Let ‘Il Postino’ Show You The Wonders Of Foreign Films
Many Americans often fail to appreciate foreign films. We don’t get the humor, can’t follow the plot or are put off by subtitles. This shouldn’t be the case with “Il Postino,” a little Italian film that’s receiving its share of Oscar buzz.
“Il Postino,” which means “The Postman,” was adapted from a thin novel by Antonio Skarmeta, a Chilean writer. Though the novel has nothing to do with Italy and takes place around 15 years later than the film, the spirit of the novel is preserved in every way. The transition from print to screen seems natural and successful.
Mario Ruoppolo, a poor man from an Italian fishing village, is the film’s protagonist. When his father demands that he get a job, Mario gets one delivering mail to the famous poet Pablo Neruda, who happens to be living out his exile from Chile in a house above the village (the real-life Neruda was never exiled).
From their small daily encounters, Mario and the poet become acquainted and Neruda begins teaching Mario how to make metaphors, which Neruda sees as the foundation of poetry.
When Mario falls in love with a girl from the village named Beatrice Russo, Neruda helps him woo her with words, and Mario’s bond with the poet deepens. After a short time, Mario and Beatrice are married. On their wedding day Neruda is notified he can return to his native country. Mario’s encounters with the great poet are over for good, but his reverence for the man remains intact.
A political undercurrent also runs through “Il Postino.” Mario adopts Neruda’s passionate belief in communism without Neruda ever saying anything to him about it. By the time the movie is over, Mario has been persecuted for that affiliation as Neruda was.
The characters of “Il Postino” give the film its appeal; they are universal and human. Mario’s simplicity makes the audience empathize immediately, and his dreams of greatness elevate him to a hero’s status. Massimo Troisi, who played Mario, died of heart failure the day after shooting; he obviously gave the last life in him to the role.
The village by the sea makes a fitting background to this poignant picture. The agelessness of the beach, the cliffs and the tiny town reinforce the timelessness of the themes, not to mention providing an escape for movie-goers in a drearier part of the world.
In the end, it’s hard to say whether Mario’s aspirations became reality. The world may never have seen his poetry, but there’s no question that he, the humble postman, became a true hero through his contact with Neruda. After “Il Postino” was over, though, I was not wondering about those things. I just knew I had seen a beautiful movie.
Grade: A