Bernardo Bertolucci’s vision of Italy in the first half of the 20th Century is a colossally foolish film. It’s often gorgeous to look at (very Jean-Francois Millet) & beautifully paced (at least in the 5-hour European cut*), but there’s not a single scene that’s not utterly ridiculous or willfully fraudulent. The idea is not so different from METROPOLIS, another cinematic folly, which also tried to effect a new understanding between Working & Ruling classes. But Fritz Lang’s film happily takes place in a fantasy NeverLand that merely comments on the real world while Bertolucci dives into the actual muck of history and comes up with pure horse manure. Literally. Perhaps if his peasant character (Gerard Depardieu) were the Proto-Fascist and the scion (Robert De Niro) the Leftie, the whole show wouldn’t play out in such a thuddingly obvious manner. Poor Dominque Sanda never recovered from her bizarre, hysterical characterization. But except for Depardieu and Burt Lancaster, everyone embarrasses themself, though Donald Sutherland does seem to be having a grand time as Simon Legree of Emilia. Does Bertolucci truly think that Italian Fascism was made up of sadistic sexual perverts & landowners who imposed it on ‘the people?’ Some levels of naive stupidity are downright insulting.
ATTENTION MUST BE PAID: *Many lengths and cuts out there. Just be sure to choose the Italian dialogue track which sounds a bit more natural and helps tame didactic overdose.
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