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The Best Performance I Have Seen in Any Film

posted 18 years ago by lachinimini
16 replies | jump to latest

Giancarlo Giannini's performance in this film is astonishing. This might be one of the hardest roles any actor would ever encounter. I began the film disliking his character immensely, and then found myself growing more sympathetic, only to be disgusted yet again (in the asylum) and then hoping for his survival in the end. The scene where Giannini tries to seduce his German captor is one of the most disturbing, comical, tragic, humiliating and unforgettable I have seen. I would love to hear other people's thoughts about this film.

[–] jakefatman 18 years ago

lachinimini, i first saw this in the mid/late 80's and again a couple years ago on ifc. i agree 100% with your opinion of giannini's character. you're rooting for and against him during different parts of the movie. i was heart-broken to see his old girlfriend at the end (what she had become) and the movie's socialist innuendos (why he wants to marry her), but i really enjoyed it, and that's what a film should be--worth watching! i really like wertmueller's other films. they're all great! jf

[–] profhound 18 years ago

I first saw this film about a year after it was released, and I couldn't quit thinking about it for days. "Astonishing" is the word. Giancarlo Giannini is such a treasure, he enhances any film he's in. (Those EYES!) He always catches my eye, even in minor roles in lesser films, and I can't quit watching him. But this has got to be his best. Stunning pacing and cinematography, superb blend of humor and pathos. I love the courtroom scene from start to finish. Glorious montage, and not a word of dialogue; just that wonderful theme music that, when last we heard it, poor Pasqualino was strutting around his neighborhood like a Neapolitan peacock, flirting with every woman he saw. An amazing film from start to finish; Wertmuller and Giannini were at the top of their game at this point, and they didn't waste a second :-)

[–] miran_kor 18 years ago

All I can really say is, "FINALLY!" Finally I found someone who share my opinion on Giannini's role. He was nominated for the Oscar (which is a GREAT honour for a 'foreign' actor among domestic favorites), but I keep telling people (all those years) that he was robbed for the award. He was simply the best that year!
BTW, he was also great in many other films (L'Innocente, Mimi Metalurgico..., Mi manda Picone, Sessomatto...).

vivaLuis

[–] genejoly 17 years ago

I just saw this film for the first time a week ago and couldn't agree more. Giannini's performance was astonishing, especially the scene where he summons up just enough sexual energy to fornicate with quite possibly the most repulsive female character in film history...simply to survive for another day.

[–] 17 years ago

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[–] teejay6682 17 years ago

i agree that he's amazing in this film and a lot of it is in his and gestures. also his body language. everything about his performance is perfect.

[–] sonnythefat 17 years ago

I love this film . one of the best films, if you have the stomach for it,and See "Kapo"(1959)with susan strasburg, if you can find it

[–] ChristinaZee 16 years ago

Ebert said it right, least erotic EVER!!!

I just viewed this film over the weekend with my mother, who was born in Italy, so we are kind of used to the Italian "humor", when things aren't too funny but you joke about them anyways. This is one of those movies that makes you hate the main character, then you love him, then you feel bad for him, then you despise him, and at the end, you just kind of wonder, what is left of him, you know? I've never in my life seen such an even balance of torture, humor, and drama... What a film... They made a wonderful team as director and actor, I am actually going home to view "Swept Away" again this evening...

"When the power of love overcomes the love of power, the world will know peace" - Jimi Hendrix

[–] stevespelling 16 years ago

This is truly one of the Greatest Films of all time with one of the greatest screen performances of all time as well. Gianinni's performance is breathtakingly stupendous, both comedic & serio tragic at the same time. I'd have no one to compare this performance to except a Charlie Chaplin. Simply Stupendous! Do yourself a favor and watch this film. You'll come back to it again and again with an ever growing and deeper appreciation of the great filmic art on display here. A tour de force by everyone involved!

[–] mel2000 9 years ago

Roger Ebert described this: "The least erotic sex scene ever filmed."

Wasn't that really a rape scene? IIRC, didn't she threaten him if he couldn't get it up?

[–] Benedict_Cumberbatch 15 years ago

He's wonderful, indeed.

"I did cramps the way Meryl Streep did accents" - Calliope (Middlesex)

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] Eumenides_0 14 years ago

Just watched the movie today: Giancarlo Giannini was indeed brilliant, constantly transforming himself in his neverending quest to survive. He was proud, vain, humble, silly, vicious, noble. So few actors can evoke so many feelings in a single performance.

This world is a comedy to those that think, a tragedy to those that feel.

[–] scorsese-1 11 years ago

Brilliant performance by Giannini.Great film and direction by Wertmuller.