Il testimone dello sposo

The setting is in a small Italian town on the last day of the 19th century. This is the wedding day for a beautiful 22 year old maid who dreams of love even on the day she is to wed by an arranged marriage for which she is repelled. There is an American who is to be the best man who grew up in this small town but has become wealthy in America. She falls in love with him on first sight. The acting couldn't be better and there is exquisite details to the wedding and New Year preparations. Sensitive and beautifully photographed, this shouldn't be missed by anyone who has a romantic bone in their body.

The Italian film, the Best Man, is very well acted and believable about the Bride who falls in love with her husband's brother who is older and an American success. I found the movie to be well-paced and well-acted and believable. I enjoyed this film very much and do recommend it as a change from other films. Maybe it's because I have been fascinated by the beauty of Italy and the Italian language all of a sudden. I love Italian movies including this one. It shows another time in Italian life where family and tradition was still important including having a large family. That's all changed in contemporary Italy, people still get married and maybe live together without raising an eyebrow. They have smaller families maybe just one child much less two or more as it has even in New Jersey. Families are smaller and everybody is so involved in themselves. It doesn't help that the long working days in the rural fields have been replaced by a cubicle and an office. But that's what I miss about the old world of Italy, it's charm and eternalness.

This film has so much going for it--exquisite art direction, beautiful costumes, wonderful cinematography, and a loving and meticulous attention to detail in depicting a turn of the century (1900) wedding in a small Italian town--that I would rate it higher but for the somewhat implausible screenplay.

Without giving plot details away, suffice it to say that the film begins with an interesting premise as it explores the betrothal rituals of this particular time and place that reduced women to objects essentially bartered away to the highest bidder. The heroine of the story, played by the absolutely exquisite Ines Sastre, rebels on her arranged-marriage wedding day, and the plot continues from there.

Diego Abatantuono, no slouch himself in the looks department, plays a long absent stranger who, having made his fortune in America, returns to the town and ends up participating in the ceremony. Things get more complicated from there.

Both actors are outstanding in their roles, but in the end a willing suspension of disbelief is needed to accept the film's conclusion. However, the visuals are so stunning, the period detail is so layered, and the principal actors (as well as the those who play the townspeople, all given their moments) are so fascinating to watch that almost all is forgiven.

It's 1899 and in Sasso, the small town in Italy, a marriage is going to take place. Naturally, the end of the century is in everyone's minds at what appears will be a festive occasion taking place during that historical New Year's eve. The only problem is the bride doesn't love the groom; everything indicates this is an arranged marriage by the impoverished family of the bride to a wealthy man.

Pupi Avati, a man who has worked steadily in his native Italy for a number of years is not a well known name among the American movie going public. Mr. Avati deserves much better, as he demonstrates with this tale of how things were done among the moneyed classes in Italy, where a simple wedding takes epic proportions.

Francesca, the beautiful bride doesn't want to get married to Edgardo, who is much older and appears to be a lecher and a profligate. The young woman is torn between duty and her own repugnance toward the man who would be her husband. At this point a mysterious guest appears on the scene. He is Angelo, an Italian who emigrated to America and, according to the popular belief, has made a fortune. Because of the fortune he made abroad, Angelo has been asked by Edgardo, who comes from an upper class background, to be his best man.

Angelo, we find out, has been a lucky man because he didn't built the fortune he now possesses. When his older brother died, he left Angelo everything, thus making him a rich man. Angelo keeps looking at Francesca during the wedding ceremony. It's clear both have developed a passion that is not meant to be. In fact, Angelo is blamed for everything that goes wrong with the wedding.

"The Best Man", the English title for this movie, offers a great performance by Diego Abatantuono, an actor that kept reminding us of Gian Carlo Giannini. In that both rely effectively on the expression of their eyes. In fact, one can see all the emotions going through Angelo just by looking at the actor that is giving him life on the screen to find out what is going on in his head and in his soul. Mr. Abatantuono plays his character with an economy of gestures. Pupi Avati knows what he is doing and nothing prepares us for the outcome of the film.

Ines Sastre, the gorgeous Spanish actress, is perfect as the young bride Francesca who hates the husband her impoverished family has imposed on her. Ms. Sastre is an equal match for her co-star in a subtle performance that could have been overblown by another, less experienced director. Dario Cantareli plays the older groom who wants Francesca.

This film didn't get any attention in this country since there is no market for these types of films. Pupi Avati's work should be seen more often because he hasn't received the recognition he deserves, at least in America.

Two of the three previous squibs here are negative. Ignore 'em. This film is delectable-- showed it to a roomful of old/young relatives Christmas night, and they all were delighted (while arguing with a pat ending). Huge cast-- more than 40 speaking characters, nearly all distinct and well-acted. Reminiscent of Visconti's THE LEOPARD, its art direction and costumes make for a lovely evocation of provincial Italy wedding, everyone in their best, on Dec. 31, 1899 (a good reason for rushing out to rent it right now). Most interesting as a compendium of folk rituals surrounding weddings in late nineteenth century, some familiar and a few bizarre. The film would be worth seeing for that alone-- but watch for the delicacy of the hero's interactions with the several women who pursue him, or the two beautiful group scenes over the wedding gifts.