Three Brothers [Tre Fratelli] **** (1981, Philippe Noiret, Michele Placido, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Andréa Ferréol, Charles Vanel) – Classic Movie Review 11,074

Director Francesco Rosi’s 1981 Italian/ French film Three Brothers [Tre Fratelli] stars Philippe Noiret, Vittorio Mezzogiorno, Michele Placido, Charles Vanel and Andréa Ferréol.

Vanel is remarkable as the elderly father, comforted by his three grown-up sons (Noiret, Mezzogiorno, Placido) who have returned to their farmhouse home in rural southern Italy for the funeral of their mother. The old man and his young granddaughter (Ferréol) grieve together.

Three Brothers [Tre Fratelli] is a lyrical drama digging deep into the family relationships, though it is perhaps less interesting when it starts pondering heavy thoughts about the state of modern Italy. But nevertheless, it is a beautifully shot (in Technicolor by Pasqualino de Santis), wise, evocative and absorbing film, with an air of great sadness and a thoughtful, poetic dimension, as well as perfect performances from the special cast.

The story and screenplay by Francesco Rosi and Tonino Guerra are inspired by the book by Andrey Platonov.

It did not receive its proper respect and due, and was surprisingly short on awards, though it won the Boston Society of Film Critics award for Best Foreign Film, and the Nastro d’Argento for Best Director and Actor. It was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film and screened out of competition at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival.

The cast are Philippe Noiret as Raffaele Giuranna, Michele Placido as Nicola Giuranna, Vittorio Mezzogiorno as Rocco Giuranna and young Donato, Andréa Ferréol as Raffaele’s wife, Maddalena Crippa as Giovanna, Rosaria Tafuri as Rosaria, Marta Zoffoli as Marta, Tino Schirinzi as Raffaele’s friend, Simonetta Stefanelli as young Donato’s wife, Pietro Biondi as first judge, Charles Vanel as Donato Giuranna, Accursio Di Leo as first friend at bar, Luigi Infantino as second friend at bar, Girolamo Marzano as Nicola’s friend and Gina Pontrelli as the brothers’ mother.

The Italian actors are dubbed by a French voice cast of Bernard Murat (Michele Placido), François Marthouret (Vittorio Mezzogiorno); Stefanie Kent (Marta Zoffoli); Perrette Pradier (Maddalena Crippa) and Véronique Chobaz (Rosaria Tafuri) in the French post-synchronized version.

Three Brothers [Tre Fratelli] is directed by Francesco Rosi, runs is directed by 113 minutes, is made by Iter Film, Gaumont, is released by Gaumont (1982) (France), New World Pictures (1982) (US) and Artificial Eye (1983) (UK), is written by Francesco Rosi and Tonino Guerra, is shot in Technicolor by Pasqualino de Santis and scored by Piero Piccioni.

The films of Francesco Rosi: La sfida (1958), The Magliari (1959), Salvatore Giuliano (1962), Hands Over the City [Le mani sulla città] (1963), The Moment of Truth (1965), More Than a Miracle (1967), Many Wars Ago (1970), The Mattei Affair (1972), Lucky Luciano (1973), Illustrious Corpses (1976), Christ Stopped at Eboli (1979), Three Brothers (1981), Carmen (1984), Chronicle of a Death Foretold (1987), The Palermo Connection (1990) and The Truce (1997).

© Derek Winnert 2021 Classic Movie Review 11,074

Check out more reviews on http://derekwinnert.com