Malèna (2000)

User Rating:

7.4/10   

Director:

Giuseppe Tornatore

Writers:

Giuseppe Tornatore (writer)
Luciano Vincenzoni (story)

Release Date:

27 October 2000 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | Romance | War

Tagline:

An intimate portrait and an epic story of the courage we discover, the innocence we surrender, and the memories we cherish.....forever.

Plot:

A woman provokes sensual awakenings in a group of adolescent boys.

Plot Keywords:

1940s | Boy | Italy | Grief | Topless

Awards:

Nominated for 2 Oscars. Another 3 wins & 16 nominations

Cast

Monica Bellucci	...	Malèna Scordia
Giuseppe Sulfaro	...	Renato Amoroso
Luciano Federico	...	Renato's Father
Matilde Piana	...	Renato's Mother
Pietro Notarianni	...	Professor Bonsignore
Gaetano Aronica	...	Nino Scordia
Gilberto Idonea	...	Avvocato Centorbi (as Gilberto Idone)
Angelo Pellegrino	...	Segretario politico
Gabriella Di Luzio	...	Mantenuta del Barone
Pippo Provvidenti	...	Dott. Cusimano
Maria Terranova	...	Moglie Dott. Cusimano
Marcello Catalano	...	Lieutenant Cadel
Elisa Morucci	...	Lupetta
Domenico Gennaro	...	Farmacista
Vitalba Andrea	...	Moglie farmacista

MPAA:

Rated R for sexuality/nudity, language and some violence.

Runtime:

Italy:109 min | USA:92 min | Turkey:84 min (TV version)

Country:

Italy | USA

Language:

Italian | Sicilian | English | Latin

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Canada:14A (Ontario) | Iceland:12 | Malaysia:18SX | Argentina:13 | Australia:M | Canada:18 (Nova Scotia) | Chile:14 | Finland:K-15 | France:U | Germany:12 | Hong Kong:IIB | Italy:T | Netherlands:16 | Norway:15 | Peru:14 | Portugal:M/12 (re-rating) | Portugal:M/16 (original rating) | Singapore:M18 (re-rating) | South Korea:18 | Spain:13 | Sweden:11 | Switzerland:14 (canton of Geneva) | Switzerland:14 (canton of Vaud) | UK:15 | USA:R

Filming Locations:

Messina, Sicily, Italy

Company:

Medusa Produzione

Goofs:

Continuity: The bike that Renato rides, suddenly has a modern derailleur-type chain tensioner at the rear at about 20-21 minutes into the film. At all other times, his bike has a fixed rear gear without the chain tensioner.

Quotes:

Renato Amoroso: From now on, I'll be at your side. Forever, I promise. Just give me time to grow up.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in Film Geek (2005)

Soundtrack:

Ma l'amore no

Viva Tornatore!

I found the film to be visually hypnotic and very moving. I was also impressed with the film maker's story telling technique. The film brought me into the bustling street life of the Sicilian village by eye-level camera work and the comments of the people in crowded scenes, through which I was taken with the characters. Just like walking down a busy urban street anywhere with your ears and eyes open. The film made me wake up to the fact that so much American film, perhaps all contemporary film, is composed mainly of close ups with two or a few people. Not this film. There is a sequence with airplanes overhead that is absolutely dizzying without any fancy 3-D or pyrotechnic effects. Mr. Tornatore brilliantly uses silent stares, pairs of eyes and silly dream sequences with amazing effect. The male lead, an adolescent boy, is portrayed with great empathy by Giuseppe Sulfaro without schmaltz or sanitizing, so typical in American films about puberty. The title role, played well by a dazzling Monica Bellucci, could have been written for a young Sophia Loren. (My dream sequence, I guess) My favorite character was Renato's father, hilariously played by Luciano Federico. A must see.