Post by Brad Nelson on Aug 9, 2020 19:30:37 GMT -8
The Skin
This is a somewhat bleak and cynical look at the Allies in Italy in 1943, particularly in and around Naples. Naples appears to have been turned into a large brothel.
But I have no idea what the reality was. Burt Lancaster plays the top American general on the scene, General Mark Clark. Marcello Mastroianni plays a high-ranking Italian officer (a captain) who is at the very least an unofficial liaison for General Clark. He’s basically the connecting point for most of the various subplots in this film.
The Germans have retreated and the Allies have their eye on Rome. But there are no battle scenes in the film. This is all behind-the-scenes stuff although there is some violence.
And lots and lots of prostitutes. One gets the idea that the writer (Curzio Malaparte / the novel) loves showing them on film. One reviewer of the novel writes:
This movie will definitely not appeal to some. But I liked it. The characters were good. Yes, Malaparte hammers you over the head. (I get it. Lots and lots of prostitutes.) But, even so, it’s interesting. You can image that even if he exaggerated the volume, stuff like this was going on.
It’s really a movie caught between being a black comedy a la Catch 22 and something more serious. Even so, the plot keeps moving on and I loved the understated character of the Italian captain. I’d say there are some thematic cheats in this. Frankly, by the time you’re done watching it, you’ll know the film makers where trying hard to make a point, you’re just not sure what that point is. War is hell? Well, yes. War makes a lot of prostitutes of women, especially if they are on the losing side? Well, yes.
This could have been a deeper and more thought-provoking film. But the writer is caught between a critique and a sneer. Even so, it’s not too heavy-handed except in a couple of spots. And this certainly isn’t an America-bashing picture. If anything, the Italians themselves come off pretty bad. And yet, could this be a look behind the scenes?
Unfortunately, the film loses much effect because it’s trying to hard to “send a message” that you’re not sure how much is being exaggerated. Even so, it will likely occur to you that something like that must have been going on.
This is an Italian film and Lancaster is dubbed in Italian not using his own voice. It’s a strange effect. Still, if you like war films, you should see this at least once.
This is a somewhat bleak and cynical look at the Allies in Italy in 1943, particularly in and around Naples. Naples appears to have been turned into a large brothel.
But I have no idea what the reality was. Burt Lancaster plays the top American general on the scene, General Mark Clark. Marcello Mastroianni plays a high-ranking Italian officer (a captain) who is at the very least an unofficial liaison for General Clark. He’s basically the connecting point for most of the various subplots in this film.
The Germans have retreated and the Allies have their eye on Rome. But there are no battle scenes in the film. This is all behind-the-scenes stuff although there is some violence.
And lots and lots of prostitutes. One gets the idea that the writer (Curzio Malaparte / the novel) loves showing them on film. One reviewer of the novel writes:
Much as he did in Kaput Curzio Malaparte here uses flights of surreal imagery and incredible poetic license to depict a society which is essentially in collapse. The Allies have taken Naples and the locals continue to suffer as legions of other characters are drawn to the first liberated city. His style of presenting intense vignettes to drive home the point of how degraded European civilization had become and his contrasting of this with the almost innocent American officer with whom he experiences some of these episodes is a potent literary exercise. However that said, there are times where I felt the point had been made and was being beaten to death in certain passages. Malaparte is never dull but that doesn't mean his style cannot get tiresome at times. Overall this is unique and thought provoking writing and well worth the effort. I imagine his style will not appeal to some.
This movie will definitely not appeal to some. But I liked it. The characters were good. Yes, Malaparte hammers you over the head. (I get it. Lots and lots of prostitutes.) But, even so, it’s interesting. You can image that even if he exaggerated the volume, stuff like this was going on.
It’s really a movie caught between being a black comedy a la Catch 22 and something more serious. Even so, the plot keeps moving on and I loved the understated character of the Italian captain. I’d say there are some thematic cheats in this. Frankly, by the time you’re done watching it, you’ll know the film makers where trying hard to make a point, you’re just not sure what that point is. War is hell? Well, yes. War makes a lot of prostitutes of women, especially if they are on the losing side? Well, yes.
This could have been a deeper and more thought-provoking film. But the writer is caught between a critique and a sneer. Even so, it’s not too heavy-handed except in a couple of spots. And this certainly isn’t an America-bashing picture. If anything, the Italians themselves come off pretty bad. And yet, could this be a look behind the scenes?
Unfortunately, the film loses much effect because it’s trying to hard to “send a message” that you’re not sure how much is being exaggerated. Even so, it will likely occur to you that something like that must have been going on.
This is an Italian film and Lancaster is dubbed in Italian not using his own voice. It’s a strange effect. Still, if you like war films, you should see this at least once.