A happy-sad film Life Is Beautiful (1997) about the love of a man to his wife and the love of a father to his son. The story of how a father sacrificed himself to save his family and to save his son from the realities of war by turning suffering into a spectacular play. The film mocks misguided fascist, Nazi or racist thinking as well as simple human hubris or self-aggrandisement.

The story begins in 1939. Guido (Roberto Begnini) is a typical Italian who has fallen in love with a young lady named Dora. He meets her multiple times on various random and less random occasions.

Eventually, about halfway through the film, after a hilarious courtship by Guido, they marry and have a son. Later, however, Jews are deported to concentration camps, and Guido is not spared, as he is also Jewish.

When Dora finds out that her husband and son have been taken on a transport, she wants to go with them, so they put her on the same train. In order to keep his son from being traumatized by what is happening, Guido renders everything that is happening to him as part of the great play they are privileged to be a part of.

The first prize is to get a new tank, which Guido’s son dreams of. Although Guido eventually dies, he leaves behind a strong legacy of love for his son and his wife.

Parents Guide: A few of Guido’s exaggerated outpourings of affection. Oppression during deportations and in a concentration camp. The shooting of Guido. Taking God’s name in vain. Drinking alcohol a few times.

Cast: Roberto Benigni, Nicoletta Braschi, Giorgio Cantarini, Giustino Durano, Marisa Paredes, Horst Buchholz, Verena Buratti, Gina Rovere, Andrea Tidona, Omero Antonutti, Richard Sammel

Crew: Roberto Benigni

Italy, 1997

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