Cast: Enrico Lo Verso, Valentina Scalici, Giuseppe Ieracitano,
Florence Darel, Marina Golovine
Director: Gianni Amelio
Producer: Angelo Rizzoli
Screenplay: Gianni Amelio, Sandro Petraglia, and Stefano Rulli
Cinematography: Tonino Nardi, Renato Tafuri
Music: Franco Piersanti
U.S. Distributor: Samuel Goldwyn Co.
Italian with English Subtitles
Luciano (Giuseppe Ieracitano), a nine year old boy, and his eleven year old sister, Rosetta (Valentina Scalici), live with their mother. To supplement her meager income, the woman sells Rosetta into prostitution. When the police learn of this, they take the mother off to jail, leaving Luciano and Rosetta without a home or a family. Antonio (Enrico Lo Verso), a young carabiniere officer, is charged with escorting the two to a children's home. However, upon arrival, he discovers that they will not be admitted because of Rosetta's dubious past.
In the simplest terms, it's possible to boil Il Ladro di Bambini to an unusual "buddy film". The children and Antonio are initially apathetic to each other, but, as the movie progresses, they develop a bond. Such a distillation, however, does this movie a great injustice. Writer/director Gianni Amelio has successfully taken the skeleton of a common story and infused it with a fresh emotional honesty rarely encountered in movies of this sort.
While the plot is not filled with novel twists, it is remarkable because of its genuine insight into the human condition. Also, there is no pat ending. Il Ladro di Bambini concludes when the story is over, not when all the loose ends have been neatly wrapped up.
The film in general, and the second half in particular, exhibits skillful (not heavy-handed) manipulation. Il Ladro di Bambini is without parallel when it comes to the "show, don't tell" rule. Certain scenes are near-masterpieces of conveying emotion without resorting to explanatory dialogue. The profound effect that the children and Antonio have on each other is realized gradually. There is no sudden shift in perspectives. Instead, the relationships are allowed to evolve and change naturally. As a result, simple actions have greater impact, and small tokens of friendship and affection are heartwarming. For all parties, trust comes grudgingly, but, once earned, it cannot be ripped away.
This is the debut feature for Giuseppe Ieracitano and Valentina Scalici. While Ieracitano is certainly competent in his role, he -- and everyone else in the cast -- is vastly overshadowed by Scalici. This is the best performance I have ever seen by a child actor. Scalici has a style that would make most adult performers green with envy. She is a master of dialogue, body language, and facial expressions.
Il Ladro di Bambini is proof that a relatively straightforward story can be the basis for a dynamic motion picture. Most of what happens here transpires through minor actions and dialogue, so those who have trouble sitting through "character stories" may not find this film to their taste. That's too bad, because this is easily one of the most provocative and satisfying films of the year.
© 1993 James Berardinelli