Una giornata particolare (1977)

May 8, 1938 was a special day for people in Rome. Hitler was in Rome and a parade was held on that day, with both German and Italian armed forces. This movie starts with about 5 and a half minute documentary of Hitler's arrival.

Sophia Loren plays Antonietta, an ordinary house-wife who lives with her husband and six children. While others go out to watch the parade, she stays at home doing her chores, until when her bird escapes and neighbour Gabriele (Marcello Mastroianni), helps her to catch it. Gabriele is at the point to commit suicide when Antonietta knocks his door. The two begins to build a friendship. The movie is slowly, but the images are so beautiful. I like the colour. It begins in the morning and ends in the night, when Antonietta goes to bed. I put here a still which I like very much, where it seems the screen are divided into 3 parts: Gabrielle preparing the table, a hanging coat on the wall, and Antonietta standing against the open door.


Antonietta flirts with her new acquaintance, but soon she finds that he is not what she has thought. His political view and sexual orientation have made him lost his job and that very night he will be deported to Sardinia. [That reminds me of a movie I have watched on TV, Un amour à taire, how the Nazis don't like homosexuals. It was a scary movie.]