A Special Day
| A Special Day | |
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.jpg) Film poster |
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| Directed by | Ettore Scola |
| Produced by | Carlo Ponti |
| Written by | Maurizio Costanzo Ruggero Maccari Ettore Scola |
| Starring | Sophia Loren Marcello Mastroianni John Vernon |
| Music by | Armando Trovajoli |
| Cinematography | Pasqualino De Santis |
| Editing by | Raimondo Crociani |
| Release date(s) |
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| Running time | 110 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
A Special Day (Italian: Una giornata particolare) is a 1977 Italian film which tells the story of a housewife and her neighbor who stay at home in Rome on the day that Adolf Hitler visits Benito Mussolini. It stars Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and John Vernon, and was directed by Ettore Scola.[1] The film was a co-production between companies in Italy and Canada. The film received two nominations for Oscars in 1977: Best Actor in a leading role (Marcello Mastroianni) and Best Foreign Language Film.
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Plot[edit]
The day is May 8, 1938, the day when Hitler visited Rome to meet premier Mussolini. Also on this day, as her entire family (including her fascist husband) goes to the streets to follow the great meeting and the parade, an Italian housewife (Loren) stays home looking after some domestic tasks. Her apartment building is empty but for a man (Mastroianni) who seems repulsed by fascism (a strange attitude in those days), living in the building across in the complex.
As this chamber drama progresses, and loneliness of each is revealed, the audience learns that this man is a radio broadcaster who has lost his job and is about to be deported to Sardinia, due to his political attitudes and his homosexuality. Unaware of this, the housewife flirts with him, as they meet by chance in the empty building. During their conversation, the rather naïve and mainstream woman is surprised by his opinions and finally shocked when she realizes his sexual orientation.
Nonetheless, despite their fights and arguments, a friendship develops and they eventually make love before he is taken away by the police and her family comes back home.[2][3]
Cast[edit]
- Sophia Loren - Antonietta
- Marcello Mastroianni - Gabriele
- John Vernon - Emanuele, Antonietta's husband
- Françoise Berd - Caretaker
- Patrizia Basso - Romana
- Tiziano De Persio - Arnaldo
- Maurizio Di Paolantonio - Fabio
- Antonio Garibaldi - Littorio
- Vittorio Guerrieri - Umberto
- Alessandra Mussolini - Maria Luisa
- Nicole Magny - Officer's Daughter
Special scenes[edit]
A number of unusual cinematic techniques are used in this film. A long take scene introduces Antonietta (Sophia Loren) and her family, the camera enters through the kitchen window and moves into the rooms. Deep focus is utilised in a scene in which the camera is in Antonietta's room with her in the frame and through a far distant window Gabriele (Marcello Mastroianni) can be seen moving in his house in the same frame.
Awards[edit]
- The film won the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film.
- It was nominated for Academy Awards for Best Actor in a Leading Role (Marcello Mastroianni) and Best Foreign Language Film.[4]
- In Italy won 3 Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress, Music and Script; and 2 David di Donatello for Best Actress and Best Director.
- In France, it won César Award for Best Foreign Film.
- In was nominated for the Golden Palm at the 1977 Cannes Film Festival.[5]
See also[edit]
- List of submissions to the 50th Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film
- List of Italian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film
References[edit]
- ^ "NY Times: A Special Day". NY Times.com. Retrieved 2009-03-29.
- ^ Review - A Special Day Channel 4.
- ^ A Special Day
- ^ "The 50th Academy Awards (1978) Nominees and Winners". oscars.org. Retrieved 2012-06-16.
- ^ "Festival de Cannes: A Special Day". festival-cannes.com. Retrieved 2009-05-11.
External links[edit]
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