September Movie Pick: Life is Beautiful

That was the trailer for this month's Movie Pick. I chose this movie as my favorite for September because, if you have seen it, you know that it forces the viewer to not only laugh, but cry as well. Although I rarely do either of those things, I found myself doing both the first time I watched Roberto Benigni's 1997 drama, Life is Beautiful. I like this particular film because it's really two separate movies in one.
The first movie has a romantic theme and is set in Italy in the late 1930s.

It follows the story of a happy-go-lucky but poor man named Guido who runs into a rich heiress one day and falls head over heals for her. He goes to great comical lengths to win her over even riding into her engagement party on a horse. She fall for him and they ride off together. Upon arriving at her parents house, the first movie ends and the second one begins. this is evident with the obvious passing of time. Also, that their child emerges from the house. The second half of the movie is a little more dark. In this one, you see Guido and his young son, Joshua, taken to a concentration camp. They are hauled away on a train. They are followed to the camp by Dora, Guido's wife, and this second movie chronicles the way they survive.
Guido's optimistic spirit is the most valuable tool in keeping the moral of his son up. As they live day to day in the camp, he shields his son through a charade saying that they are participating in a contest with the other prisoners. The only way to win is to follow all the rules and to not be seen by the guards. This was my favorite scene from perhaps the entire movie. In this scene, Guido uses his quick thinking and sharp whit to not only uplift the spirits of the camp, but to protect his son from what is going to be a harsh stay in a very ugly place.

You will notice that it's an Italian movie so for those who don't speak Italian, you have to read subtitles the entire time. I personally don't think this diminishes from the spirit of the movie at all. In fact, I think when you read the words, they actually sink in more not to mention, it's more authentic and believable.

Now, I'm not going to tell you the end of the movie, but I assure you that it is magnificent. This film won 3 academy awards: Best Music (Original Dramatic Score), Best Foreign Language Film, and the coveted Best Actor in a Leading Role went to star and director, Roberto Benigni.

The acting was indeed incredible and moving and the story of the love and sacrifice of a husband and father is unforgettable. If you haven't seen the movie yet, I highly recommend it.