Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man [La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo] **** (1981, Ugo Tognazzi, Anouk Aimée, Laura Morante) – Classic Movie Review 9406

There is a fine mix of the personal and the political in writer-director Bernardo Bertolucci’s distinguished, carefully studied inquiry into the use of terror by and against the state, and sharply relevant comment on the then contemporary wave of Italian terrorist kidnappings.

Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man [La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo] is a beautifully constructed and exquisitely shot (by Carlo di Palma) film that raises important issues and refuses to provide easy solutions. It stars Ugo Tognazzi, Anouk Aimée and Laura Morante.

Ugo Tognazzi plays middle-aged Italian businessman farmer Primo Spaggiari, who runs a large cheese factory In a small Italian village. One morning he witnesses his son Giovanni Spaggiari (Ricky Tognazzi) being kidnapped by terrorists. Then he has to deal with the radicals who have abducted his son and are demanding a ransom for his return, since the police believe that the son left of his own choice and will not investigate. Meanwhile, he also has to try to save his factory from bankruptcy, and devises a plan to use the ransom money to invest in the factory.

Also in the cast are Victor Cavallo, Olimpia Carlisi, Riccardo Tognazzi [Ricky Tognazzi], Vittorio Caprioli, Franco Trevisi, Renato Salvatori, Gianni Migliavacca, Margherita Chiari, Ennio Ferrari, Gaetano Ferrari, Pietro Longari Ponzoni, and Don Backy.

Ugo Tognazzi won the Best Actor Award at the 1981 Cannes Film Festival for his performance.

Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man [La tragedia di un uomo ridicolo] is directed by Bernardo Bertolucci, runs 116 minutes, is made by Fiction Cinematografica S.p.a, is released by Ladd Company (1982) (US) and Warner Bros (1982) (US), is written by Bernardo Bertolucci, is shot by Carlo di Palma, is produced by Giovanni Bertolucci and is scored by Ennio Morricone.

Bernardo Bertolucci, Last Tango in Paris director, died at 77 on 26 November 2018. Producer Jeremy Thomas recalled him as ‘one of the greats’. He won the best director and best screenplay Oscars for The Last Emperor (1987).

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9406

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