Putting into words the unspeakable is one thing. But creating a beautiful film around something so appalling is another. La Vita è Bella is an overwhelming critical and commercial success, and there is no doubt as to why. From the first “Buongiorno Principessa” to the final wink, we are captivated, the film enthrals as much as it disconcerts and, at the end, we are left with that strange feeling of empty happiness that only a real tragicomedy can engender. Benigni is the true master of two games: that of the film and that of cinema.
Yet, as much as the concentration camp is not a competition and the real prize is not a tank, this film is not just about a game. La Vita è Bella is an overwhelming tragedy. It is as much a tribute to innocence as it is a portrayal of sin. Yet, unlike many films about the Holocaust, this one uses comedy to capture something of the absurdity of the death camps. Comedy is both the protagonist’s weapon and his shield. When Guido and his son first arrive at the concentration camp, they are confronted with a German officer barking the rules of the camp to the prisoners. Guido does not hesitate to offer up his services as an Italian interpreter for the officer, seizing this opportunity to elaborate on the rules of the ‘game’ at the camp, for the benefit of his son. A death sentence becomes a contest and captivity becomes a ruse. It is the very union of comedy and tragedy, humour and drama, that adds such a valuable dimension to a film treating a subject matter which is anything but comic.
When a game is anything but:
A review of Benigni's La Vita è Bella
Louisa Van Aeken