MovieChat Forums > L'assedio (1999) Discussion > favorite scene

favorite scene

posted 21 years ago by yeshualove
29 replies | jump to latest

one of my favorite scenes from this film is at the very end when she awakens from her dream and goes upstairs to deliver her letter. mr. kinsky is passed out on the bed and shandurai sneaks into his room and innocently begins to undress him for bed. the tension between these two is as thick as ever at that point even though he's asleep. she eventually lays down next to him and puts her leg on him, he puts his leg on hers. cut to black.

that is art.

can you imagine what the next day in that house was like?

--d
http://www.geocities.com/yellowdreds/

[–] 21 years ago

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[–] CatnipTARDIS 19 years ago

I also love that scene, but I think my favorite scene would have to be split between two scenes. The first is when Shandurai drops the white hankerchief and it falls down the stairwell to land on Jason's head. I just adore Bertolucci's use of the circular stairwell in this scene (among others). The second is when Shandurai watches the grand piano being lowered out of the house. It was so heart-wrentching to see it leave because the piano was trully the core of Jason's character. (I might add that Bertolucci and David Thewlis conveyed that to us extremely well.)

[–] yeshualove 19 years ago

Ah yes, yes. =)

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] folawande 19 years ago

Tbe club scene where sbe was being besieged by that man, I found his dance to be very erotic and hypnotic, but she didnt' even acknowledge him.

[–] yeshualove 19 years ago

It was almost as if Agostino sent him over to try and take her mind off of things. =) I guess it didn't work.

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] pas_si_simple 19 years ago

I really liked the ending sequence too, but one of my favorite scenes that hasn't been mentioned yet is...

When Shandurai spies on Kinsky while he's half asleep on a couch and then offers him something to drink. Something about it and something about many of the scenes are very memorable to me.

Hohum.

[–] yeshualove 19 years ago

I got the feeling that she was fascinated by him even though she did well hiding it when he was looking. The whole dynamic of their relationship was so well portrayed.

--d
http://www.danielle black.com/

[–] dreammaniac 19 years ago

I love the scene where they end up in the garden, with all the children after the piano lesson and he juggles balls. Bertollucci speed it up and David Thewlis goes away fast!

(I'm sorry if the scene is not exactly like this, I just couldn't remember! but you know what I am talking about I hope).

It's just them. The relatioship, the children inside outside. Is it a game? What is real?

[–] yeshualove 19 years ago

I know exactly the scene you mean. Those are very interesting questions. Never considered it could be a dream! Gives a whole new spin on things.

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] hecantune 17 years ago

The scene where he plays Ostinato. I absolutely love that piece but also them making a little connection....only to have the moment ruined by the telephone. lol A little OT but Thandie Newton is ridiculously adorable in this movie.

___________________________
"New high score"?! Is that bad?!

[–] yeshualove 17 years ago

Agreed.

Your sig..."New hight score"...is that from Hackers?

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] hecantune 9 years ago

(...8 years later) lol That's a quote from "Grandma's Boy".

Back off! ... Way off!

[–] EvasiveDream 16 years ago

my fave scene is when she goes in to vacuum and he's trying to compose a song but is having writers [pianists?] block. he then gets inspiration from watching her and then he starts to play. it's almost like their having music sex when he's playing that piece lol. then, the phone rings at the wrong time and totally breaks the mood lmao

[–] yeshualove 16 years ago

Yes, but how realistic, y'know?

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] Iara5Bloom 15 years ago

Just saw this movie, and I have to agree with you - the scene when she goes talk to him about the letter, but then gives up, and starts to apologize for Agostino's ruckus is so sweet. Thandie Newton played it so great.

She gets so embarassed that he remembers and starts apologizing manically, and then he opens the door and she's on her back talking like crazy. And then she sees him, and she justs... "He's not my boyfriend!".

I loved it :D

[–] 15 years ago

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[–] nerdymobster 19 years ago

i personally love the scene when mr. kinsky runs after shandurai and is begging her to marry him and she flips out on him and tells him to get her husband out of jail. it's hardcore haha.

[–] 19 years ago

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[–] naillon-2 19 years ago

I don't know that it is over for them, the next day. Have you noticed how her husband was ringing the bell? He wasn't ringing madly and pounding on the door, in his eagerness to see her. He was waiting politely at the door, as if he were applying for a job. This makes me think that Winston realized it had been a long time, and didn't expect Shandurai to be waiting excitedly for him. And he must have known who got him out of prison. Remember his telegram? "Freedom. Arriving Sunday at dawn." That's hardly a gushing missive of undying love.

I like to believe that it worked out for them.

[–] mandapants 18 years ago

I also really love the scene when he begs her to marry him. It's so sad and he's so desperate for her love. He tries to hold her and tell her things that he hopes will make her happy like going to live in Africa. But she shoots him down! That part I don't like so much!!

I don't think Shandurai and Winston really deeply loved each other. When she told Mr. Kinsky that he was getting out of prison she told him that she respected him very much and that he was a good man. She never said anything about love.

It's so sad to me that she only truly realized that she loved him when he gave everything away to get her husband out of prison. He gave away everything to gain the love of a woman he could never really have. It's so heartbreaking.

I knew I would like this film just by watching the preview. It leaves the ending open and that kills me, but I too like to think it all worked out for them. Okay so my dream ending...Winston is hurt but understanding about the whole situation. However, he just happened to meet an intriguing women on the way to Italy. They both admit there is no real reason for them to be together anymore. He thanks them for getting him out of prison and goes on his way. Shandurai and Jason get married and have beautiful half African (I can't remember what country in Africa she's from) half British babies growing up in Italy! "They'll grow up saying 'Ciao Mama' and doing that creepy backwards wave thing." And everyone lives happily ever after. Unrealistic, I know, but that's what the hopeless romantic in me wishes had happened!!!

Oh yeah, that scene when the rag falls and lands on Kinsky's head is great! The sound of surprise he makes is classic!!

[–] PaigeTurner 18 years ago

True. But when you've been a prisoner of war and you have no money, do you have time to gush? No, you want to get back to yoru wife as fast as you can and then 'gush'. :)

[–] jgutie84 18 years ago

That seen is my all time fav. "love-making" scene. Its so much more romantic and intimate to see her put her leg on Kinsky and have him accept her by putting his leg on hers, than just going into some raunchy sex scene so many filmakers do today (just because you can, doesn't mean you should). In my opionion is much more creative and even sexier; it leaves something to the imagination.

[–] yeshualove 18 years ago

True, we all share our own thoughts about what beautiful in the bedroom. Leave it up to the viewer to take it "there". I prefer when a director is secure enough to leave it to the audience to think for itself.

--d
http://www.danielleblack.com/

[–] Sweet_With_A_Shot_Of_Sprinkles 18 years ago

I love the bedroom scene as well.

I love the scene where they end up in the garden, with all the children after the piano lesson and he juggles balls. Bertollucci speed it up and David Thewlis goes away fast!

(I'm sorry if the scene is not exactly like this, I just couldn't remember! but you know what I am talking about I hope).

It's just them. The relatioship, the children inside outside. Is it a game? What is real?

Yeah I love that scene as well. It was funny how fast he and the children were running after she hollered. LOL!

Truth about me: "Timid and shy and scared am I of things beyond my kin."

[–] kitkat8541 16 years ago

all of the scenes that depict the awkward relationship between Shandurai and Jason. Especially when she is celebrating her high marks in school with a nice dinner for herself and Mr. Kinsky spies on her to see if she set a place for him. Also the scene when she is apologizing for Agostino's drunken ruckus late one night. "He's not my boyfriend!" That's when he knows that he has gotten to her a little.

[–] 16 years ago

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[–] 16 years ago

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[–] rasheed_node 11 years ago

When she urinates in her pants while her husband is taken away by the army/police, back in Africa!

[–] yeshualove 11 years ago

You can feel the fear and helplessness...it's quite moving.

--d
http://www.flixster.com/user/danielleblack