Thursday, January 31, 2008

Cristo si è fermato a Eboli

Carlo Levi's book of the same name will be familiar to anyone who did an Italian degree during the same era as me! Having opposed fascism, painter, doctor and writer Levi was "exiled" from his native Turin in 1935 and placed under house arrest in a village in what is now the Basilicata region. Life is so harsh there that the peasants believe that Christianity got no further south than the town of Eboli [Campania]. In a world defined by deprivation, superstition and petty jealousies, Levi also finds kindness, for the peasants share what little they have with him. Gian Maria Volontè gives a wonderfully sensitive performance as Levi in this film.

8 comments:

Trubes said...

That looks like a lovely film Welshcakes, I shall look out for it on the Sky channel that shows Foreign language Films.
The dog sitting in the station at the end of the clip, looks very like Simi. She`s not a movie star as well as all her many other attributes, is she ?

Ellee Seymour said...

I've heard of this story, it's a wonderful tale, very dramatic, and so true that the poorest will share what little they have.

jmb said...

I don't know this film but have little chance to see it here. What an interesting face that actor has.

flutterby said...

What a co-incidence! I am about three-fourths of the way through "Christ Stopped at Eboli" right now. I was inspired to read it after reading Don Yeadon's book "A Year in Basilicata" written just in the last year or so. Ann Corneilsen's book "Women of the Shadows" is about the same area written between the above two books.

Ellee Seymour said...

I actually think I've seen the film, the name rings a bell.

Have a lovely weekend Welshcakes, we are expecting snowstorms and gales here.

Gledwood said...

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I got sent this ~ ♥ ~ it's a "tag" with instructions to pass it around and to ask you to pass it around ♥♥♥♥♥♥♥ as much as you please or can...

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marymaryquitecontrary said...

I would love to see this film;will search for it. The abandoned dog is called, Barone. Is he a boy or girl. Simis dad perhaps?

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

Ciao, Trubes. I'm sure you'd love this film. Dear Simi is not yet a movie star, though she is definitely of the opinion that she should be! Ciao, Ellee. Yes, that is always the case. Hi, jmb. Yes, he does, doesn't he? i, flutterby. That is an amazing coincidence! I will look out for "Women of the Shadows" which I had not heard of. Thank you. Hi, Ellee. You may have seen it as it was serialised on Brit TV some years ago. Hope you're not too cold there! Ciao, Gleds. That is very pretty. Hi, MM. Could be!

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