Moving and stylish material with great musical score and brilliant photography. Stunning film with great sense and sensibility; being compellingly directed by Ettore Scola. Splendor is the name of an old movie theater managed by owner Jordan (Marcello Mastroianni), who inherited it from his father, but he's coerced to close his cinema due to financial problems. The theater is in ruins, decay and only generates debts and trouble, but Jordan gets aid in his almost quixotian quest from amiable projectionist Luigi and ushurette Chantale. So Jordan is forced to sell the Splendor to businessman Lo Fazio (Giacomo Piperno), which schemes to transform it in some kind of furniture store. In the very first scene when Jordan leaves the theater for the last time, he recalls his glorious days of Splendor and movies in general, as well as when he fell in love with a gorgous dancer (Marina Vlady), while he loves the movies and creates a deep friendship with the theater's projectionist (early deceased Massimo Troisi), a big fan of classic films as well. Meantime, the town priest Don Arno (Vernon Dobtcheff) complains in his church sermons about the corruption and sinfulness of the then erotic films being shown at the Splendor cinema.
Colorful and moving flick dealing with a wonderful friendship between a cinema manager, his beautiful wife and a solitary projectionist. The film is pretty well, in which Mastroianni excels as the theater owner who recalls the events, the roles and the films that marked his life forever. However, being overly nostalgic , too sentimental and overwhelmingly sweet. Attractive and sensitive picture with stirring drama, ravishing cinematography by Luciano Tovoli and enjoyable musical score by Armando Trovajoli .
Splendor(1989) results to be a surprising sweet, nostalgic and sensitive picture in the wake of ¨Giuseppe Tornatore's Cinema Paradise¨. The movie contains drama and nostalgia completely wrapped in an agreeable story among the main roles. The flick relies heavily on the relationship among them, but this does not get bored or spoils the tale. Slightly overrated but excellent all the same time, the picture is enjoyable and entertaining, but overlong. The story is narrated with great sense and sensibility , the intelligent screenplay was written by director Ettore Scola himself. Scola's intention was that this movie should serve as an obituary for traditional movie theatres and the movie industry in general , after the movie's success he never mentioned this again. This notable and enthralling picture ¨Splendor¨ was compellingly starred by extraordinary actors, such as: Marcello Mastroianni, Massimo Troisi and Marina Vlady. Good acting from remaining cast, such as: Paolo Panelli, Pamela Villoresi, Giacomo Piperno and Vernon Dobtcheff. Glowing cinematography with scenarios colorfully and stunningly photographed by magnificent cameraman Luciano Tovoli, both color and Black/White, who reflects splendidly the cinema , streets , square , village and many other things . Rousing as well as insistent score musical, including a continuous leitmotif from the beginning to the end ; being efficiently composed by veteran master and prolific musician Armando Trovajoli . The film won several nominations and awards, such as: Cannes Film Festival 1989 Nominee Palme d'Or Ettore Scola. David di Donatello Awards: 1989 Nominee David Best Music (Migliore Musicista) Armando Trovajoli, Marina Vlady Nominee David Best Actress (Migliore Attrice Protagonista)
Marina Vlady, Nominee David Best Supporting Actor (Migliore Attore non Protagonista) Paolo Panelli, Best Supporting Actress (Migliore Attrice non Protagonista) Pamela Villoresi, Luciano Tovoli
1989 Nominee David Best Cinematography (Migliore Fotografia). Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists. Luciano Tovoli 1989 Winner Silver Ribbon Best Cinematography (Migliore Fotografia).
¨Splendor¨ pays tribute to a series of films, making a sort of review of important movies that appear throughout history while exhibiting at the cinema, among them are the following: L'albero degli zoccolo by Ermanno Olmi, Amarcord by Fellini, La Dolce Vita by Fellini, La Ballaglia di Algeri by Gillo Pontecorvo, La cena delle Beffe by Alexandre Blasetti, Miracolo a Milano by Vittorio de Sicca, Effecto notte by Francois Truffaut, Metropolis by Fritz Lang, Play Time by Jacques Tati, I Pugnu in Tasca by Marco Bellochio, Scipione L'Africano by Carmine Gallone, Il Sorpasso by Dino Risi, Z by Costa Gavras, A Wonderful life by Frank Capra, among others.
This weeper and enjoyable picture was well directed by Ettore Scola. He was a writer and director, known for making similar nostalgic films, including good actors in his flicks. Shooting notable movies, such as: The family, Macaroni, La nuit de Varennes, Passion of love, A special day, Down and dirty, Two nights with Cleopatra, among others. Rating: 7/10. The film will appeal to Marcello Mastroianni fans.
