I really like this setting of putting ordinary people into the historical process. "Splendid Life" tells the impact of the changing Italian history on different life trajectories over a span of more than 40 years. This period is undoubtedly the most chaotic period after the war in Italy. The flood, the student wave, the workers' riots, the football World Cup team was eliminated to win the championship, the mafia rampant, the fiat factory layoffs, the rise of the Red Brigade terrorist organization... every history The dots are driving the development of the plot and the characters. They meet and separate in history.
1. The
first historical background point in the electric shock therapy movie is the treatment of psychosis with electric shock therapy. Electric shock therapy was invented in 1938 by Italian psychiatrists Celetti and Bini. When his younger brother Madio was taking care of the girl Zozhen part-time in the hospital, she found out that she was receiving painful electric shock treatment. So, Madio and his brother Nicola took the girl out to be sent home. At a train station, the girl was not well taken care of, which caused Zozhen. Taken away by the police. Since then, the fate of the two brothers parted ways.
2. In
the square of the small town where Italy was eliminated by the North Korean team in the football World Cup group match , the two brothers sat with Zuozhen. The background was the moment when the Italian team was eliminated. This became the happiest memory of the trio in the whole play.
3. Flood in Florence in 1966
The National Library of Florence was badly damaged in the flood. The elder brother rushed to Florence as a volunteer to help the disaster, and his brother's army also rushed to rescue the disaster. The brothers met again in this historical background. Elder brother Nicola also fell in love with his future wife Julia at first sight here. Julia played a Mozart piano on the Florence city square. At this time, Italy was undoubtedly calm, and it also gave people hope of reconstruction after the disaster. Later, the daughter who grew up met her mother Julia, who was also in front of the National Library. The beginning and the end of the movie echoed naturally and movingly. A period of history has witnessed the life of an ordinary family for nearly 30 years.
4. Turin student movement and riots. The
1960s and 1970s were the most turbulent period in Italian society. Workers kept on strike. The most serious incident was a street fighting in the Giulia district of Rome in March 1968, during which 500 students and a large number of police officers were injured. Nikolai, who is still a student, and Julia participated in the student wave together. They escaped the police chasing by chance. Nikolai, who knew that Julia was pregnant, decided not to participate in the political struggle, but Julia got deeper and deeper. At the same time, his brother Madio, who was a police officer, was transferred to Sicily for violently assaulting students, and met the photographer Melali here. That day, under a parasol by the sea, Madio told Melalie that his name was Nicola. The development of the movie has reached a small climax here, and history has once again affected the life trajectories of several ordinary people. As for why Madio uses his brother's name, there are too many interpretations and discussions. I think this is a projection from Madio's heart, and he subconsciously realizes Melalie's final destination.
5. Red brigade
The Red Brigade is a far-left military organization in Italy. Its members are radical workers and students. This organization confronts the government through activities such as terrorist assassinations. In the film, Julia, wife of elder brother Nicola, joins the organization and is committed to revolution. Julia was brainwashed by the organization and determined to abandon her daughter and leave the family. The desperate Nikolai failed to stop Julia from leaving. This moment in the movie scene is impressive. Looking from behind Julia, Nikolai who is blocking the door looks thin and weak, "Let me go, let me go..." Julia's eyes panicked, with a hint of fear. But Nikolai's eyes seemed to stare dumbly at each other, with a trace of sadness in despair. History was once again projected onto this family. As a psychiatrist, Nicholas was surrounded by a man whose spirit was going to extremes, but he failed to notice it early. The influence of the Red Brigade on Julia led to a series of tragedies.
6. Fiat's major layoffs
Fiat's major layoffs are also numerous in Italian history. It directly caused a series of social unrest. In the film, the brothers’ high school friends are also among the layoffs. In stark contrast to the inferiority Madio in the film, his naturally optimistic friend did not lose his motivation for life. He started his own business and eventually had his own business. When life destiny abandons you, which path will you choose?
7. Italy's first case of a mental patient suing a psychiatric hospital for abuse.
Nicolas, a psychiatrist, has directly participated in this history this time. He helped the mental patient win the lawsuit and rescued the abused Zuo Zhen. Since the station was separated, the three people gathered again, the trajectory of life has changed, and there is an atmosphere of sadness in the relative speechlessness.
8. In the 1982 World Cup Italian Championship
Museum, Nicola took his daughter to see Julia. The voice of Italy winning the championship came from the security radio. Nicola didn't have the courage to look back at Julia. His daughter Sarah noticed the person behind him, and looked back but failed to recognize her mother. On the one hand, there was the lively cheers of the crowd celebrating the championship, and on the other hand, the family spied on each other in the cold and depressing occasion of the museum.
9. Justice Falcone of the Italian Ministry of Justice was killed by the Mafia in Sicily
On the afternoon of May 23, 1992, Giovanni Falcone, the director of criminal law at the Italian Ministry of Justice and a well-known judge regarded as the "banner" of the anti-mafia, was bombed to death by the mafia in Sicily. Against this historical background, Nikolai found the photographer Melalie who was filming the funeral of the judge in Sicily. In the same place, under the umbrella by the sea, Nikolai learned that his brother had left a child. Time and space meet again. With the same name, different people, Nikolai and the female photographer fell in love.
The ending of the movie is undoubtedly warm. A family has gone through countless pains and will continue to thrive. History will advance and life will continue.
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