Family Diary
Encyclopedia
Family Diary is a 1962 Italian film directed by Valerio Zurlini
and based on the novel by Vasco Pratolini
. It tells the story of two brothers (played by Marcello Mastroianni
and Jacques Perrin
) who are brought up apart from each other at their mother's death, then brought together by difficult family circumstances.
Once described as the "classiest male weepie ever filmed", Family Diary is an exemplary adaptation of the semi-autobiographical Vasco Pratolini
novel Two Brothers, and won Zurlini a shared Golden Lion
at the Venice Film Festival
.
Marcello Mastroianni
gives a sensitive, finely judged performance as Enrico, a struggling journalist in the Rome of 1945. He receives a phone call informing him that his younger brother Lorenzo (Jacques Perrin
) has died. Enrico recalls their long and difficult relationship; he was brought up by their poor but warm-hearted grandmother (Sylvie), Lorenzo was raised as a gentleman by a wealthy local aristocrat. Reunited in the Florence
of the 1930s
, Enrico becomes his spoilt brother's keeper, forever haunted by a sense of guilty responsibility towards a man he both hates and loves.
Beautifully photographed by Giuseppe Rotunno
, this austere, deeply-felt masterwork has been acclaimed as one of Zurlini's greatest achievements.
Valerio Zurlini
Valerio Zurlini was an Italian film director, stage director and screenwriter.-Biography:During his law studies in Rome, he started working in the theatre. In 1943, he joined the Italian resistance. Zurlini became a member of the Italian Communist Party...
and based on the novel by Vasco Pratolini
Vasco Pratolini
Vasco Pratolini was one of the most noted Italian writers of the twentieth century.Born in Florence, Pratolini worked at various jobs before entering the literary world thanks to his acquaintance with Elio Vittorini. In 1938 he founded, together with Alfonso Gatto, the magazine Campo di Marte...
. It tells the story of two brothers (played by Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
and Jacques Perrin
Jacques Perrin
Jacques Perrin is a French actor and filmmaker. He is occasionally credited as Jacques Simonet. Simonet was his father's name and Perrin his mother's.-Life and career:...
) who are brought up apart from each other at their mother's death, then brought together by difficult family circumstances.
Once described as the "classiest male weepie ever filmed", Family Diary is an exemplary adaptation of the semi-autobiographical Vasco Pratolini
Vasco Pratolini
Vasco Pratolini was one of the most noted Italian writers of the twentieth century.Born in Florence, Pratolini worked at various jobs before entering the literary world thanks to his acquaintance with Elio Vittorini. In 1938 he founded, together with Alfonso Gatto, the magazine Campo di Marte...
novel Two Brothers, and won Zurlini a shared Golden Lion
Golden Lion
Il Leone d’Oro is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most distinguished prizes...
at the Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
.
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
gives a sensitive, finely judged performance as Enrico, a struggling journalist in the Rome of 1945. He receives a phone call informing him that his younger brother Lorenzo (Jacques Perrin
Jacques Perrin
Jacques Perrin is a French actor and filmmaker. He is occasionally credited as Jacques Simonet. Simonet was his father's name and Perrin his mother's.-Life and career:...
) has died. Enrico recalls their long and difficult relationship; he was brought up by their poor but warm-hearted grandmother (Sylvie), Lorenzo was raised as a gentleman by a wealthy local aristocrat. Reunited in the Florence
Florence
Florence is the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany and of the province of Florence. It is the most populous city in Tuscany, with approximately 370,000 inhabitants, expanding to over 1.5 million in the metropolitan area....
of the 1930s
1930s
File:1930s decade montage.png|From left, clockwise: Dorothea Lange's photo of the homeless Florence Thompson show the effects of the Great Depression; Due to the economic collapse, the farms become dry and the Dust Bowl spreads through America; The Battle of Wuhan during the Second Sino-Japanese...
, Enrico becomes his spoilt brother's keeper, forever haunted by a sense of guilty responsibility towards a man he both hates and loves.
Beautifully photographed by Giuseppe Rotunno
Giuseppe Rotunno
Giuseppe Rotunno, A.S.C., A.I.C. is an Italian cinematographer. Sometimes credited as Peppino Rotunno, he was director of photography on eight films by Federico Fellini...
, this austere, deeply-felt masterwork has been acclaimed as one of Zurlini's greatest achievements.
Cast
- Marcello MastroianniMarcello MastroianniMarcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
- Enrico - Jacques PerrinJacques PerrinJacques Perrin is a French actor and filmmaker. He is occasionally credited as Jacques Simonet. Simonet was his father's name and Perrin his mother's.-Life and career:...
- Lorenzo - SylvieSylvieSylvie is a Canadian musical group from Regina, Saskatchewan. It features singer/guitarist Joel Passmore, formerly of the now-disbanded Despistado, alongside bass player Riva Farrell Racette, guitarist Chris Notenboom, keyboardist Erin Passmore and drummer Jeff Romanyk...
- Grandmother - Salvo RandoneSalvo RandoneSalvatore "Salvo" Randone was an Italian theatrical and film actor. He appeared in 45 films between 1943 and 1977.He was married to the actress Neda Naldi-Selected filmography:...
- Salocchi - Valeria Ciangottini - Enzina
- Serena VerganoSerena VerganoSerena Vergano born Adalgisa Serena Maggiora Vergano , is an Italian actress. She was the muse of the Barcelona School of Film, acting in many of the films of this movement.-Career:...
- Hospital Nun - Marco Guglielmi
- Franca Pasut
- Miranda Campa
- Nino Fuscagni
- Marcella Valeri
External links
- http://www.italicapress.com/index095.html Martha King's English translation of Cronaca familiare as Family Chronicle.