Despite everything, Life is Beautiful

Rating: 8/10 (5 April 2017)

Ever find yourself in a dire straights? You wonder how you will overcome the odds of being in an adverse situation? Basically handling a physically challenging problem. With shear guts and determination you will it through to the end. I'm not talking about playing or participating in a sporting event. I'm referring to the game of survival. Life is Beautiful was a breathe of fresh air to me personally. At this time in my life I was working at a job I dreaded immensely. Director/actor Roberto Benigni adaptation of his Father's Holocaust experience is portrayed in such a tasteful and comical way despite the harsh realities of the Nazi atrocities. This story takes place of course in Italy as slight tidbits of racism appear behind the beautiful backdrop of the Italian ambiance during World War II. My first take on this movie which I watched in Italian (with subtitles in English)Our Star Guido is romancing his love from afar Dora or as he coined her moniker Pricepessa (Princess)played by actress/Wife, Nicoletta Braschi. I thought this movie was going to be about a light comedy filled with slapstick and romance but as I mentioned earlier you see subtle racism with (Negozio Ebraico) spray on random store fronts. Roberto's charm and physical dexterity are slight reminders of those silent screen giants Lloyd and Chaplin. Dora is supposed to be married to a snobbish, full of himself individual. An engagement party is held in the Hotel where Guido works. Dora bored and dubious about her future with this man is instead taken with Guido's charm and laughter. Love the scene with the decorated painted horse which Nazi sympathizers painted racial remarks on the animal.Out of a scene from Sir Galahad Guido rides into the elegant hall breaks up the party as the two whisk away on the steed to the angry potential In-Laws plus Dora's Mother as the center piece goose egg falls and breaks over the Fiance's head. Dora and Guido wed. Five to six years have passed. Enter our third shining star there adorable son Giosi (Giorgio Cantarini). Bright and Cheerful with a wondrous curiosity the boy is down right adorable on the screen. Giosi is a little entrepreneur running the family business(A bookstore) to the delight of Dora's estranged Mother who visits her Grandson for the very first time unbeknownst to Giosi. The relationship between Father and Son is uplifting despite Giosi's refusal to take baths. These are ominous times of war torn Europe. The Nazi now flexing military muscle are rounding up Jews throughout the town. Wife Dora is Christian and is spared but the realty of Guido, his elderly Father and son entering a cattle car north to a concentration camp takes our story into a dark place. Dora tells the Captain of the guard to hold the train as she can't bear being separated from her family. She gets on and sacrifices her freedom just to be close with her family even though she'll end up in a neighboring camp. Upon their arrival the Grandfather is separated and sent to a termination line. Meanwhile Guido makes light of everything around him. Pretending to translate German Instructions from the German Officer in charge of the barracks. Conjuring up a mythical story about a contest involving an army tank telling his son, no matter what, obey his orders or they will lose the contest. The reality of the concentration camps and the Nazi's final solution plans are to kill off the elderly, weak and of course gas all the Jewish children. Guido tells his son to hide to gain valuable points in the imaginary tank lottery. By doing so the boys life is spared. Before all this Guido befriended a German Doctor Lessing played by world renown actor Horst Buckholtz who speaks many languages and has a penchant for riddles. Guido does all he could to keep the boy's mind occupied throughout this incarceration of evil by Nazi occupation. Just a moving story about how far a Father will go for the love of his child.