A born clown becomes a loving husband and devoted father--until death.

Rating: Null/10 (2 October 2004)

LIFE IS BEAUTIFUL is a beautiful movie. In it, a young man who clowns through every problem meets and wins the woman of his dreams. They marry, have a son, and are ready to live happily ever after.
But the man is Jewish and the Nazi persecution overtakes him. As the boy, then about six years old, and his father are being taken to a concentration camp, their mother and wife refuses to be left behind and insists on going with them. Once there, the couple are separated, and both must do hard labor. Children are rounded up and killed, but the father saves and hides the boy, whom he gets to cooperate by persuading him it's all a game.
Toward the end of the film, the allies are about to liberate the camp, and those in charge are getting rid of the inmates. The father takes risks in trying to protect his son and find his wife. He's caught and shot, but the boy survives and rejoins his mother.
The mixture of comedy and intense drama works because very skillful acting by all three principals conveys the depth and beauty of the relationships among man and wife, parents and son. Their love shines in darkness that cannot overcome it.
Ideologues complain because this movie fails to meet their criteria. So much the worse for their criteria! I rate it a 9 out of the possible 10. It's one of the finest films I've ever seen, certainly better than most that have won acclaim since 1960.