Il Divo (2009)

"Il Divo" is unusual breed of biopic, a mixture of fact and fiction, whose power is in its visual and auditory style rather than in narrative. The subject is Italy's seven-time Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who was associated with every major political scandal in Italy for 50 years, frequently accused of murder and mayhem, and rumored to be the true master of the P2 Masonic Lodge. Some believe him responsible for many of the 236 political murders that occurred in Italy between 1969 and 1984. Writer/director Paolo Sorrentino focuses on the early 1990s, from the beginning of Andreotti's seventh government in 1991 until his trial in 1996, during which time he lost a bid to become President and was undermined by Mafia turncoats who testified against him.

Roger Ebert described "Il Divo" as "like a black comedy version of The Godfather". I can't think of a more apt description. This is satire, though many of the events of the film actually happened. Andreotti (Toni Servillo) is almost a comically absurd character, in spite of the violence, and speaks about himself with an ironic tone. This is all the more amazing because Giulio Andreotti is still living. The Italian political system is portrayed as farce. Andreotti is a laconic man, enigmatic and apparently self-consciously so. He is known for his lack of emotion, so Paul Sorrentino felt the need to introduce some into a character that might seem wooden otherwise. Andreotti's preoccupation with the 1978 death of Aldo Moro, which troubles him in the film, is fictional as far as anyone knows.

Being unfamiliar with Italian politics, I don't know what else has been fictionalized. What captivated me about "Il Divo" is that it is unusually cinematic. There is not a lot of dialogue, though Andreotti's meetings with the members of his faction, the fast-talking Paolo Pomicino (Carlo Buccirosso), slow Vittorio Shardella (Massimo Popolizio), and foolish Franco Evangelisti (Flavio Bucci), are darkly hilarious. The film lacks a strong narrative thread but is visually engrossing. Luca Bigazzi's camera creeps around. The eclectic score is perfect. I was never sure what Giulio Andreotti wanted, unless it is "perpetuating evil to guarantee good", as he says, and "Il Divo" takes patience. But this is a stunning and thoughtful film, even if it doesn't try to go anywhere. In Italian with optional English subtitles.

The DVD (MPI 2009): Bonus features include 11 deleted scenes (12 min) and 3 featurettes. "Making of Il Divo" (30 min) interviews writer/director Sorrentino about his approach, members of the cast, producers, cinematographer Luca Bigazzi, and composer Teho Teardo. "Special Effects Featurette" (7 min) interviews visual effects supervisor Nicola Sganga and shows some examples of effects used to change the weather, time of day, or in the many death scenes. In "Interview with Director Paolo Sorrentino" (12 min), the director talks about the character of Andreotti and making a film that is both fictional and factual. English subtitles are available for the film and the bonus features.

Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti (Toni Servillo) had been elected to Parliament seven times since it's inception in 1946. Having served in multiple roles in the government including President of the Council of Ministers, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister, and Defense Minister, Andreotti was known by many names including "The God Giulio," "The Fox," "Beelzebub," "The Black Pope," "The Prince of Darkness," "The Hunchback," and others. After losing a bid for President of the Republic, Andreotti is confronted for allegedly having dealings with the mafia which, among others, led to the death of his friend Aldo Moro. Blamed for many of the ills that have befallen Italy during his times in office, Andreotti is sent to trial for his supposed mafia ties.

Il Divo won the Jury Prize at Cannes Film Festival and was released in January of 2009 to US audiences. Directed by Paolo Sorrentino, Il Divo is a look into the moral ambiguity of a man who doesn't prize relationships, only politics. Rarely does Giulio Andreotti crack a smile or show any emotion at all, but in Sorrentino's look at the man you see the effects of the emotions that eat away at him from the inside. Surrounding himself with men, good and bad, Andreotti feels that he's doing what's best for the country, even if he gets there by the improper means sometimes. While this works great for a simple character study, is this enough to get audiences beyond those that would normally watch foreign films into it?

Absolutely! Sorrentino gives the film a very stylish flare worthy of Martin Scorsese. Utilizing quick cuts, pop/ rock music, intersting titles, etc. Showing various scenes of graphic violence intercut with more mundane moments in Andreottie's life shows the difference between the calm exterior of Andreotti and the violence that possibly bubbles below leaving you to wonder if Andreotti was behind the violence as was purposed, or did he have nothing to do with it. This is one of the keys to Sorrentino's great film, while we see Andreotti as something of a soulless person for most of the film, we're never really given the filmmaker's opinion of whether Andreotti is guilty or not. Removing himself from the film, Sorrentino accomplishes something most filmmakers are unable to accomplish.

What really makes this movie though, is Toni Servillo's portrayal of Giulio Andreotti. The real trick of this performance is appearing unemotional on the surface, but also showing the current bubbling beneath the surface from past decisions that are eating away at him. In one brilliant moment in the movie, Andreotti appears to be either talking to his wife, or practicing a conversation he's going to have with her, and in essence speaks to the audience talking about things that he's done in the past that have caused people to die, and the speech is brilliant and could easily be compared to Jack Nicholson's "You can't handle the truth..." speech from A Few Good Men.

On the downside of the film though, it's impenetrable in the terms of politics. Il Divo doesn't really try to explain Italian politics, and while that's good to a certain extent, those of us who aren't familiar with Italian politics will get lost at times. Also the film seems more interested in being consciously stylish that it doesn't really feel like it is the political commentary that it tries to be.

But, in terms of entertainment, this movie definitely delivers. If you like political dramas, Scorsese style movies, or foreign films I highly recommend this film. It is thoroughly entertaining giving you a mix of political drama, action, and a character study of a man who would do anything for the politics of a nation.

4/5

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"Il Divo," (2008), is an Italian-language film, written and directed by Paolo Sorrentino. It is a biographical drama about the life of Italian Prime Minister Giulio Andreotti, who had been elected to the Italian Parliament seven times since its establishment in 1946, and was ultimately declared a senator for life. It stars Toni Servillo in the title role. "Il divo" means the maestro, or master, in Italian, and is generally used in a musical sense, but this is apparently what people call the uber-powerful Andreotti, who was rumored to have connections with the Mafia, and to the murder, by the Red Brigades, of former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro. Many people believe Andreotti, who is thought to be a member of P2, the powerful, illegal Italian Masonic lodge, also had a hand in the possible 1978 murder of Pope John Paul I, and the murders of Cardinal Paul Marcinkus, of Chicago, and banker Roberto Calvi, all to do with the Vatican's corrupt Banco Ambrosiano that apparently lost Mafia money.

Servillo does an excellent job of giving us a thoroughly unattractive, evil politician; the character actors who play the supporting parts around him are excellent, as well; and the film does, of course, have subtitles, though I suspect most English speakers will have trouble, even so, with all those Italian names. The settings, whether interiors, or around Rome, are well-done, and there's been no stinting on cars, extras, etc. The script is witty, and wise. However, director Sorrentino perhaps mistrusted his material, as he has chosen to fool around with flashbacks and flash-forwards; to me, this just made the movie even more difficult to follow. And be warned, the film features a lot of blood and death, if that upsets you. Yet, it's also got some marvelously surrealistic scenes, as those of a cat with two different colored eyes wandering the Quirino, the historic Senate building. Undoubtedly, though, it will be a more satisfying experience for those with some familiarity with the language and history of Italy.

Read Best Reviews of Il Divo (2009) Here

IL DIVO is a brilliantly acted and beautifully photographed film with some incredible artwork and design. Paulo Sorrentino's expose of the Italian regime presents both sides of a contentious story in an equal and frank portrayal. Highly reccomend this film to fans of arthouse cinema and anyone who appreciates strong, quality acting and writing.

Want Il Divo (2009) Discount?

"Il divo" (2008) starring Toni Servillo, educates the newer

generations on the powerful Italian politician of the 1960's and

1970's that was Mr. Giulio Andreotti ("GA"). It transcends what he

was about during those years, who he truly was as a man and leader,

how he operated, and how he fell into disfavor.

This film is in Italian, with excellent subtitles in English, is

wide-screen and professionally filmed and edited, with excellent

DVD clarity.

The soundtrack is a mixed bag, with as many hits as misses. The

better audio numbers accompanies the classy footage of ornamented

rooms, luxurious decorations, opulent palaces, gold plated pieces

and sculptures, tiles, handcrafted furniture, high-end chandeliers

etc. Some generic, modest pop songs are played as well so the

public doesn't take all of the hot air or political oneupmanship

too seriously.

The treatment of GA is superficial, judging a book by its cover.

The actor never fails to portray GA as an introverted intellectual

and geek, whose mind is racing 24/7 on events past and present,

never leaving his home with the exception of parties and events

related to his work. During those, he fails to enjoy himself

(dance, drink, chat, eat, gamble, flirt, etc). The story fails to

reveal GA as the brilliant leader he was over a long time, in a

hyper-competitive political field, made up of Machevellian rivals.

Instead, viewers are treated to the disease of "condescension" that

is the mantra of political analysis and mass media, reminiscent of

the dismissive treatment of Mussolini by critics.

Predictably, innuendo reinforces rumors of GA mob involvement -

recreating the "Man of Honor" induction ceremony, spilling drops

of blood on a saint, setting fire to it and juggling it. Those

accusations were not proven. We hear that elections in South Italy

and Sicily are won with mob influence on the public for given

candidates. It says GA was complicit with P2 or Propaganda Due, in

between the Red Brigades violence, on no facts.

The microcosm of GA's life is shown, a world in itself, made up of

businessmen, religious leaders, political friends and foes,

colleagues summed as a closed universe, yet everyone sharing a

unique set of values, education, breed from not only embracing

Italian civilization, but belonging to a power elite.

GA is shown attending church, confession, insisting in having the

Pope's rep in his power clique during private meetings,. His piety

and generosity, responsibility, natural sense of scruples are

shown. The story indicates GA's success hinged on self-control, a

skill to mentally calculate how far he can go to favor people he

imagines as friendly to his ideology and vision, and to block

others that his intuition tells him are against from afar and

nuanced.

In Europe, with its high concentration of people, numerous mass

media, combined with limited education in the general public,

every rubout, hit, economic failure, anarchy, kidnapping, crime and

more is attributed to the prime minister. The story perpetuates

this fallacy, by posting a litany of rubout victims and those who

ended their own lives, over his tenure and blaming GA.

A valid point is made that the Italian justice system is more

transparent than what goes on in the streets.

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