Movie : Life is beautiful

I enjoy commercial films. Films that are funny, enjoyable, with a lot to see, and not boring help me momentarily forget my worries and relieve some of the stress I've experienced in my work life. I expect that there will be many reviews of commercial films on my blog in the future. However, despite that, the reason I chose to introduce the film "Life Is Beautiful" first when starting this blog is because it is the film that has made me think the most in my life so far, and its impact has lasted a long time. It is still the first film that comes to mind when I think of my life's movies. (Note that since it's been a long time since I watched the movie, my memory might be slightly different.)

 

Plot of the Movie: Begins and ends with joy and laughter

The movie is set in Italy during the backdrop of World War II. Guido, a simple but cheerful young man living in the countryside, goes to the city of Rome and coincidentally meets Dora, a beautiful-souled woman. They are drawn into a fateful love, and Guido proposes to Dora persistently. Although Dora had a fiancé, she is attracted to Guido's pure soul and takes his hand like a prince on a white horse appearing dramatically at a crucial moment. They get married and have a lovely son, leading a happy life.

However, the historical context of World War II gradually affects Guido and his family. As Guido, who was Jewish, and his son Joshua experience increasing discrimination, they eventually get captured by soldiers and taken to a Jewish concentration camp. Dora, Joshua's mother, who is not Jewish, voluntarily boards the train to the concentration camp in order to find her husband and son.

In the camp, Guido tells lies to protect Joshua from fear. Although he doesn't know German, he pretends to understand it and acts as an interpreter, conveying the German soldier's instructions like playing a game, ensuring that Joshua can hide safely without being detected by the German soldiers. Of course, it was not only Guido's efforts but also the help of other people who were captured together. Initially seen with suspicion, they all helped ensure Joshua's safety.

Meanwhile, Dora, who boarded the train to the concentration camp to find her husband and son, ends up in the same camp. One day, while enduring difficult labor, she unexpectedly hears the voices of her husband and son through the loudspeaker. Guido, her husband, happens to see Dora and cheerfully greets her. Despite the challenging circumstances, Guido's efforts to maintain hope and his comical demeanor make a poignant impression.

 

Movie Ending: Humor that never fades, bittersweet but heartwarming

As the tide turns in favor of the Allied forces during World War II, the German army attempts to exterminate all Jews in the concentration camp before retreating. Guido, who anticipated this, hides Joshua in a large container and searches for his wife but fails to find her. Eventually, he is captured by the German soldiers and taken to the execution site. Even in the face of death, Guido walks with a comical gait, as if playing a game, to protect Joshua, hiding his desperate wish for Guido to miraculously survive. In the end, Guido is shot and killed by the German soldiers. Joshua is eventually discovered by Allied forces and, fulfilling his long-awaited wish, rides on a tank with the Allied soldiers, searching for his mother and finally reuniting with her in her embrace.

 

My review

This movie is set against the backdrop of a dark time, but it uses humor throughout to keep the tone light and cheerful. However, the sadness that lies beneath the humor is evident in the final scene, when Guido dies protecting his son Joshua. The audience is left with a sense of loss and sadness, but also with a sense of hope and resilience.

I saw this movie about 15 years ago, and I still remember the feeling of weight and many thoughts, as well as the moving emotions, that I felt after watching it. I think I'll have to watch it again soon.