This Italian version of a Russian short story by Nikolai Gogol, originally known as Shinel, is meticulously directed by Alberto Lattuada. It presents a clear-eyed view of political corruption, and the plight of one small man (Renato Rascel), who needs two things. As a clerk for the mayor (Giulio Stival), he knows bureaucracy never works according to logic.
The first thing Carmine de Carmine (Rascel) needs is a new overcoat...hence the title. The one he's been wearing year after year is all in tatters. A local tailor doesn't think any more patches can be put on it. Carmine will need to purchase a new one, but such a garment would be too expensive for him to afford on his meager wages. He tries to do the repairs on the coat himself, but it is no use.
Because the weather in northern Italy is quite cold in winter, he cannot be without a heavy coat. In Gogol's story, the action is set in even colder Russia; and our protagonist starves himself and refrains from turning on the heat in his apartment, to save up enough money for the purchase of the new overcoat.
When Carmine goes to buy the new coat, he purchases a most fancy one, with a fur collar. The coat becomes a source of pride, garnering all sorts of attention when he wears it down the street and into the office. In a way, the coat is an extension of the main character, a symbol of acquiring something that to others may denote newly gained social status.
The second thing Carmine needs is to feel valued. The new overcoat brings attention his way, but at 5'2, he's still a guy the others tower over and look down upon. They don't respect him. When he receives an invitation to a New Year's party, his luck may be changing. The party will be attended by the mayor, the mayor's mistress (Yvonne Sanson) and other office staff.
During the party, Carmine has a few drinks and loosens up. He suddenly feels confident. After looking out at the window at souls less fortunate on the street, he is moved to interrupt the mayor and make a speech about the city's homeless population. Of course, the mayor and his cronies are not interested in this. The party is meant to be a celebration; they don't want to be reminded of how they've been failing their jobs to do right by the public.
Carmine is soon ushered out, but before he goes, there is a well-filmed bit where he dances with the mayor's mistress. The height disparity between Rascel and Sanson is obvious and adds to the amusing quality of their dance. After leaving the party, Carmine is heading home when he's mugged. His beloved new coat is snatched away from him.
This leads to the next section of the story where he asks for help from the authorities to get his coat back. Some of this is played quite seriously, but of course, the situation becomes increasingly absurd. One thing Lattuada understands about Gogol's story is that it works in a vein of neorealism, but it also lends itself to a grotesque form of satire and surrealism.
After Carmine's unable to get his coat back, we have scenes where he is forced to wear the old one with holes in it. This causes him to get sick in the freezing weather. Soon he develops pneumonia, and there's a memorable scene where neighbors in his apartment building check on him and use a stethoscope to determine if he's still breathing. Unfortunately, he's dead.
The story doesn't end there. Carmine's spirit comes back to avenge his needless death. He haunts thieves who may have been responsible for stealing his coat; and he haunts the mayor during an evening with the mistress. Eventually he reveals himself to the mayor, who didn't know until then that he had died. The mayor has an examination of conscience and quickly reforms, vowing to do better.
Personally, I found the ending too tidy and the mayor's conversion a bit too fast. At least with Dickens, it takes a while for Scrooge to change. Here the change in the mayor's character is almost too abrupt. The point is probably to let the audience know there is hope after all, and corrupt officials can become decent ones.
The best aspect of IL CAPPOTTO is not the rather seamless blending of neorealism and surrealism. It's the strong presentation of a central character who makes a statement about social injustice and causes important self-reflection. That type of truth may be just as stinging as the bitter cold air.
The first thing Carmine de Carmine (Rascel) needs is a new overcoat...hence the title. The one he's been wearing year after year is all in tatters. A local tailor doesn't think any more patches can be put on it. Carmine will need to purchase a new one, but such a garment would be too expensive for him to afford on his meager wages. He tries to do the repairs on the coat himself, but it is no use.
Because the weather in northern Italy is quite cold in winter, he cannot be without a heavy coat. In Gogol's story, the action is set in even colder Russia; and our protagonist starves himself and refrains from turning on the heat in his apartment, to save up enough money for the purchase of the new overcoat.
When Carmine goes to buy the new coat, he purchases a most fancy one, with a fur collar. The coat becomes a source of pride, garnering all sorts of attention when he wears it down the street and into the office. In a way, the coat is an extension of the main character, a symbol of acquiring something that to others may denote newly gained social status.
The second thing Carmine needs is to feel valued. The new overcoat brings attention his way, but at 5'2, he's still a guy the others tower over and look down upon. They don't respect him. When he receives an invitation to a New Year's party, his luck may be changing. The party will be attended by the mayor, the mayor's mistress (Yvonne Sanson) and other office staff.
During the party, Carmine has a few drinks and loosens up. He suddenly feels confident. After looking out at the window at souls less fortunate on the street, he is moved to interrupt the mayor and make a speech about the city's homeless population. Of course, the mayor and his cronies are not interested in this. The party is meant to be a celebration; they don't want to be reminded of how they've been failing their jobs to do right by the public.
Carmine is soon ushered out, but before he goes, there is a well-filmed bit where he dances with the mayor's mistress. The height disparity between Rascel and Sanson is obvious and adds to the amusing quality of their dance. After leaving the party, Carmine is heading home when he's mugged. His beloved new coat is snatched away from him.
This leads to the next section of the story where he asks for help from the authorities to get his coat back. Some of this is played quite seriously, but of course, the situation becomes increasingly absurd. One thing Lattuada understands about Gogol's story is that it works in a vein of neorealism, but it also lends itself to a grotesque form of satire and surrealism.
After Carmine's unable to get his coat back, we have scenes where he is forced to wear the old one with holes in it. This causes him to get sick in the freezing weather. Soon he develops pneumonia, and there's a memorable scene where neighbors in his apartment building check on him and use a stethoscope to determine if he's still breathing. Unfortunately, he's dead.
The story doesn't end there. Carmine's spirit comes back to avenge his needless death. He haunts thieves who may have been responsible for stealing his coat; and he haunts the mayor during an evening with the mistress. Eventually he reveals himself to the mayor, who didn't know until then that he had died. The mayor has an examination of conscience and quickly reforms, vowing to do better.
Personally, I found the ending too tidy and the mayor's conversion a bit too fast. At least with Dickens, it takes a while for Scrooge to change. Here the change in the mayor's character is almost too abrupt. The point is probably to let the audience know there is hope after all, and corrupt officials can become decent ones.
The best aspect of IL CAPPOTTO is not the rather seamless blending of neorealism and surrealism. It's the strong presentation of a central character who makes a statement about social injustice and causes important self-reflection. That type of truth may be just as stinging as the bitter cold air.