Benigni's best film and performance but unfortunately unavailable in the North American NTSC video format. Walter Matthau plays a priest visiting the Vatican who is called upon by church officials to exorcise an unknown demon from a local fat woman.
Once the demon is expelled, Matthau hears a racket in a nearby closet only to discover Benigni who proclaims himself to be (paraphrasing), "the disgusting thing you (Matthau) exorcised from the fat woman."
His first time out of Hell, Benigni is a devil who is naive and curiously tests the world, discovering many of the mundane little joys of living that we all take for granted. All of this is observed with arm's-length curiosity by Matthau who inadvertently brought this fool- of-a-devil into our world.
This great film is in the vein of the lost art of Chaplin and Keaton, approaches and perhaps equals those almost-forgotten cinema artists. If all you can find is a copy in Italian, seek out an interpreter any way you can. You and the interpreter will thank each other afterword.
A unique and very worthwhile piece of artistry.
P.S. In 2011, I translated this film and put the subtitles into .srt format. srt subtitles can be loaded into Video Lan Player (free download). Now, if you can find a digital copy of the film, you can use the English subtitles. Search for Il_Piccolo_Diavolo The_Little_Devil.srt Enjoy.
Once the demon is expelled, Matthau hears a racket in a nearby closet only to discover Benigni who proclaims himself to be (paraphrasing), "the disgusting thing you (Matthau) exorcised from the fat woman."
His first time out of Hell, Benigni is a devil who is naive and curiously tests the world, discovering many of the mundane little joys of living that we all take for granted. All of this is observed with arm's-length curiosity by Matthau who inadvertently brought this fool- of-a-devil into our world.
This great film is in the vein of the lost art of Chaplin and Keaton, approaches and perhaps equals those almost-forgotten cinema artists. If all you can find is a copy in Italian, seek out an interpreter any way you can. You and the interpreter will thank each other afterword.
A unique and very worthwhile piece of artistry.
P.S. In 2011, I translated this film and put the subtitles into .srt format. srt subtitles can be loaded into Video Lan Player (free download). Now, if you can find a digital copy of the film, you can use the English subtitles. Search for Il_Piccolo_Diavolo The_Little_Devil.srt Enjoy.