Malena

Giuseppe Tornatore adapted this from a story by Luciano Vincenzoni and built the title role almost without dialogue. Monica Bellucci has very few lines; the part is carried by how she walks, looks and holds herself, and she has said the work taught her how a body can speak. Which cut you are watching matters. The 108 minute version released in Italy is Tornatore’s; Miramax shortened the film for America, so the copy that played there is not the same film. Worldwide it took 14.4 million dollars. The Academy nominated it in 2 categories and both were craft: cinematography for Lajos Koltai and original score for Ennio Morricone. It won neither, both went to Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon, and the film is named in no other category that night. Most criticism since runs one way, that the film reduces Malena to something to be looked at, which is precisely what the town does to her. A good fit if you can sit through a town turning a woman into a shared target step by step, and will notice that the film never draws a line between Renato’s desire and that cruelty. Not for viewers who want to hear Malena speak for herself; the film keeps her silent on purpose and gives the events only through the boy’s eyes.