side is also great to witness.
It does falter a bit in the third quarter or so. A certain point, about halfway through the movie, felt like a natural ending to the movie so it was difficult for the writers to develop the plot from such a high. Not that it was dull from that point on, it just didn't have quite the same ability to enthral. The ending is quite emotional though.
Great performances all round, especially by Massimo Troisi as Mario. He would go on to get a Best Leading Actor Oscar nomination for his efforts. Troisi also co-wrote the film and received a Best Adapted Screenplay nomination. Sadly, he never saw the fruits of his labours as he died of a heart attack 12 hours after filming ended.
All in all Il Postino received 5 nominations at the 1996 Oscars, including for Best Picture and Best Director, and ended up winning one, for best score.
helpful•70
- grantss
- May 11, 2020
Details
- Release date
- Countries of origin
- Official site
- Languages
- Also known as
- The Postman (Il Postino)
- Filming locations
- Pollara, Salina Island, Aeolian Islands, Messina, Sicily, Italy(rural and beach scenes)
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- $3,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $21,848,932
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $95,310
- Jun 18, 1995
- Gross worldwide
- $21,898,920
- Runtime1 hour 48 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.66 : 1
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