Is Felliniesque a real word? Many critiques have compared The Great Beauty to
Fellini, but given my limited knowledge of Fellini’s films I will not be one of
them.
I understand what the Great Beauty is, by what it is not. It
is not Cinema Paradiso, ILPostino or Malena. These films have directness,
transparency and familiarity. They are as sophisticated and rich as the Great
Beauty but their feet are on the ground.
The Great Beauty mocks superficialness. Jep (Tony Servillo) who
is a successful upper class journalist lives life without attachments; no wife
or children. He goes to bed in the
morning rises in the afternoon and in the evening goes to baccnal parties with blaring
techno music and frenetic dancing by over aged people who should know better.
Good life right? So why does he look unsatisfied? His life is filled with
emptiness. At a point in life you look over your shoulder to see life lived,
and at sixty five Jep hopes he sees something worthwhile.
He mocks members of his own class. For most of the film he
wears a mask of disdain and when he laughs it is not clear if it is at others or
himself. He carries himself with glib casualness. His loneliness is evident
when he asks a magician to make him disappear. The closest he comes to a familial
setting is sharing a bowl of soup at night in his boss’s office who is a female
dwarf (Felliniesgue?). He also reflects on a love lost. This is a guy who you
assume had copious conquests but he still fondly remembers a bare breasted beauty
fifty years ago.
The film does not specifically identify the Great Beauty. Another
wonderful Italian film gives some hint, Life is Beautiful. Life is beautiful and full by loved ones and
family. Unfelliniesque, yes?
