Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli - Rocco And His Brothers

"There is no hope now." Rocco

☆☆☆☆☆ Classic

Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli - Rocco And His Brothers (1960) is an epic family drama.

Directed by Luchino Visconti.

Starring Alain Delon, Renato Salvatore, Annie Girardot, Claudia Cardinale among others.

An epic Italian family opera mixed with a heavy dose of melodrama that works, because of the astounding performances of its actors and masterful directing. This movie influenced Francis Ford Coppola and Martin Scorsese among many others.Visconti's Italian family dynamics can be seen in Francis Ford Coppola's, The Godfather (1972) and in John Badham's, Saturday Night Fever (1977).

Visconti's true genius in this film lies in the subtle homoerotic undertones throughout the film and combining of neo realism with melodrama. The film was heavily censored in Italy for its realistic portrail of the plight of southern Italians migrating north to find work. Luchino's directing captures the drama of a real family Italian family's struggle to survive in a new city.

Alain Delon is starting his magnificient acting career in this film. Alain is always great to watch, because he is always thinking in every moment of every scene. Delon's acting work is effortless and subtle throughout the film.

The scene below is the most powerful acting in the movie. Annie Girardot is simply breathtaking in every scene she is in. No matter how melodramatic or operatic it is. Turn off the sound and watch Annie's characterization in the scene below. In the scene below I can see that Girardot has no love for any of the men in the room. Annie portrays her character as a selfish, proud, aloof, and very materialistic, worldly woman. Brilliant work as an actress. Annie elevates every scene she is in.

Film Scene

Trivia - Luchino Visconti was forced to cut 45 minutes from the film in order to appease the Italian censors. In the US theatrical release they cut 13 stabbings into 3. 

Film Trailer

Saturday Night Fever

"You hit my hair" Tony

☆☆☆☆☆ Iconic

Saturday Night Fever (1977) is a showcase for John Travolta's acting and the Bee Gees music.

Directed by John Badham

Starring John Travolta and Karen Lynn Gorney among others.

I had never seen the entire film Saturday Night Fever until a few nights ago. The scene below hit me hard because, I realized that John had taken a selfish, egotistical, jerk and imbued him with his gentle humanity. Underneath all that bravura was a decent, gentle soul. Watch how his scene partner Karen in the scene below kisses him when she feels his humanity come through the facade of his Disco Dance King persona. John's humanity reminds me of Jean-Paul Belmondo's work in Jean-Luc Godard's, A Bout De Souffle - Breathless (1960). Both bring out the good in shady characters. John brings out his own humanity several times throughout the film. The scene below is his most revealing.

As I watched this scene I just want to give him a hug. It's very hard for human's to reveal their inner most self. An actor has to blend his humanity with his characters humanity and be uttterly truthful and honest. The more open an actor is, the more a scene partner will connect and the more the actor will engage the audience. If the actor is not truthful and honest the audience will see right through the lies. We all have opened and revealed ourselves to others that we care about and can see when someone is faking it or lies to us.

John gives a truely mesmerizing performance that earned him a Best Actor Oscar nomination. From the opening scene through the entire film Travolta is his character Tony Manero. The sequences at the disco nightclub showcase John's ability to physically interpret his character through his danceing.

The music throughout the film helps to keep the story moving forward. The songs by the Bee Gees, are timeless and a time capsule of the late 1970's disco subculture. The film holds up well after all these years. The  music is iconic to the Disco era.

Film Scene

Trivia - The story is based on a fabricated article by British Rock journalist Nik Cohn called, "Tribal Rights of the New Saturday Night" that appeared in New York Magazine in 1976. Cohn, in the 1990's said that the character that became Tony Manero in the film, was a Mod, who he knew in the early 1960's from Shepherd's Bush in West London.

Film Trailer