I recently watched this film in my Italian cinema class and I believe it is one of the greatest films ever. Not only does Bertolucci mix elements of film noir and haunting surrealism, he is able to express his obsession with the illusion of reality. The film is based on the eponymous novel by Alberto Moravia, and although I have not had the pleasure to read it, I hear the film does not stray from the plot of the novel. Of course Bertolucci puts a spin on the chronology of the plot; allowing us to first see the film 2/3 into the plot, we weave back and forth between the protagonist's childhood, his admittance into the Fascist party and then finally the present.
The film follows Clerici's quest for normalcy and acceptance, since he views himself as abnormal and an outcast from society. If it means he must marry the airhead giulia (his ticket to bourgeois life) he will. He tries to conform to society, and in doing so joins the Fascist party: the epitome of ideological conformity.
The film is essentially about shadows in the cave, and the scene in which he meets up with his former professor is a direct allusion to Plato's myth. We see Clerici's shadow on the wall as professor Quadri recounts the myth. Clerici has been living his life, unable to exit this cave. He sees only shadows on caves, and instead of realizing they are merely shadows, lies, illusions, he remains imprisoned, like the prisoners in plato's cave. When the professor opens the window and light streams into the room, we believe this illumination will open Clerici's eyes. But he has failed to accept things that have happened in the past, and therefore is unable to grow up. He does not overcome his violent tendencies (he will take part in a conspiracy to kill Quadri since Quadri is an anti-Fascist in order to gain acceptance into the Fascist party) and lives forever boxed in that cave. The professor fails to illuminate Clerici because he is not the ideal Platonic hero: has abandoned Rome when the Fascist regime begins to rise and leaves his Italian followers to their own devices. He has not been a hero of the resistance, preventing others from joining the ranks of such a disillusioned ideology because as Clerici states: "You left and I became a Fascist".
Some have questioned the scene between a 13 year old Clerici and the homosexual chauffeur named Lino. Some one said why does he have sex and then shoot him? First of all, Lino propositioned him, an act of sodomy never occurred. Second, at 13, Clerici (like most budding pre-pubescents) was probably intrigued and curious and then immediately ashamed by the so-called "deviance" of homosexuality. He shoots him because he becomes enraged in his attraction to Lino and seeks to punish he who almost set off his unknown erotic impulses. This crime will never leave him as he then sees he must atone for this sin by committing another: hence the murders of the Quadri and his wife (although she is not originally part of the conspiracy).
Italo, his blind friend, is an ideologue, the embodiment of Facist theory. It is appropriate that he is blind, because those who followed the regime were blind and disillusioned. When they walk together down in the ranks of the coliseum, Clerici will once again place the blame on someone else for his crimes by accusing Italo of Fascist allegiance.
The film follows Clerici's quest for normalcy and acceptance, since he views himself as abnormal and an outcast from society. If it means he must marry the airhead giulia (his ticket to bourgeois life) he will. He tries to conform to society, and in doing so joins the Fascist party: the epitome of ideological conformity.
The film is essentially about shadows in the cave, and the scene in which he meets up with his former professor is a direct allusion to Plato's myth. We see Clerici's shadow on the wall as professor Quadri recounts the myth. Clerici has been living his life, unable to exit this cave. He sees only shadows on caves, and instead of realizing they are merely shadows, lies, illusions, he remains imprisoned, like the prisoners in plato's cave. When the professor opens the window and light streams into the room, we believe this illumination will open Clerici's eyes. But he has failed to accept things that have happened in the past, and therefore is unable to grow up. He does not overcome his violent tendencies (he will take part in a conspiracy to kill Quadri since Quadri is an anti-Fascist in order to gain acceptance into the Fascist party) and lives forever boxed in that cave. The professor fails to illuminate Clerici because he is not the ideal Platonic hero: has abandoned Rome when the Fascist regime begins to rise and leaves his Italian followers to their own devices. He has not been a hero of the resistance, preventing others from joining the ranks of such a disillusioned ideology because as Clerici states: "You left and I became a Fascist".
Some have questioned the scene between a 13 year old Clerici and the homosexual chauffeur named Lino. Some one said why does he have sex and then shoot him? First of all, Lino propositioned him, an act of sodomy never occurred. Second, at 13, Clerici (like most budding pre-pubescents) was probably intrigued and curious and then immediately ashamed by the so-called "deviance" of homosexuality. He shoots him because he becomes enraged in his attraction to Lino and seeks to punish he who almost set off his unknown erotic impulses. This crime will never leave him as he then sees he must atone for this sin by committing another: hence the murders of the Quadri and his wife (although she is not originally part of the conspiracy).
Italo, his blind friend, is an ideologue, the embodiment of Facist theory. It is appropriate that he is blind, because those who followed the regime were blind and disillusioned. When they walk together down in the ranks of the coliseum, Clerici will once again place the blame on someone else for his crimes by accusing Italo of Fascist allegiance.