Arts and Entertainment
Makers of 'Good Morning, Babylon' try to do too much
Paolo and Vittorio Taviani
have been — along with fellow
director Ermano Olmi —
responsible in keeping the
Italian neo-realist tradition alive
in recent years.
Review by
Sean Axmaker
★ * Mi
Works such as the Tavianis'
"Night of the Shooting Stars"
and "Kaos" and (Mini's “Tree
of Wooden Clogs" and
"Cantina. Cantina" find a voice
as heartfelt and true as the early
cinematic masterpieces by De
Sica (“Bicycle Thief"). Fellini
(“Ijj Strada") and the Tavianis'
self-professed inspiration.
Roberto Rossellini ("Rome.
Open City." "Paisan").
With ‘’Good Morning.
Babylon." the Tavianis take
their approach and Italian sen
sibilities and relocate to the new
world: America, circa 1915.
With * ‘Good Morning.
Babylon” the brothers try to do
too much. Their simple,
naturalistic style looks forced
and contrived when the action
moves to America The acting
style, in the past immediate and
easy, stiffens as gestures
become more grand, pauses
more poser! It is very much like
a silent film style, a fitting
homage in a film about one of
America's great cinematic
treasures, but it doesn't fit in
the Taviani scheme of things.
Only II.VV. Griffith shines, his
exuberant theatricality a vital
part of his character.
The film is split thematically
between the celebration of
cinema and the study of the
relationship between the
brothers. No doubt both are
themes close to the heart of the
Tavianis The tradition of
cinema is important to almost
any director, and as the past
films of the Tavianis prove, it
runs strong with them. Here
they are able to show the Italian
contribution to the develop
ment of American cinema, from
the World's Fair exhibition and
the film "Cabiria" to the work
by Nicola and Andrea in the
film "Intolerance.”
Yet the key point of the rela
tionship of the brothers —
always equal — is a thread run
ning through the film which
finally overtakes it and the film
seems to veer off in another
direction. Again, this is an im
portant thematic element for
two brothers who have co
directed all of their films, but it
isn't quite worked into the over
riding story.
The film is at its best in the
opening and closing and when
it is set in Italy dealing with the
family, art and relationships.
Mere all of the threads are work
ed together because here it is a
tradition, a way of life. When
the story moves to America,
however, the theatrical acting
and grandiose sets of D.W. Grif
fith don't befit the simplicity
and directness of the Taviani
style. It is at once too grand and
too simple, too self-consciously
epic and not insightful enough.
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