Splendor

I first saw this as part of a Massimo Troisi film festival right after Il Postino became a success in the US. It was my favorite of the 5 films shown. I am still amazed at how few people know if this film considering that it has a big name Italian director and 2 of the biggest Italian stars of all time.

This movie does have some similarities to Cinema Paradiso which was released at about the same time. That could explain why Splendor did not find a larger audience. But regardless, this is certainly is a magical and touching film that stands on its own.

The film was re-issued in Europe on Blu-Ray and DVD in 2013. Unlike the earlier DVD release the new version does have English subtitles! If you are a fan of Italian film you really need to see this! Highly recommended!

Cut from the same cloth but right on the heels of CINEMA PARADISO (1988), Ettore Scola's love letter to cinema has been woefully wheezing under the former's colossal shadow ever since its untimely timing, SPLENDOR is the name of a one-screen movie theater in a parochial Italian town, managed by Jordan (Mastroianni) for over three decades, who takes it over from his father in the 50s, but plagued by low attendance when the allure of the celluloid starts dwindling and the competition from television swelling, a valediction is cut and dried, but (fake) snowflake embellished.

Alternating between monochromatic flashback and current affairs, the story-line jauntily takes liberty with its time-frame and welds episodes of Jordan's life with various screenings, from an open-air showing of METROPOLIS (1927) when he was a 12-year-old boy, to a silent tear-running moment as a prodigal son watching IT'S WONDERFUL LIFE (1946), not to mention the self- referential nod of Dino Rosi's IL SORPASSO (1962), of which Scola is the co-screenwriter.

A triad in Splendor includes Jordan, a French showgirl Chantal (Vlady) whom he is besotted with and a geeky cinephile Luigi (Troisi), who later becomes the projectionist. Affairs are approached with alacrity, the fling between Luigi and Chantal burns and fades just like a flash in the pan, and what conspicuously remains is Jordan's abiding pique towards a guileless Luigi who is never daunted by the bad blood, from whom Troisi projects a funny and thoroughly sympathetic persona through his wide-eyedness and just a scintilla of guile (that mustache always goes his way). A tangible connection has been building through the odd pair's quasi-father-and-son dynamism (a small anecdote, the same year, they did play father and son in another Scola's picture WHAT TIME IS IT? 1989) including a superlative poker-game scene where they carry out a bluff's bluff in tandem.

With Mr. Mastroianni in his usual competence and Ms. Vlady generously doling out her voluptuousness (although it turns out to be a stretch for both to play the full spectrum of a gaping 30-year span all by themselves, in spite of the rejuvenating effect of the silver magic), SPLENDOR is a fervent testimonial of cinema nostalgia and a toast to a bygone era, but also jovially taps into its national characteristic, for one thing, that bargaining for slap antics really could happen in reality if you bother to ask a honest-to-goodness Italian!

Moving and stylish material with great musical score and brilliant photography. Stunning film with great sense and sensibility; being compellingly directed by Ettore Scola. Splendor is the name of an old movie theater managed by owner Jordan (Marcello Mastroianni), who inherited it from his father, but he's coerced to close his cinema due to financial problems. The theater is in ruins, decay and only generates debts and trouble, but Jordan gets aid in his almost quixotian quest from amiable projectionist Luigi and ushurette Chantale. So Jordan is forced to sell the Splendor to businessman Lo Fazio (Giacomo Piperno), which schemes to transform it in some kind of furniture store. In the very first scene when Jordan leaves the theater for the last time, he recalls his glorious days of Splendor and movies in general, as well as when he fell in love with a gorgous dancer (Marina Vlady), while he loves the movies and creates a deep friendship with the theater's projectionist (early deceased Massimo Troisi), a big fan of classic films as well. Meantime, the town priest Don Arno (Vernon Dobtcheff) complains in his church sermons about the corruption and sinfulness of the then erotic films being shown at the Splendor cinema.

Colorful and moving flick dealing with a wonderful friendship between a cinema manager, his beautiful wife and a solitary projectionist. The film is pretty well, in which Mastroianni excels as the theater owner who recalls the events, the roles and the films that marked his life forever. However, being overly nostalgic , too sentimental and overwhelmingly sweet. Attractive and sensitive picture with stirring drama, ravishing cinematography by Luciano Tovoli and enjoyable musical score by Armando Trovajoli .

Splendor(1989) results to be a surprising sweet, nostalgic and sensitive picture in the wake of ¨Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradise¨. The movie contains drama and nostalgia completely wrapped in an agreeable story among the main roles. The flick relies heavily on the relationship among them, but this does not get bored or spoils the tale. Slightly overrated but excellent all the same time, the picture is enjoyable and entertaining, but overlong. The story is narrated with great sense and sensibility , the intelligent screenplay was written by director Ettore Scola himself. Scola's intention was that this movie should serve as an obituary for traditional movie theatres and the movie industry in general , after the movie's success he never mentioned this again. This notable and enthralling picture ¨Splendor¨ was compellingly starred by extraordinary actors, such as: Marcello Mastroianni, Massimo Troisi and Marina Vlady. Good acting from remaining cast, such as: Paolo Panelli, Pamela Villoresi, Giacomo Piperno and Vernon Dobtcheff. Glowing cinematography with scenarios colorfully and stunningly photographed by magnificent cameraman Luciano Tovoli, both color and Black/White, who reflects splendidly the cinema , streets , square , village and many other things . Rousing as well as insistent score musical, including a continuous leitmotif from the beginning to the end ; being efficiently composed by veteran master and prolific musician Armando Trovajoli . The film won several nominations and awards, such as: Cannes Film Festival 1989 Nominee Palme d'Or Ettore Scola. David di Donatello Awards: 1989 Nominee David Best Music (Migliore Musicista) Armando Trovajoli, Marina Vlady Nominee David Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista) Marina Vlady, Nominee David Best Supporting Actor (Migliore Attore non Protagonista) Paolo Panelli, Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice non Protagonista) Pamela Villoresi, Luciano Tovoli 1989 Nominee David Best Cinematography (Migliore Fotografia). Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. Luciano Tovoli 1989 Winner Silver Ribbon Best Cinematography (Migliore Fotografia).

¨Splendor¨ pays tribute to a series of films, making a sort of review of important movies that appear throughout history while exhibiting at the cinema, among them are the following: L'albero degli zoccolo by Ermanno Olmi, Amarcord by Fellini, La Dolce Vita by Fellini, La Ballaglia di Algeri by Gillo Pontecorvo, La cena delle Beffe by Alexandre Blasetti, Miracolo a Milano by Vittorio de Sicca, Effecto notte by Francois Truffaut, Metropolis by Fritz Lang, Play Time by Jacques Tati, I Pugnu in Tasca by Marco Bellochio, Scipione L'Africano by Carmine Gallone, Il Sorpasso by Dino Risi, Z by Costa Gavras, A Wonderful life by Frank Capra, among others.

This weeper and enjoyable picture was well directed by Ettore Scola. He was a writer and director, known for making similar nostalgic films, including good actors in his flicks. Shooting notable movies, such as: The family, Macaroni, La nuit de Varennes, Passion of love, A special day, Down and dirty, Two nights with Cleopatra, among others. Rating: 7/10. The film will appeal to Marcello Mastroianni fans.

I first saw this film at Cannes, which Festival I had regularly visited as the Director of a cultural cinema for several years. I saw it in the Grande Auditorium Lumiere, and, sitting next to me was my secretary. When the film ended, we just sat there and wept. If anyone wants to know what it is like to operate a cinema that seeks to present the cinema as an art, this is it - warts & all! Mastroiani is fabulous as the put upon owner of the cinema. Marina Vlady is enigmatic and voluptuous as his wife and cashier. Massimo Troisi is also superb as the obsessive projectionist.

What this film is about is the glory of the cinema and the fickleness of the public.

When I retired from my cinema, after 35 years, I showed this as my farewell film. We had almost a full house, and there was barely a dry eye in sight.