Stories of mass genocide have found their way to literature and motion pictures, where they have shaken and disturbed us, left us speechless or weeping. Then again, there are also stories of great heroes, known and unknown, who have inspired us with their faith, strength, hope and love in the midst of hell.
La Vita e Bella (Life is Beautiful) is set in World War II when German forces have overrun Italy and sent Jews to concentration camps. Life is Beautiful is my favorite movie because it makes me laugh hysterically. Oh, no, I’m not some sick, twisted person who takes pleasure in watching atrocities of war. Life is Beautiful is a powerful drama and comedy, which is exactly what makes this movie brilliant; it is a comedy set against the dark backdrop of the Holocaust.
Every time I watch this movie, I am overwhelmed by my emotions. My befuddled mind can’t seem to decide whether I should feel incredibly sad or incredibly delighted, causing me to laugh hysterically while tears of sadness and mirth roll down my cheeks.
Roberto Benigni nabbed an Oscar in 2000 after starring as Guido Orefice in this remarkable, astonishingly moving tale of survival, love and compassion that also bursts with wit, drama and suspense.
Guido, a charming, ebullient, carefree Italian Jew, arrives in a lovely Tuscan town in pre-war Italy. He falls in love with Dora, a beautiful school teacher engaged to a Fascist official. A comic fairy-tale romance ensues, and I have been delighted by the clever means Guido uses to convince Dora that they are destined to be together.
It’s then 1945 and we see Guido and Dora happily married with a young son named Giosué. Anti-Semitism is everywhere and Guido uses his imagination and humor to hide its horrors from his son. The persecution of Jews is escalating and Guido and his son are brought to a Nazi concentration camp. Dora, who is not a Jew, finds it unbearable to be separated from her family. So she boldly insists that the Gestapo also take her to the concentration camp with Guido and Giosué.
In the death camp, Guido continues to use his humor and imagination to let his son think that all their hardships are just part of an elaborate game where the grand prize is a tank. Guido makes up rules such as "no asking for snacks and crying for mama or you will be disqualified and be sent home." I have been amazed, touched, and at the same time, left roaring with laughter as Guido ingeniously tries to cover up the terrifying reality of their situation, and desperately tries to keep Giosué from being killed.
Just hours before the war ends, Guido finally manages to escape, and when he is running to save Dora after convincing Giosué to wait and hide in a safe box, he is captured.
I weep as I watch Guido – a Gestapo right behind him – comically march by Giosué’s hiding place just so the boy won’t find out that there’s anything wrong. Although Guido meet a tragic fate, he succeeds in hiding the ugly truth from his son.
Benigni, who not only starred in this movie but co-wrote and directed it, has not, at any point in the movie, treated the Holocaust as a joke. He has managed to artistically balance poignancy and humor, bolstering the human spirit with the power of laughter while succeeding in depicting the real-life horrors of the Holocaust. Mixing contrasting elements to produce a masterpiece is an extraordinarily original concept.
Guido’s great love and sacrifice for his son has moved and inspired me, proving that love conquers all, even during times of unimaginable horror. If humans are capable of the evil that was the Holocaust, Guido proves that humans are also capable of great love and compassion. This may be seen in Guido’s vigorous attempts to save his loved ones using humor and imagination. The movie has made me realize the strength of the human will to achieve what it wants. In Guido’s case, his only desire is to protect his son from experiencing cruel reality and make him feel that life is indeed, beautiful.