Movies

Mediterraneo is a catching comedy about how war has altered the lives of eight soldiersironically, they have not even put their guns into good use.

The story starts with the introduction of each of the characters who seemed like they were going on a war.  They were aboard a ship that had to take them to an island in the Aegean.  They arrived at the island, searched the village for any inhabitantsthey found not a single souland set up camp.  A few days later, they found out that they were not alone on the island, and that there were actually inhabitants in the area.

The lone priest told them they that hid because they thought they were Germans, and that they were going to take them away.  Previously, anyhow, the Germans took their young men and they had yet to return, which explains why the people were composed mainly of women and children, and a sprinkling of old men.

The soldiers learned to fit in with the crowd they helped the people, played outdoor games with them, and joined in their festivities, eventually becoming less uptight about the war.  Three years have passed, and they did not have a single idea of what was happening across the sea.  Their only radio was broken when one of the soldiers got into a fit of rage after his mule was accidentally shot.  There were no boats in the island, and their ship was long ago destroyed by an enemy fleet.  Their guns were taken from them by a deceitful Turk.  In other words, they had no means of contacting or getting news from Italy.

In the span of three years, they have gone through a lot Lieutenant Montini was able to finish painting the frescoes in the church Sergeant Lo Russo became less uptight with everything they were and were not supposed to do, like mingle with the people and one of the privates, Farina, has seen the love of his life in a prostitute named Vassilissa whom he had married.  The brothers Libero and Felice have found a threesome in the form of a shepherdess, and Noventathe Deserter, as they call himeventually found a way out of the island via a hidden boat.  Strazzabosco, the one who destroyed their radio in a fit, found a new mule to love.

They eventually were able to learn of the developments of the war from a pilot whose engine stalled and who had to land on their island.  The pilot told them that a lot had happened former enemies were now friends, and previous friends were now enemies.  All the while, they were protecting the island from any British attacks, when the Brits were actually their friends.
The war ended, and Italy was said to be regenerating from the ruins.  They all wanted to go home, excluding Farina who has decided to stay with his new wife Vassilissa.  The Brits escorted them home.

The story ends in a melodramatic reunion of Farina, Montini and Lo Russo, now old men.

Social Issues
There are several social issues laid down in the movie.  These proved to be critical in the understanding of war and life two different concepts rolled into a rather ironic adaptation.

Drafting of soldiers.  The men on the island were taken away from their families by the Germans.  The men were taken home when the war ended, but by their quantity, Id assume that they were the only ones left.

Prostitution.  Vasilissa is a prostitute, someone whose mother, grandmother, and even sister had the same profession.  He told Farina that she was a prostitute since it was logical.   The movie did not tell us if there were anymore prostitutes apart from her, but since it was a small island, we could assume that she was the only one.

Language barrier.  When the soldiers finally met the villagers, they had a hard time communicating with them.  It was a manifestation of a difference in culture.  Fortunately, Montini could understand a little Greek, and the priest Italian, too.

Religion.  There was only one priest on the island, an old man who asked Lieutenant Montini to paint the frescoes.

Gay rights.  Although this is just a passing realm in the film (where Colosanti told Lo Russo that he loves him) and not really a major one, but in 1991 the world is still conservative that a gay relationship is still a taboo.

Peace.  After the war, peace came of course.  But for the soldiers, peace came during the war, since they were cut-offphysically and emotionallyfrom the harsh realities of WWII. The soldiers found peace on the island and soon wanted to become part of it.

War.   War is complicated.  It is not something you can just describe in one or two sentences.  When the pilot informed them that the war was over, he mentioned that friends became enemies and vice versa.  That is how complicated it is.  They were lucky they were assigned to a far-off island and never had to experience it all.

Technicals
Of course, movies are meant to take you into the world of the film.  Mediterraneo made use of several perspective shots, low angle for emphasis, high angle for a birds eye view, and eye level, like we were into the conversation of the people.  Every angle gave the audience the chance to fit into several perspectives, be it of the soldiers, Vassilissas, or the childrens.

The lighting was appropriate too.  They used enough lighting for the night scenes (their smoking session with the Turk) and day scenes.  They were able to capture not only the actor and his speech, but also the texture and the feeling of the situation.  Since it was hot on the island, they shot arid places and waving atmospheres you can feel the heat and humidity even when inside an air-conditioned room.

The music, though purely instrumental, gave life to the scene it underscores.  A soft, easy music can be heard while Noventa thought about his wife upbeat during the celebration of Farina and Vassilissas wedding, and dark and ominous when the Munaron brothers were looking for a possible intruder while at their post.

Critically Acclaimed
The movie won six out of nine nominations from four different award-giving bodies.  In 1991, the film received Best Editing, Best Film, Best Sound, and was nominated for Best Director, Best Producer, and Best Screenplay at the David di Donatello Awards.

In 1992, it has won the Silver Ribbon from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists for Best Director the Audience Award at the Palm Springs International Festival and an Oscar at the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film.

In a review of the film, Berardinelli (1992) said that the film is not worthy of the award since its plot is lacking in complexity.  He notes, however, that the characters in the story are the ones that made the movie bearable to watch the changes in their personalities, especially of Lo Russo, were manifestations that one can change if also given a change in the environment.  These changes, he said, is evidence of the tranquility of the island working its magic on them.

Moreover, Berardinelli argued that the film had no significant contribution to the genre of war films.  In fact he even said that it only scratches the surface of too many issues.  The film did not delve deep into a specific social issue, but introduced a whole bunch without making an effort to expound them as per the audiences interaction.  Overall, he said that the movie is fun and too light, but is far from landmark effort.

Canby (1992) of the New York Times said the movie was a deliberately charming comedy and a sentimental movie.  He compared it with a Broadway musical, saying that it carries with it a characteristic of having a carefully calculated simulated innocence.  He agrees with Bererdinelli with the lightness of the film, claiming that it is not oppressive since it knows just how far it can go.  Moreover, he likes the portrayal of the roles of the soldiers.

Conclusion
I liked the movie.  I tried not to read any synopsis before watching it, so I will not be spoiled I thought it was one of those hardcore films about war, but I was wrong.  It was the complete opposite.  I felt the beauty of the island, like it embodies the peacefulness that the director wants to portray in the movie.  The island, said to be out-of-the-way, can be likened to a refuge in times of war, with the tranquility of the ocean separating them from the hostilities abroad.

The characters were a collection of misfits clumsy soldiers who (when I was still thinking it was a gory war movie) would end up dead with accidental shooting.  I loved how they seemed to complement the personality of the others Lo Russos bossiness over Montinis leniency, Noventas hope of going back to his loved ones and Farinas newfound love in a prostitute, of all people.  The film connotes that it is actually possible for people to change, and that change is inevitable.  Change happened in their three-year vacation as the war ended.