Beautiful is far too weak a word to describe this monumentally lovely film

Rating: 10/10 (26 March 2008)

Guido (Roberto Benigni) lives in pre-World War II Italy. A poor man from the country, he and a friend are going to a metropolitan area to improve their financial situation. On the way to the city, Guido catches a beautiful maiden, Dora (Nicoletta Braschi) when she falls from the second floor of a barn, due to rampaging bees. Each of them looks at the other fondly. Once in town, Guido gets a job as a waiter but, on the way to the restaurant, he loses control of his bike and, once again, smacks into Dora and ends up with his arms around her. This time, he has the courage to ask her a few questions. She is a teacher for the community and, alas, she is engaged. Yet, Guido is not deterred. He arranges to meet Dora at the opera and "borrows" a car to take her for a ride. Dora falls hard for Guido but her parents have other plans. Nevertheless, Guido secures her hand in marriage. Flash forward several years. Now, the much-in-love couple run a bookstore and have a young son, Joshua, adding to their great happiness. But, the world is in turmoil, with the rise of Hitler and Mussolini. Since Guido is Jewish, he is eventually captured, with Joshua, and sent to a concentration camp, with gentile Dora voluntarily going along to support her husband and son. Knowing that his son is about to witness and endure unspeakable horror, Guido tells the little boy that they are entering a contest. Whoever can "play the camp game" correctly will win a tank. But, in truth, how will the trio survive this situation? Dear viewer, beautiful is far too weak a word to describe this lovely, lovely film. The first half is extremely funny and light, with the Oscar-winning Benigni giving one of the all-time great comedic performances for the screen. Just watch him inpersonate a health inspector at Dora's school or convince a man to order a dinner already rejected by another restaurant patron and you will be smiling so wide, your face will almost break in two. Braschi is pretty and talented, too, as the object of Guido's affections and the rest of the cast is absolutely superb, also, from the young boy playing Joshua to the Nazi camp guards. The scenery is likewise lovely, in the first half, while the setting for the second half is an appropriately horrific concentration camp. The costumes, screenplay, direction, production qualities and, especially, the Oscar winning score by Nicola Piovani are beyond reproach. Yes, the story takes a sad and serious turn but, believe it or not, the humor never stops, even in the face of extreme evil. Naturally, the film has received criticism for the tale's implausibilities. But, it is undeserved, as the movie is a far too beautiful and touching piece of fiction to worry about the "what ifs". In summation, if you somehow missed out on a showing of this film, remember "life is beautiful" but, it is also short. Do not hesitate another hour before committing yourself to watching one of the most uplifting, humorous, and indeed, beautiful films ever created.