The Caiman (2006)
"Il caimano" (original title)

A skewering of Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi.

Director:

Nanni Moretti

Writers:

Nanni Moretti (story), Heidrun Schleef (story),

Stars:

Silvio Orlando, Margherita Buy, Jasmine Trinca

13 wins & 17 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Silvio Orlando	...	Bruno Bonomo
Margherita Buy	...	Paola Bonomo / Aidra
Jasmine Trinca	...	Teresa
Michele Placido	...	Marco Pulici / Silvio Berlusconi
Giuliano Montaldo	...	Franco Caspio
Antonello Grimaldi	...	Direttore di Produzione
Paolo Sorrentino	...	Marito di Aidra
Elio De Capitani	...	Silvio Berlusconi
Tatti Sanguineti	...	Beppe Savonese
Jerzy Stuhr	...	Jerzy Sturovsky
Toni Bertorelli	...	Indro Montanelli
Matteo Garrone	...	Direttore della fotografia
Lorenzo Alessandri	...	Aiuto regista
Giancarlo Basili	...	Fritz Simmons, lo scenografo
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Pubblico Ministero

Storyline

Bruno Bonomo (Silvio Orlando) was a famous producer of b-movies in 70s; after a long hiatus, following the commercial fiasco of "Cataratte", Bonomo is going to be signed by RAI in order to produce a film about Cristoforo Colombo's homecoming. When the director Franco Caspio (Giuliano Montaldo) quits the project, Bonomo is forced to offer another screenplay to RAI, which is "Il Caimano" a screenplay he stumbled upon, written by the young director Teresa (Jasmine Trinca). The film-in-the-film is centered on the figure of Italy's prime minister and media tycoon Silvio Berlusconi, a subject so controversial that even the public television refuse to produce it. While Bonomo's private life collapses piece by piece, as he's divorcing from his wife (Margherita Buy), and the bank is pressing him hard to pay back his long-standing debts, he finds out that struggling to get this movie filmed is the only thing that keeps him alive.

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Plot Keywords:

minister | director | prime minister | media tycoon | ship | 

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Romance

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Details

Official Sites:

Bac Films [fr]

Country:

France Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

24 March 2006 (Italy)

Also Known As:

The Caiman

Filming Locations:

Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Box Office

Opening Weekend:

$673,323 (Italy) (7 April 2006)

Gross:

$5,455,507 (Europe) (7 April 2006)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Sacher Film, Bac Films, Stéphan Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Numerous Italian filmmakers such as Giuliano Montaldo, Carlo Mazzacurati, Paolo Virzì, Daniele Luchetti, Matteo Garrone, Paolo Sorrentino, and Antonello Grimaldi play minor roles.

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Connections

References Todo modo (1976)

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Soundtracks

"The Blower's Daughter"
Written by Damien Rice
Performed by Damien Rice

User Reviews

A sharp, tough look at today's Italy

Those familiar with Nanni Moretti know that, even when Moretti tackles political issues, he does so in such a personal, unusual way. This film is a vehement pamphlet against Berlusconi. Without going at lengths to describe the various reasons why Berlusconi is, to put it in the words of "The Economist", "unfit to lead Italy", Moretti shows the peculiar mixture of demagoguery and cynical opportunism that in his opinion are Berlusconi's hallmarks as both a businessman (before he entered politics) and a politician. Moretti seems to interpret Berlusconi as a symptom of the undoing of Italian society, its values, its way of life, an involution that he traces back to the way television (and in particular the kind of TV programmes that have been the staple of Berlusconi's televisions) has moulded Italian society and the set of tastes and values that in his opinion now prevail in among Italians. The director seems to believe that, for the moment, only a sort of personal resistance is possibile against such a disruption; the court magistrate, to some extent the main character and especially the young, inexperienced and yet talented and quietly tenacious young director, with her trust in the quality and importance of her ideas, are symbols of this resistance. A tough, difficult, dry, and yet thought-provoking film that deserves to be seen by both Italians and foreigners wanting to understand today's Italy better.