Malena (Notes)

I. WHAT IS THE FILM ALL ABOUT?

Malena - deals with:
- the story of the woman, Malena
- coming of age of the boy, Renato
- effects of war to the people

II. HOW DOES THE FILM PRESENT A COPY OF HUMAN STORY?

A. Malena’s dramatic experiences in the village:
- losing a husband
- being the talk of the town
- becoming a prostitute in order to survive
- being beaten by the town’s women
- being courageous to start life again together with the people who tattered her life

B. Renato’s amusing sexual fantasies:
- reveries on the parodies of classic movies
starring Malena and himself
- pursuit of long pants
- desire to sit at the grown – up chair in the barber shop
- stealing Malena’s underwear
- incessant masturbation
- having sex with the Malena look alike at the building where prostitutes are available

C. People’s tragic experiences with war:
- losing homes
- losing love ones

III. DESCRIBE THE MAIN CHARACTERS IN THE FILM.
A. Malena – shows a feeling of tragedy, of unrelenting emotional suffering and pain, which remain unspoken throughout the film
- communicates through her facial expressions and movement of her beautiful eyes
B. Renato – a teenage boy who shows his pure and valiant love for Malena
- considered Malena as his inspiration in confronting difficult life of the war – torn village

IV. WHAT UNDERLIE THE PLOT OF THE FILM?
A. Love
-Renato, although made Malena an object of his sexual desires, shows his pure and valiant love for Malena by treasuring her and not forgetting her for several years.
-The love between Malena and her husband ties them again.

B. Change
-Experiences of Renato as manifestations of his coming of age are evident in the film.
-The film shows the new life that awaits Malena and her husband, the new relationship of the town people and Malena, and the new life of the people after the war.

C. Courage
-The film presents how Malena bravely returned to the village, which signals a big start of her new life.

V. WHAT ARE THE SYMBOLS USED IN THE FILM? WHAT DOES EACH REPRESENT?

A. changes in Renato’s life (his desire to wear long pants and to sit on the grown-up chair at the barber shop) – signs of manhood
B. Renato’s incessant masturbation – represents worldly desire
C. Malena’s returning to the village – symbolizes her regaining of her dignity
D. Villagers act of accepting Malena – signals that Malena’s chance of regaining her dignity is approaching

VI. WHAT DOES THE DIRECTOR PERSONALLY CONVEY?
A. People must unreservedly discuss difficult historical and social issues.
B. Let any work speak of its own creator.

VII. WHEN AND WHERE DID THE FILM HAPPEN? EXPLAIN WHETHER THE SETTING GIVES JUSTICE TO THE FILM.
A. Place setting – Castelcuto, Sicily
B. Time setting – covers the duration of the World War II

Ø The setting gives justice to the film because:
1. In reality, people in villages are fond of making gossips.
2. People have the tendency to become envious.
3. War brings several changes in the lives of the people.
4. As a sort of history, women disgraced a woman who went with the Germans during that time once the place is already liberated.

VIII. WHY ARE THERE NUDITY AND SEX SCENES IN THE FILM?
Ø These contribute to the three stories conveyed by the film, which also lead to the underlying ideas of the film.


“There were already several women that came in my life. They asked me not to forget them, and I said yes. But the one that I really cannot forget is the one who never asked.”
- Renato