Die Reise des Capitan Fracassa

In pastel colours of a fairy-tale sort, mostly in mist, Scola weaves his masterful adaptation of the classic of French literature (written by Theophile Gautier in 1861-63), slowly approaching towards the end's magnificent "realistic" twist (which - I dare to say - would not make the author angry). "Il viaggio di Capitan Fracassa" is cinema that cannot offend anyone, full of great emotional(as well as intellectual)pleasures. I found the new French blu-ray with English subtitles great, as well as companion releases of Scola's "La nuit de Varennes", "Splendor", and "Che ora e ?". My only complaint is that Massimo Troisi's voice was dubbed in French.

Although it does not follow Theophile Gautier's novel slavishly, this movie gets the essentials all right. (The very next day after seeing the movie in 1990 in France, I went to the nearest bookstore o buy the book, which I hadn't read yet; and which proved a delight, too.) While many US and UK movies do period pieces like the Three Musketeers in near-parody or camp, this one treats the story with respect. Think Cyrano de Bergerac, but with a more even and varied cast of characters, and a big twist of a happy ending. It's particularly fun for anyone who does amateur theater, as the plot involves a nobleman (down on his luck in the south) who swallows his pride long enough to join a troup of travelling actors (at the time, denied the right of burial), for a trip to Paris. Fortunately, despite being in the sticks, his tutor at sword fighting was the best.

In the Eighteenth Century, the "Traveling Company of Scenic Arts" composed by Tyrant (Toni Ucci), Lady Leonarde (Lauretta Masiero), Serafina (Ornella Muti), Isabella (Emmanuelle Béart), Leandre (Massimo Wertmüller), Zerbina (Tosca D'Aquino), Matamore (Jean-François Perrier) and Pulcinella (Massimo Troisi) gets lost in the territory of Gascogne while traveling to Paris due to the bad weather. They see a castle and ask to the servant Pietro (Ciccio Ingrassia) to spend the night in the spot expecting to have a comfortable lodging. Sooner they learn that the destroyed castle belongs to the ruined nobleman Jean Luc Henry Camille, the Baron of Sigognac (Vincent Perez). Pietro asks the company to take Sigognac with them to Paris since the father of King Luis XIII had been saved by the baron's father Henrique de Navarra and Luis XIII would certainly reward Sigognac in gratitude. He also secretly gives one hundred gold coins to Pulcinella to serve Sigognac. Along their journey, Sigognac finds love with Serafina and Isabella and learns to love his new friends and the world of theater.

"Il Viaggio di Capitan Fracassa" is the most adorable tribute of the cinema to the theater world. Twenty years ago, when I saw this film for the first time, I felt in love for this gem that has two of the most beautiful European actresses, Ornella Muti and Emmanuelle Béart, in the top of their shapes; Vincent Perez in his best role; Massimo Troisi hilarious; and a magnificent European cast. One of the best and most touching moments is when each actor and actress dreams on what they would do in Paris after meeting Luis XIII. The funniest is certainly when the troupe is waiting for their meal in the tavern. My only negative remark is that Emmanuelle Béart, Vincent Perez and Jean-François Perrier are awfully dubbed in Italian. My vote is ten.

P.S.: I had this film on VHS and last week I bought the shameful DVD released by the Brazilian Distributor Lume Films. The image seems to be a copy of VHS and I was not able to see the last chapters in my Pioneer DVD Player. Only the Samsung DVD player was able to read the last five chapters.

Title (Brazil): "A Viagem do Capitão Tornado" ("The Journey of Captain Tornado")

This movie is one of the best films the great Italian director, Ettore Scola has ever made. It also has a fantastic cast, all doing a great job, but, is seems the late Massimo Troisi does outshine them all, with a stunning performance as Pulcinella, a Sancho Panza sort of clown. This fantasy, dream-like tale, is based on the famous book by the same name by Théophile Gautier, the French author. This is actually the 5th movie adaptation of this novel, which must tell you something about its force to attract generations of film makers.

Vincent Pérez plays Baron of Sigognac, a young royal, whose quest for material wealth brings him true love and revelations on the nature of this world. The plot themes are somewhat related to Stoppard's excellent Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead - both uses the traveling players to explore the nature of the human condition. One might also recall Bergman's Seventh Seal, but Fracassa is more akin of Stoppard's light hearted, witty, approach to those grave subjects.

A truly exceptional, beautiful and entertaining film, a long standing achievement for all involved, surely better than Il Postino, though, sadly, much less known. Surely overdue for re-release?

Ettore Scola is an avant-garde director, Il Viaggio di Capitain Fracassa is really fabulous, set on seventeenth century an itinerant theatrical troupe are heading to Paris, during a storm they reach a crumble castle of the blighted Baron of Sigognac (Vincent Perez) to get a shelter, the faithful servant Pietro sees the great opportunity to send his young poor Baron to Paris hoping a meeting with the King Louis XIII which the Sigognac's father had saved Louis XIII's father at Paris's siege in the past and may returning all his wealth, the lineup of Troupe are leaded by Tyrant (Tony Ulci), the unloved and beauty Serafina (Ornella Muti), the dreamer sweet Isabella ( Emmanuelle Béart) and the volatile Zerbine (Tosca D'Aquino), the veteran actor Matamore (Pierrer), the versatile Pulcinella (Massino Troisi) the vain old lady Leonarde (Masiero) and the leading character Leandre (Wertmuller) , Pietro bribes Pulcinella to protect his Baron along the journey, they running across many places which they acting their theatre play, always paid by food, in the travel the young Baron knows the love, however all them have to share sorrows, starvation and some fun occasionally, further all this told in sparse flashbacks by Pulcinella to an eager health civil servant, all in small details, Ettore masterfully exposes the hardness period to the scenic arts, their aches and pains, a journey to celebrate the art, almost perfect!!!!

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First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: TV-DVD / Rating: 9