Three Brothers (1981)

Three men face their mother's death.

Director:

Francesco Rosi

Writers:

Tonino Guerra (story and screenplay), Francesco Rosi (story and screenplay)

Stars:

Philippe Noiret, Michele Placido, Vittorio Mezzogiorno

Nominated for 1 Oscar. Another 10 wins & 6 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Philippe Noiret	...	Raffaele Giuranna
Michele Placido	...	Nicola Giuranna
Vittorio Mezzogiorno	...	Rocco Giuranna / Young Donato
Andréa Ferréol	...	Raffaele's Wife
Maddalena Crippa	...	Giovanna
Rosaria Tafuri	...	Rosaria
Marta Zoffoli	...	Marta
Tino Schirinzi	...	Raffaeles's Friend
Simonetta Stefanelli	...	Young Donato's Wife
Pietro Biondi	...	1st Judge
Charles Vanel	...	Donato Giuranna
Accursio Di Leo	...	1st Friend at Bar
Luigi Infantino	...	2nd Friend at Bar
Girolamo Marzano	...	Nicola's Friend
Gina Pontrelli	...	The Brother's Mother

Storyline

In a farmhouse in southern Italy, an old woman dies. Her husband summons their sons: from Rome, Raffaele, a judge facing a political case for which he risks assassination; from Naples, the religious and ideological Rocco, a counselor at a correctional institute for boys; from Turin, Nicola, a factory worker involved in labor disputes. Once home, each encounters the past and engages in reveries of what may come: Raffaele imagines his death, Rocco dreams of lifting the youth of Naples out of violence, drugs, and corruption, Nicola pictures embracing his estranged wife. Meanwhile, the old man and his young granddaughter explore the rhythms of the farm and grieve together.

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Plot Keywords:

card game | good versus evil | fired | lost ring | elderly man | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Official Sites:

Gaumont DVD [France]

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

19 March 1981 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Three Brothers

Filming Locations:

Strada per il Pulo SP 157, Parco La Mena, 70022 Altamura, Bari, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Iterfilm, Gaumont

Technical Specs

Runtime:

113 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Italy's official submission to the 1982's Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category.

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Quotes

Nicola Giuranna: You talk like this because you don't have a boss who can fire you.
Raffaele Giuranna: I have to accept the risk of getting killed any day if I wanna keep doing my work, which is to administrate law, and not to become a hero.

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Connections

Featured in Tonino Guerra: A Poet in the Movies (2008)

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Soundtracks

Je so' pazzo
by Pino Daniele
Edizioni musicali "BELRIVER" s.r.l.
per gentile concessione della EMI ITALIANA

User Reviews

Beautiful and thought-provoking film

I just watched this film with my wife on a Netflix DVD. It is a very slow-paced film, but it captivates you and does what a great film should always do-- it transports you to another world and allows you to enter the lives of other people. In this case, we see the world through the eyes of three brothers, each of whom has long ago moved away from the impoverished village in southern Italy where they grew up. Each has taken on a distinct vocation-- The eldest is a respected judge, a member of the establishment, who, in spite of threats from terrorists, continues to carry out his duty. The middle brother is a liberal, charitable man who is trying to help kids in trouble and whose heart bleeds for the wretched of the earth. The youngest is a Don Juan, who migrated to the northern city of Turin to find work and got mixed up in the radical labor movements that are close to, if not part of, the very terrorist organization the elder brother is trying to stop.

The three brothers engage in conversation about these matters and we see their thoughts in dreams and flashbacks. But what really grounds the film is the old man, their father, and his remembrances of his recently departed wife. His tenderness with his granddaughter also gives the movie a sweet touch. In the end, this film leaves you richer for the experience of having watched it.