MovieChat Forums > Giù la testa (1972) Discussion > What an incredibly misinterpreted, misun...

What an incredibly misinterpreted, misunderstood and overlooked film

posted 16 years ago by korn12788
20 replies | jump to latest

I see people on here suggesting that this film is anti-revolutionary, anti-change and that its message states that people just keep to themselves. This was apparently also the initial reaction from film critics. What's really being said is a critique of revolutions from the left, as not being authentically populist or pro-poor enough, and are too often an excuse for people to seize power without actually believing in helping the poor. The film, in effect, criticizes Maoism from the left, suggesting that violence of the sort he propsed inevitably begets more violence, and the revolution and change must come through peace and friendship, as well as personal change and character reform, like that undergone by Juan, rather than generals and guns. Its sympathies obviously lie with the revolutionaries, and the army are clearly an allegory for the Italian fascists and the Nazis, under whose rise Leone spent his formative years. Even the very first scene of the film shows how the rich really do despise the poor, including members of the clergy, and we're obiviously meant to hold these carriage riders in contempt. This is one of the most left-wing films I've ever seen, critiquing Maoism and other authoritarian revolutionaries for not being sincere enough about making the world better. I think an appropriate analogy would be Martin Luther King talking with Malcolm X, contemplating whether violence can ever bring about true change and peace. Utterly brilliant.

[–] 11 years ago

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[–] 11 years ago

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[–] TheHestinator 9 years ago

I can't say for certain what Sergio Leone was thinking when he made this masterful movie, but the way I kind of interpret it is as being a cautionary, "be-careful-what-you-wish-for" tale. I don't think it's necessarily saying that one should stay completely out of political matters (the villains of the picture are simply too evil for that), but people should know that revolutions and political violence have real, unintended consequences and that these things are not to be glamorized. Che Guevara-wannabe punks need to think twice before advocating radical, violent political change. Hell, a government coming to power through a revolution is likely to cause just as much repression or chaos as the previous regime. I think of the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, a song that might have a surprisingly similar message if interpreted the way I do. Overall, the flick may be more anti-war than anti-revolutionary.

By the way, this movie is, indeed, a masterpiece. It's my favorite western and Leone film (10/10 from me).

[–] ContinentalOp 9 years ago

Che Guevara-wannabe punks need to think twice before advocating radical, violent political change.

But then you have many actual revolutionaries fully aware of the negative points but yet still not regretting their fight for revolution.

Hell, a government coming to power through a revolution is likely to cause just as much repression or chaos as the previous regime.

Indeed, but it is also likely to at least improve the lot of the average workers and peasants even with the repression and chaos. Regardless of what one things of Stalin and Mao, the actual living standards and life-expectancy did rise in their respective countries, and some negative actions like the Great Purges actually got rid of politicians and allowed some of the lower-classes to actually gain more important positions. Things like this are why many of the veterans of the Soviet Union actually have a less negative view of the ''Stalinist era'' than the West tends to.

I think of the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who, a song that might have a surprisingly similar message if interpreted the way I do.

The song is indeed about the betrayal of the people by bourgeois leaders.

Overall, the flick may be more anti-war than anti-revolutionary.

It isn't anti-revolutionary at all and actually agrees with Mao's quote at the beginning of the movie. The movie is a critique of intellectuals leading revolution and the idea that revolutions are fun and games rather than violent and bloody events. The ideals of revolutionary change are actually supported in this film, it just critiques many silly and unrealistic notions of revolution.

Pharaoh is also perfectly right in his post about this film. Not only does it support Mao's quote, Leone did visually reference Mao in other movies. Whilst he might not have been a Maoist, he seems to have a similar view of how a revolution should be fought (protracted peoples' war), lead (by peasants as well as workers, rather than intellectuals), the nature of revolution (brutal, bloody and dark though needed) and he had a similar view of contradiction and self-criticism. In fact I have a feeling his leftist self-criticism was actually borrowed directly from Maoist self-critique.

Formerly KingAngantyr

[–] Tabbycat (750) 5 years ago

Agreed.

[ the army are clearly an allegory for the Italian fascists and the Nazis ]

True that.
Several of the “uniforms” seemed clones of the Nazi villains in Raiders of the Lost Ark.

[I think of the song "Won't Get Fooled Again" by The Who]

Meet the new boss
Same as the old boss

[The ideals of revolutionary change are actually supported in this film, it just critiques many silly and unrealistic notions of revolution.]

As it critiques characters like Juan himself. He’s really an idiot — delusional, incompetent, and a thug who murders people for their possessions. Just a street criminal who pretends to do it for a cause.