Bon Giorno Principezza!!!!

Rating: 10/10 (27 October 2002)

Contains Spoiler Every once in a while a movie comes along which makes you question the kind of man you are. How do you handle situations? If you were put in the same situation, Would you come out of it smiling? Do you have the courage? Guido (Benigni) did. Life is beautiful charms you right from the opening shot of the beautiful Italian countryside. It takes you into the life of Guido, a young Italian Jewish Waiter who has a beautiful way of looking at things. he never seems to look at anmything negatively, in fact, his frivolous view to life is what makes you sit riveted throughout. I don't think he's delusional, he is a very serious man, and he sees the gravity of situations in his life, but he doesn't want the people around him to feel it, hence his ever-smiling, effervescent demeanour. It all seems like a fairy tale. His landing into the school as the impostor school inspector and lecture on the virtues of the navel... His galloping down into the ballroom on the horse and whisking his bride away towards a happy life... His superspeed bike ride down the town square... things that we all dream of. An untouched innocence. The movie takes a dramatic turn when he finds himself in a concentration camp with his son... His made up story of how the camp is a game and the father-son team are the leading competitors... An unmatched courage. Not one to cry in movies as a rule, I found myself alone at home one day, and when the boy is hidden in the little box, looking at his father being led away at gun point, getting scared... and then, the father doing what he usually does to reassure the boy that the situation is not as serious as it looks... the clown march... I felt tears roll down my cheeks. And then, i started sniffing... after a while, the sniffs turn into sobs, and ultimately, when his father is dead, and the boy sees the American tank coming towards him, the elation in his eyes, the jubilation at winning first prize... it turned the sobs into a full fledged howl. Thats when i got the message... That's when the maginitude of the sacrifice made by the father in an effort to protect his son hit me like a thunderbolt and hasn't left me since. Thats when you realize that life is all about loving, and protecting and cherishiong your loved ones. and despite all the troubles, the despair and the danger that one may face, Life is... Beautiful.