ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY
A film review by James Berardinelli
Copyright 1993 James Berardinelli
Rating (Linear 0 to 10): 7.0
Date Released: 10/1/93 Running Length: 1:27 Rated: R (Nudity, sexual situations, language)
Music: Ennio Morricone Released by Miramax Films In Italian with English subtitles
ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY is a collection of three very loosely-connected shorts that take place in a dreamy Italian village. All three were written by Tonino Guerra, so there are some common themes to the stories, especially the first and third. Each is wrapped in its own sense of ethereal unreality, and the mysticism is as enchanting here as it is in full-length features such as LIKE WATER FOR CHOCOLATE. ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY is the kind of movie that suggested by its title: a frothy picture perfect for consumption when the viewer is ready for a break from the rigors of life.
ESPECIALLY ON SUNDAY's three tales are connected by an even-shorter envelope story that involves a boy, a motorcyclist, and some birds. This is perhaps the weakest element of the movie since, in addition to having far too little time to accomplish much of anything worthwhile, it does nothing to effectively link the more substantial parts of the film. One wonders why this was added in the first place, but since it's only six minutes long, the damage is minimal.
"The Blue Dog"
Rating: 8.4
Running Time: 0:30
Director: Guiseppe Tornatore
Producer: Amedeo Pagani
Written by: Tonino Guerra
Starring: Philippe Noiret
The best of the three shorts, "The Blue Dog" is a sometimes funny, sometimes poignant tale about a man and the unwanted animal who dogs his every footstep. Amleto (Philippe Noiret) is a barber who has a strong dislike of dogs. In his words, they smell and carry lice. For some unknown reason, a dog with a blue spot on its forehead begins to follow him, and the more Amleto tries to shake the animal, the more insistent its pursuit becomes.
While one might normally think there's little that can be done with such a simple story, "The Blue Dog" gives unexpected depth to this one. Handled with deft skill by Guiseppe Tornatore (who directed CINEMA PARADISO), the short wastes no time giving the audience an exceptionally strong sense of character. For "The Blue Dog" to work, Amleto has to become a real person, and this is effectively, and quickly, accomplished.
There's quite a bit of humor in the movie, and it's perfectly-placed to counterbalance some of the more serious aspects. Of the three shorts, "The Blue Dog" is the least complex, the longest, and the most enjoyable. It shares with "Snow on Fire" the theme of how the loss of something familiar can profoundly affect a life.
"Especially on Sunday"
Rating: 7.0
Running Time: 0:24
Director: Guiseppe Bertolucci
Producer: Giovanna Romagnoli
Written by: Tonino Guerra
Starring: Ornella Muti, Bruno Ganz, Andrea Prodan,
Nicoletta Braschi
While "The Blue Dog" is basically suitable for family consumption, "Especially on Sunday" is decidedly adult in its erotic nature. This is the only one of the three shorts to feature full frontal female nudity. The story centers around Vittorio (Bruno Ganz), a suave, confidant man who comes across Anna (Ornella Muti) and her supposed brother Marco (Andrea Prodan) one Sunday afternoon. There is an immediate sexual connection between Vittorio and Anna, but finding a moment together becomes difficult because of Marco's constant presence. As the day winds down, Vittorio tries subterfuge to gain his ends, but instead finds something completely unexpected.
About the only connection that this short has with the previous one is the sudden, brief appearance of Amleto grumbling about how dogs stink and carry lice. The eroticism of the story connects it more concretely with "Snow on Fire," however.
While "Especially on Sunday" is a nice dance with the unusual, it's far from a complete story. The plot and characters need a lot of fleshing out, and this could easily have been a full-length feature. None of the relationships are ever nailed down, leading to a sense of incompleteness when this all-too-short tale concludes.
The best element of "Especially on Sunday" is the presence of Ornella Muti, a beautiful and exotic actress who is perfectly cast here in the role of a wild, mysterious temptress.
"Snow on Fire"
Rating: 6.0
Running Time: 0:23
Director: Marco Tullio Giordana
Producer: Mario Orfini
Written by: Tonino Guerra
Starring: Maria Maddalena Fellini, Chiara Casselli
"Snow on Fire" is about the complicit voyeurism that develops between an elderly woman and her new daughter-in-law. Caterina (Maria Maddalena Fellini, the sister of the legendary director) lives in the bedroom above her newly-married son. One night, she discovers an easily-dislodged brick in the floor. Removing it, she finds a window into her son's bedroom. As she watches him and his bride (Chiara Casselli) making love, the two womens' eyes meet, and the daughter-in-law makes it clear that she doesn't mind being observed.
This short, in addition to taking less screen time than the others, is the least engaging. The premise is interesting, but somehow all the pieces don't fall into place. Perhaps more time would have helped develop the characters and situations better, but the story seems overly long already.
We aren't given the opportunity to get to know Caterina and her daughter-in-law, so the motivations of the two never take on an emotional depth. The reasons and morals of the nighttime activities are examined from both sides (each through a confession to a priest who tries ineffectually to deny his fascination), but we are sadly cheated of a full exploration of such potentially-intriguing issues.
So, while this short is expertly directed and exquisitely photographed (by Franco Lecca), its strengths don't run deeper than the purely visual. The message that it's trying to convey is presented with greater impact in "The Blue Dog." The only thing that "Snow on Fire" adds is a coy sexuality and a glance at the compulsion of voyeurism.
- James Berardinelli (blake7@cc.bellcore.com)
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