Martin Eden *** (2019, Luca Marinelli, Carlo Cecchi, Jessica Cressy) – Classic Movie Review 12,488

The head-banging 2019 Italian historical romance drama film Martin Eden stars Luca Marinelli. Its story about a sailor trying to reinvent himself as a writer in a timeless 20th century Italy is loosely based on the 1909 novel by Jack London.

The ambitious, head-banging, intellectually challenging 2019 Italian-French historical romance drama film Martin Eden, directed by Pietro Marcello, stars Luca Marinelli. Its story about a rough diamond of a sailor trying to reinvent himself as a writer in a timeless 20th century Italy is loosely based on the 1909 novel by Jack London.

Martin Eden is a self-taught everyman with hopes that his dreams of becoming a writer will help him rise in society and marry a beautiful and wealthy young university student, Elena Orsini (Jessica Cressy). His dissatisfaction with working-class labour and bourgeois success lead to political and literary awakening. Thss is good and bad, Learning and education, it seems, do not provide happiness. But then, what does? The more you know and understand, the less happy you are going to be. Is that what we have here? Ignorance is bliss, but we have to pursue art and truth, even at any price. Is that it?

It’s a lengthy, weighty film of ideas, with hardly a story at all, and what there is of it is dour, downbeat and depressing. A sort of love story is spooned in, but it’s depressing too, Yet the film is extremely well crafted, an obvious labour of love, and Luca Marinelli is tremendous, in a tour-de-force that keeps you riveted. It’s a dreadful character to play, absolutely infuriating, quite insufferable, rude and boorish, often treacherous, always pugnacious, and knowing better, but Marinelli turns it into an actor’s showcase. He won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor at the 76th Venice International Film Festival.

The photography, sets, costumes, designs and locations are superb, all beautifully orchestrated by Pietro Marcello. So many talented people are involved in bringing this to the screen. Just look at the closing credits! It is never less than fascinating. It’s just a shame it isn’t  a lot more likeable, or at least that its hero is. Carlo Cecchi is excellent in his key role as Eden’s mentor and roe model Russ Brissenden.

The cast are Luca Marinelli as Martin Eden, Carlo Cecchi as Russ Brissenden, Jessica Cressy as Elena Orsini, Vincenzo Nemolato as Nino, Marco Leonardi as Bernardo, Denise Sardisco as Margherita, Carmen Pommella as Maria, Autilia Ranieri as Giulia, Savino Paparella as Edmondo Peluso, Elisabetta Valgoi as Matilde Orsini, Pietro Ragusa as Mr Orsini, Giustiniano Alpi as Arturo Orsini, Dario Iubatti as Leone, Anna Patierno as Carmela, Vincenza Modica as Annina, Gaetano Bruno as Judge Mattei, Maurizio Donadoni as Renato, Lana Vladi as Rebecca, Chiara Francini as Nora, Aniello Arena as François, and Rinat Khismatouline as Corporal.

Italian actor Luca Marinelli.

Luca Marinelli (born 22 October 1984) is best known for Every Blessed Day (2012), The Great Beauty (2013), Don’t Be Bad (2015), They Call Me Jeeg (2016), Il padre d’Italia (2017), Martin Eden (2019), The Old Guard (2020), Diabolik (2021) and The Eight Mountains (2022).

© Derek Winnert 2023 – Classic Movie Review 12,488

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