Aug 07, 2006 10:50 AM
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(Updated Aug 08, 2006 02:05 PM)
Malena--- the OSCAR award winning film directed by Guccippe Tornatore,in background of Second World War in Italy,released in 2001 is a masterpiece.I happened to watch it 2weeks back when it was aired on HBO.I was agahst to relate to the plight shown in the movie.Though the same plight I felt when I saw the desi movie -- LAJJA (starring Madhuri Dixit,Manisha Koirala).Probably the latter's Director had taken some inspiration from the Italian movie!copycats???
The character MALENA (MONICA BELLUCI) is a teacher in movie which opens with adolescent class students trying to get a glimpse of her on roads from where she walks to the school. Melina never raises her eyes to see who all are around her-paying reverence to her extra-ordinary beauty/good looks.Amongst these school boys is Renato (Guiseppe Sulfaro) who represents the narrator & spectator of all the events. It shows several funny streaks in Renato's life-- a small boy undergoing adolescent hormonal changes, trying to stand tall/to get full pants to look big.He dreams about Melina in nights & chases tHE UNCONSCIOUS SEDUCTRESS everywhere in day....
The story is simple in words,centred around a beautiful lonely woman in a small town of ordinary people where every lady is jealous of Malena's beauty which gives her an upper hand over everyone although she never uses her good looks or is not arrogant or never takes pride for that and simply lives her life with elegance and panache in the world, without bothering anyone. So thats her biggest sin-- one she is exteremely beautiful-the unconscious seductress,second she is alone, third she is happy the way she is...
Her husband went missing on border fight & is declared dead. All men try to make themselves counted in her eyes or talk to her.Wherever she passes people (MALES of all ages) stop by to take a look or say a hello or bow or rejoice .But she never notices/answers/stops by/talks to anyone.The grace is untainted but threatened in the male dominated patriarchial society & she being the most beautiful woman in the downtown,is even more vulnerable. A normal hand kiss turns into a lascivious act of sucking. Any opprtunity to be close to her would turn into misbehaviour/kinky act of drawing some sexual pleasure out of it.
Everyone wd slander,spread rumours abt her coz her enviable beauty.
All the suppressed sexual beings; men and women alike, would cast an evil eye on her.Remember "GOOD LOOKS ALWAYS SELL "& they are a big disadvantage too as u wd always b CYNOSURE & therefeore the victim of unjustified maliciousness of others.
false rumours spread & all types of nasty comments were hurled on her.Renato being the admirer/lover follows her & traces that most of the rumors were wrong & baseless & tries to take revenge by small attacks like pissing in purses of women colleagues of Melina & also breaking glasses of those who wl exploit/misbehave with her.
It happens with any beautiful girl.everyone weaves false stories about beautiful ladies linking them with every Ruffian on the road. WHY?just to slander the good will/to revenge GOD given beauty. what kinda human emotion is this green monster? how far justifiable/ viable?Is it sanity?
she is charged with adultery with old dentist whose she is client.This old man happens to see a young handsome army official emerging from her house n in a rage of envy he hits the young guy n calls Melina his own fiancee n dentist's wife files a suit against Melina, enraged because of the public humilaition defiling her status as his wife...Melina fights back in court n wins bt the lawyer who defended her takes the benefit of her situation...she does not have much money to pay n he forces himself on her..
Malena’s father, Professor Bonsignore--a deaf Latin teacher dies in the meanwhile....then the war breaks...Malena becomes all the more lonely .nothing to eat,no money,no job n she becomes dependent on mercy of others...but how long could she survive this poverty remaining untainted?Anthony--a bread seller gets her bread to eat n same assaulting story repeats itself-- he forces himself onto her to level money for the bread....horrible!!!! finally she resigns to the situation ... Cuts her long tresses-- the sign of her renouncing her DIGNITY and grace,colours her hair bright golden n goes to the market n sits there shamelessly... turning into a harlot n mistress of a german official-- getting the benefits,travelling in cars,trading sexual favours for food house comfort etc etc.......
The situation improves, Germans leaves,the same accusing dentist's wife who could not harm her earlier n some other ladies get a chance to humiliate her publicly.They drag Malena to the street n beat her brutally,cut her hair,tear her clothes apart mercilessly n kick her several times n no one comes to her rescue.She is left bruised,covered in blood,with swollen limbs covering her breasts running in the street to save her life.So this is the sin-of being beautiful n alone in this callous world..The story does not end here!!! she boards a train to other city... Now reportedly dead husband NINO returns but maimed.people recognise him instantly but dont tell him a thing about tragic plight of Malena..some ex-officials even kick him n make fun of his lost hand n tell him to look for his wife in brothels....We are left wondering at the reward that the war personnel get serving the Nation n loosing their lives/limbs in the wars.....
Renato writes him an anoynymous letter telling him the whereabouts of Malena n re-assuring him that she has been faithful n pleading him not to believe the false stories about her.... NINO boards train to the aforesaid city n returns with Malena.People are awe-struck n shocked to see her back...they r surprised to see her spirit to fight back n upsurge again....to survive shame n horror of the town.... to survive n emerge as a winner against all odds... to bounce back to life... people whisper at her back.....She n her husband restart their life......
last scene she is shown in market n same dentist's wife says a mocking hello which is returned with a warm n pleasant hello from the live goddess--- of course the good spirit and the good people keep the "NEVER SAY DIE" attitude n thats what MALENA exhibits...Renato meets her towards the end helping her to pick up the fallen fruits on the road n wishes her good luck calling her by her name.....she is surprised but responds with a faint smile n leaves for home n story comes to an end with the scene showing a new start to live life, to be upright through the struggle of life...
The movie shows u the "ART OF LIVING", through the tough cycles of life to emerge as a winner,to bear callosuness of life stoically, to show the spirit of a winnner, to sum up-----Charles Darwins's "struggle for survival" and "the survival of the fittest"....
I had heard a popular adage here in INDIA..."aurat hi aurat ki sabse badi dushman hai"....after watching this flick I m at least convinced about one of the manifestations of this statement.....
Watch this masterpiece to get what I mean!
angie.
