It
seems cosmically unfair that Italian writer Beppe Fenoglio died of Bronchial
cancer at the age of forty, as surviving WWII as an Italian partisan. However,
he has continued to have a literary presence through the posthumous publication
of a number of works, including this novella of love and war. Frankly, the two
are not so easy to distinguish in Rainbow:
A Private Affair (trailer
here),
the final film collaboration from the Taviani Brothers, Paolo and Vittorio, which
screens during Open Roads: New Italian Cinema 2018.
Before
he was a partisan, Milton was a student of English literature—hence his nickname.
He also carried a torch for the free-spirited Fulvia, whom he often visited at
her family’s summer estate, along with their mutual friend Giorgio. It was sort
of a Jules & Jim style triangle.
However, the revelation Fulvia might have favored Giorgio, perhaps even in
carnal terms, has Milton profoundly distracted from the war. Fortunately, his
comrades are also Italian, so they can understand his inconvenient shift in
priorities.
Determined
to learn the truth, Milton obtains leave to visit Giorgio, who is also a
partisan, attached to a different brigade operating around the Langhe region.
However, as soon as he arrives, Milton learns his friend (or rival) has been arrested
by the Blackshirts. This propels Milton’s desperate scramble to capture a “roach”
he can exchange for Giorgio, but his motives are not exactly clear. He wants to
hear the truth from Giorgio directly, yet his loyalty towards his friend also
seems genuine, at least to some extent.
Vittorio
Taviani passed away a little over one month ago, but he and his brother still
show a fine command of their craft with their final outing as a filmmaking
tandem. In fact, it is a fitting capstone for their work, given its aching
romanticism. It is also rather personal, even limited in scope, as the title
would suggest. Yet, despite all Milton’s heartsick gloominess and death-seeking
behavior, it is ultimately a life-affirming film.
Luca
Marinelli broods for all he is worth as Milton, but ironically, his most
memorable and moving scenes are played with neither Fulvia or Giorgio. In fact,
they both seem too shallow to be worth his anxiety, as portrayed by Valentina
Bellè and Lorenzo (blonder than he was in Marco Polo) Richelmy.
However, there several small but brilliant supporting turns, such as Antonella
Attili as the austere caretaker of Fulvia’s family villa and Andrea Di Maria as
a roach who fancies himself a jazz drummer.
Arguably,
Marinelli’s real co-star is Judy Garland, whose rendition of “Over the Rainbow”
Fulvia plays incessantly. Giuliano Taviani (Vittorio’s son) and Carmelo Travia
nicely incorporate the tune into their lush, somewhat jazz-influenced
soundtrack, but it would have been much cooler if they’d used a Billie Holiday
song. Regardless, cinematographer Simon Zampagni fully captures the ominous beauty
of the fog-shrouded Langhe foothills. Throughout it all, the Tavianis deftly
maintain the mysterious, mystical atmosphere, without indulging in excessive pretentions
or padding. It is a lovely little film that serves as an apt coda on their
storied careers together. Highly recommended, Rainbow: A Private Affair screens Friday (6/1) and the following
Monday (6/4) as part of this year’s Open Roads.
