Romance & the Swiss Cinema – A Rooster For Love in the Amorous “Marcello Marcello”

Once upon a time, in the island of Amatrello, just off the coast of Italy, not too long ago (1956), there lived a young man of 18 named Marcello, the son of a fisherman. He was smart, conscientious, and good looking, and never once considered joining the town’s silly courtship custom. When a girl turns 18, she is presented to the town’s young men who are then invited to bring her gifts; a gift intended for the girl’s father, and whoever gets chosen will enjoy the privilege of the girl’s first date.

One day, the mayor’s daughter comes home to celebrate her 18^th birthday. Elena has grown up into a lovely lady. And this time, Marcello isn’t just an amused spectator. Marcello is enchanted by her enigmatic smile. When Elena is presented for the gift-giving ceremony, Marcello vows to win! But he has to overcome the insurmountable odds by giving the mayor what he’s been wanting – the butcher’s rooster who keeps disturbing his sleep!

But the butcher refuses to part with his rooster – unless Marcello gets 2 bottles of limoncello, a rare wine owned by the reclusive Palmierri sisters who wouldn’t give him a bottle – unless Marcello gets a pair of wedding dress for them. Before he knew it, he’s been rounding half the town’s population for items in exchange of what the young man needs. But he is resolute. He will face every greedy soul to get to his Elena: his school principal, the stern priest, a shamed soprano, a rock & roll-loving barber, the town seamstress, and his cunning classmate Armando! Will he ever get to date Elena?

I'll give you a good guess.

This should be Cine Europa’s most fun and deliciously fizzy entry this year, a story told like a fairy tale. It has this feather-light narrative, and dispenses lessons on perseverance and the nature of greed, subtly grazing over moral issues amidst the backdrop of golden sunrise, turquoise sea and pastel homes. Francesco Mistichelli makes a star turn as the adorable Marcello, and Elena Cucci (as lovely Elena) is his perfect muse. I am curious as to this movie’s country of origin (Switzerland) when the story is set in an Italian town. The copy shown in Shangrila is grainy, but once you get over this, there is no doubt of its immense entertainment value. It will be screened again – for free - this Saturday (September 18) at 6 PM. Queue starts at 4:30, and tickets are distributed at 5.

Do yourself a favor and watch Denis Rabaglia’s “Marcello Marcello”.

Francesco Mistichelli as Marcello

Elena Cucci

Alfio Alessi is the town lothario, and Marcello's worthy adversary. Not only is he good looking, he is smart, rich and cunning.

Young men gather outside the girl's house for the announcement.

Francesco Mistichelli

Francesco Mistichelli today: more gorgeous than ever. Unfortunately, he hasn't done any films after "Marcello Marcello".

Belgian Cinema - Getting Seriously Funny in Nabil Ben Yadir’s “The Barons”

"The Barons" is a curious piece of Belgian cinema. If I were to choose a single Belgian film to showcase the country, it wouldn’t be “The Barons”. However, its power rests on the masterful film making and a seamless narrative flow that spotlights a bunch of lazyheads who call themselves “The Barons”.

The movie is set in an Arab neighborhood in Brussels where “The Barons” live their lives in pleasant apathy. They stand with their philosophy believing that “Men’s longevity is dependent on the number of steps he takes. Once he reaches that quota, he croaks.” This is a great excuse to lounge around, doing absolutely nothing.

Hassan (Nader Boussandel), the gang’s struggling stand up comic, is in love with his mate’s sister Malika (who anchors the local TV news). Hassan gets cold feet whenever she’s near, so he makes up excuses by rationalizing that your friend’s sister is off limits. When Hassan’s father suffers a heart attack after their altercation, he feels guilty, then takes the job that his father wanted for him – as a city bus driver; a way to join society’s working class, and mainstream Belgium. Before he knew it, he’s following the pattern of every working class man – find a wife, raise a family, get old and be boring. But his gang is not happy. Moreover, what becomes of his attraction to Malika?

The film takes a stylized and tongue-in-cheek manner of story telling, a character would sometimes break the 4^th wall to directly address the audience. Color grading is experimented on, employing the subtlest of colors, which to my mind, isn’t really consistent with the ongoing screen humor. Besides, you somehow have that feeling of nostalgia even though our story is current! Despite these nitpickings, there is much fun to be had in this film’s subtle bursts of humor, polished photography and the unusual energy of the ensemble. For once, Arabs - Moroccans in particular- are portrayed in a more positive light.