Il Postino
Encyclopedia
Il Postino is a 1994 Italian film directed by Michael Radford
. The film was originally released in the U.S.
as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title. However, since the release of Kevin Costner
's post-apocalyptic film of the same name
, the film has been released on DVD as Il Postino: The Postman, and English language film critics often refer to the film by its Italian title alone.
The film tells a fictional story in which the real life Chile
an poet Pablo Neruda
forms a relationship with a simple postman who learns to love poetry
. It stars Philippe Noiret
, Massimo Troisi
, and Maria Grazia Cucinotta
. The screenplay was adapted by Anna Pavignano, Michael Radford
, Furio Scarpelli
, Giacomo Scarpelli
, and Massimo Troisi from the novel Ardiente paciencia
by Antonio Skármeta
. Skármeta himself had previously adapted his novel for the screen in 1985 as Ardiente paciencia (English translation: "Burning Patience").
Writer/star Massimo Troisi
postponed heart surgery so that he could complete the film. The day after filming was completed, he suffered a fatal heart attack.
, the famous Chile
an poet and communist, is exiled to a small island in Italy
for political reasons. His wife accompanies him. On the island, local Mario Ruoppolo is dissatisfied with being a fisherman like his father. Mario looks for other work and is hired as a temporary postman with only one customer. To get the job, he must declare himself a communist to keep the postmaster happy. He uses his bicycle to hand deliver the mail. Though poorly educated, the postman eventually befriends Neruda and becomes further influenced by Neruda's political views and poetry.
Meanwhile, Mario falls in love with a beautiful young lady, Beatrice Russo, who works in her aunt's village cafe. He is shy with her, but he enlists Neruda's help. He constantly asks Neruda if the metaphor he used was suitable for the poem. Mario is able to better communicate with her and express his love through poetry. Despite the aunt's strong disapproval of Mario, due to his illicit poetry in which he refers to her breasts, Beatrice responds favorably.
The two are married. The priest refuses to allow Mario to have Neruda as his best man, due to politics; however, this is soon resolved. This was because Di Cosimo was the politician in office in the area with the Christian Democrats. At the wedding, Neruda receives the welcome news that there is no longer a Chilean warrant for his arrest, so he returns to Chile.
Mario writes a letter but never gets any reply. Several months later he receives a letter from Neruda. However to his dismay it is actually from his secretary, asking Mario to send Neruda's old belongings back to Chile. While there Mario comes upon an old phonograph
and listens to the song he first heard when he met Neruda. Moved by this he makes recordings of all the beautiful sounds on the island onto a cassette including the heartbeat of his soon-to-be-born child.
Several years later, Neruda finds Beatrice and her son, Pablito (named in honor of Neruda) in the same old inn. From her, he discovers that Mario had been killed before their son was born. Mario had been scheduled to recite a poem he had composed at a large communist gathering in Naples; the demonstration was violently broken up by the police. She gives Neruda recordings of village sounds that Mario had made for him.
around 1970, Il Postino moves the setting to Italy in about 1950. The film is set and was partially filmed on the island of Salina
, of the volcanic Aeolian Island
chain off the north coast of Sicily. One unfortunate victim of the film's popularity has been Pollara Beach on the island, which has suffered erosion from motorboats and vandalism from tourists since the film was produced.
, includes Neruda's poems recited by many celebrities. There are a total of 31 tracks.
The album won the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score
and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music
.
For the 2010 opera based on the film see Daniel Catan
.
reports that 92% of the critics liked the film, based on 25 reviews. It received a score of 81 on Metacritic
, indicating "Universal Acclaim", based on 13 critic reviews.
(1995
), Il Postino received five nominations and one Academy Award.
In the categories for Best Actor and Best Writing, Troisi received posthumous nominations.
BAFTA Awards
Michael Radford
Michael Radford is an English film director and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Radford was born on 24 February 1946, in New Delhi, India, to a British father and an Austrian Jewish mother. He was educated at Bedford School before attending Worcester College, Oxford...
. The film was originally released in the U.S.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
as The Postman, a straight translation of the Italian title. However, since the release of Kevin Costner
Kevin Costner
Kevin Michael Costner is an American actor, singer, musician, producer, director, and businessman. He has been nominated for three BAFTA Awards, won two Academy Awards, and two Golden Globe Awards. Costner's roles include Lt. John J...
's post-apocalyptic film of the same name
The Postman (film)
The Postman is an American post-apocalyptic epic film based on the 1985 novel of the same name by David Brin. It was filmed in northeastern Washington , Fidalgo Island, Washington, central Oregon and Tucson, Arizona, and was directed by Kevin Costner, who also stars in the film...
, the film has been released on DVD as Il Postino: The Postman, and English language film critics often refer to the film by its Italian title alone.
The film tells a fictional story in which the real life Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an poet Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
forms a relationship with a simple postman who learns to love poetry
Poetry
Poetry is a form of literary art in which language is used for its aesthetic and evocative qualities in addition to, or in lieu of, its apparent meaning...
. It stars Philippe Noiret
Philippe Noiret
Philippe Noiret was a French film actor.-Biography:Noiret's father was in the clothes trade. Philippe was an indifferent scholar and attended several prestigious Paris schools, including the Lycée Janson de Sailly. He failed several times to pass his baccalauréat exams, so he decided to study...
, Massimo Troisi
Massimo Troisi
Massimo Troisi was an Italian actor, film director, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994 film Il Postino.- Early years and TV star :...
, and Maria Grazia Cucinotta
Maria Grazia Cucinotta
Maria Grazia Cucinotta is an Siciian/Italian actress who has featured in many films and television series since 1990, she has also worked as a producer, screenwriter and model....
. The screenplay was adapted by Anna Pavignano, Michael Radford
Michael Radford
Michael Radford is an English film director and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Radford was born on 24 February 1946, in New Delhi, India, to a British father and an Austrian Jewish mother. He was educated at Bedford School before attending Worcester College, Oxford...
, Furio Scarpelli
Furio Scarpelli
Furio Scarpelli , also called Scarpelli, was an Italian screenwriter, famous for his collaboration on numerous Commedia all'italiana films with Agenore Incrocci, forming the duo Age & Scarpelli....
, Giacomo Scarpelli
Giacomo Scarpelli
Giacomo Scarpelli , son of Furio Scarpelli, is an Italian scholar in History of Philosophy and screenwriter.Scarpelli was born in Rome. He obtained the Ph.D. at the Department of Philosophy, University of Florence...
, and Massimo Troisi from the novel Ardiente paciencia
Ardiente paciencia
Ardiente Paciencia, or El Cartero De Neruda, is a 1983 novel by Antonio Skármeta. The novel was published in the English market under the title The Postman...
by Antonio Skármeta
Antonio Skármeta
Antonio Skármeta is a Chilean writer, born November 7, 1940 in Antofagasta, Chile. He was born to Croatian immigrants from the Adriatic island of Brač, region of Dalmatia....
. Skármeta himself had previously adapted his novel for the screen in 1985 as Ardiente paciencia (English translation: "Burning Patience").
Writer/star Massimo Troisi
Massimo Troisi
Massimo Troisi was an Italian actor, film director, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994 film Il Postino.- Early years and TV star :...
postponed heart surgery so that he could complete the film. The day after filming was completed, he suffered a fatal heart attack.
Plot
Pablo NerudaPablo Neruda
Pablo Neruda was the pen name and, later, legal name of the Chilean poet, diplomat and politician Neftalí Ricardo Reyes Basoalto. He chose his pen name after Czech poet Jan Neruda....
, the famous Chile
Chile
Chile ,officially the Republic of Chile , is a country in South America occupying a long, narrow coastal strip between the Andes mountains to the east and the Pacific Ocean to the west. It borders Peru to the north, Bolivia to the northeast, Argentina to the east, and the Drake Passage in the far...
an poet and communist, is exiled to a small island in Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
for political reasons. His wife accompanies him. On the island, local Mario Ruoppolo is dissatisfied with being a fisherman like his father. Mario looks for other work and is hired as a temporary postman with only one customer. To get the job, he must declare himself a communist to keep the postmaster happy. He uses his bicycle to hand deliver the mail. Though poorly educated, the postman eventually befriends Neruda and becomes further influenced by Neruda's political views and poetry.
Meanwhile, Mario falls in love with a beautiful young lady, Beatrice Russo, who works in her aunt's village cafe. He is shy with her, but he enlists Neruda's help. He constantly asks Neruda if the metaphor he used was suitable for the poem. Mario is able to better communicate with her and express his love through poetry. Despite the aunt's strong disapproval of Mario, due to his illicit poetry in which he refers to her breasts, Beatrice responds favorably.
The two are married. The priest refuses to allow Mario to have Neruda as his best man, due to politics; however, this is soon resolved. This was because Di Cosimo was the politician in office in the area with the Christian Democrats. At the wedding, Neruda receives the welcome news that there is no longer a Chilean warrant for his arrest, so he returns to Chile.
Mario writes a letter but never gets any reply. Several months later he receives a letter from Neruda. However to his dismay it is actually from his secretary, asking Mario to send Neruda's old belongings back to Chile. While there Mario comes upon an old phonograph
Phonograph
The phonograph record player, or gramophone is a device introduced in 1877 that has had continued common use for reproducing sound recordings, although when first developed, the phonograph was used to both record and reproduce sounds...
and listens to the song he first heard when he met Neruda. Moved by this he makes recordings of all the beautiful sounds on the island onto a cassette including the heartbeat of his soon-to-be-born child.
Several years later, Neruda finds Beatrice and her son, Pablito (named in honor of Neruda) in the same old inn. From her, he discovers that Mario had been killed before their son was born. Mario had been scheduled to recite a poem he had composed at a large communist gathering in Naples; the demonstration was violently broken up by the police. She gives Neruda recordings of village sounds that Mario had made for him.
Cast
- Philippe NoiretPhilippe NoiretPhilippe Noiret was a French film actor.-Biography:Noiret's father was in the clothes trade. Philippe was an indifferent scholar and attended several prestigious Paris schools, including the Lycée Janson de Sailly. He failed several times to pass his baccalauréat exams, so he decided to study...
– Pablo Neruda - Massimo TroisiMassimo TroisiMassimo Troisi was an Italian actor, film director, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994 film Il Postino.- Early years and TV star :...
– Mario Ruoppolo - Maria Grazia CucinottaMaria Grazia CucinottaMaria Grazia Cucinotta is an Siciian/Italian actress who has featured in many films and television series since 1990, she has also worked as a producer, screenwriter and model....
– Beatrice Russo - Renato ScarpaRenato ScarpaRenato Scarpa is an Italian film actor. He has appeared in 85 films since 1969.- Selected filmography :* Don't Look Now * Somewhere Beyond Love * Piedone a Hong Kong * Il mostro...
– Telegrapher - Linda Moretti – Donna Rosa
Setting
Whereas the novel and the 1985 film were set in Chile, with Neruda living in his home at Isla NegraIsla Negra
Isla Negra is a coastal area in El Quisco commune in central Chile, some 45 km south of Valparaiso and 95 km west of Santiago.-Pablo Neruda:...
around 1970, Il Postino moves the setting to Italy in about 1950. The film is set and was partially filmed on the island of Salina
Salina Island
Salina is an island in the Aeolian Islands north of Sicily, southern Italy. It is the second largest island in the archipelago.Salina is divided between three comuni: Santa Marina on the eastern coast, Malfa to the north, and Leni to the south-west. From Leni down towards the sea are the villages...
, of the volcanic Aeolian Island
Aeolian Islands
The Aeolian Islands or Lipari Islands are a volcanic archipelago in the Tyrrhenian Sea north of Sicily, named after the demigod of the winds Aeolus. The locals residing on the islands are known as Eolians . The Aeolian Islands are a popular tourist destination in the summer, and attract up to...
chain off the north coast of Sicily. One unfortunate victim of the film's popularity has been Pollara Beach on the island, which has suffered erosion from motorboats and vandalism from tourists since the film was produced.
Soundtrack
In 1994 to promote the film, Miramax published The Postman (Il Postino): Music From The Miramax Motion Picture, which besides the film's score, composed by Luis Enríquez BacalovLuis Enríquez Bacalov
Luis Enríquez Bacalov is a prolific Argentine, naturalized Italian, composer of film scores. Early on in his career, he composed scores for Spaghetti Western films. In the early 1970s, he collaborated with Italian progressive rock bands. Bacalov has been nominated twice for the Academy Award...
, includes Neruda's poems recited by many celebrities. There are a total of 31 tracks.
The album won the Academy Award for Best Original Dramatic Score
Academy Award for Best Original Score
The Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
and the BAFTA Award for Best Film Music
BAFTA Award for Best Film Music
The Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music is an annual award given by British Academy of Film and Television Arts.-1960s:*1968 - The Lion in Winter - John Barry...
.
For the 2010 opera based on the film see Daniel Catan
Daniel Catán
Daniel Catán was a Mexican composer of Russian Sephardic Jewish descent known particularly for his operas and his creative friendship with the tenor Plácido Domingo.-Career:...
.
Reception
The film was very well received. Rotten TomatoesRotten Tomatoes
Rotten Tomatoes is a website devoted to reviews, information, and news of films—widely known as a film review aggregator. Its name derives from the cliché of audiences throwing tomatoes and other vegetables at a poor stage performance...
reports that 92% of the critics liked the film, based on 25 reviews. It received a score of 81 on Metacritic
Metacritic
Metacritic.com is a website that collates reviews of music albums, games, movies, TV shows and DVDs. For each product, a numerical score from each review is obtained and the total is averaged. An excerpt of each review is provided along with a hyperlink to the source. Three colour codes of Green,...
, indicating "Universal Acclaim", based on 13 critic reviews.
Academy Awards
At the 68th Academy Awards68th Academy Awards
The 68th Academy Awards were held on March 25, 1996, at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion in Los Angeles, California. The show was hosted by Whoopi Goldberg. The ceremony was watched 44.48 million viewers, with 30.5% households watching...
(1995
1995 in film
-Top grossing films:-Events:* March 22 - The Dogme 95 movement is officially announced in Paris by Danish directors Lars von Trier and Thomas Vinterberg.* March 28 - Actress Julia Roberts and singer Lyle Lovett announce their plans for separation....
), Il Postino received five nominations and one Academy Award.
- The film's score, composed by Luis Enríquez Bacalov, won the Academy Award for Best Music (Original Dramatic Score)Academy Award for Best Original ScoreThe Academy Award for Original Score is presented to the best substantial body of music in the form of dramatic underscoring written specifically for the film by the submitting composer.-Superlatives:...
and (as well as a BAFTA Award). - The film was also nominated for: Best PictureAcademy Award for Best PictureThe Academy Award for Best Picture is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to artists working in the motion picture industry. The Best Picture category is the only category in which every member of the Academy is eligible not only...
; Best Director (Michael RadfordMichael RadfordMichael Radford is an English film director and screenwriter.-Early life and career:Radford was born on 24 February 1946, in New Delhi, India, to a British father and an Austrian Jewish mother. He was educated at Bedford School before attending Worcester College, Oxford...
); Best Actor in a Leading RoleAcademy Award for Best ActorPerformance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
(Massimo TroisiMassimo TroisiMassimo Troisi was an Italian actor, film director, and poet. He is best known for his role as Mario Ruoppolo in the 1994 film Il Postino.- Early years and TV star :...
); and Best Writing (Screenplay Based on Material Previously Produced or Published).
In the categories for Best Actor and Best Writing, Troisi received posthumous nominations.
BAFTA AwardsBritish Academy Film AwardsThe British Academy Film Awards are presented in an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts . It is the British counterpart of the Oscars. As of 2008, it has taken place in the Royal Opera House, having taken over from the flagship Odeon cinema on Leicester Square...
- The film won the BAFTA Award for Best Film Not in the English LanguageBAFTA Award for Best FilmThis page lists the winners and nominees for the BAFTA Award for Best Film, BAFTA Award for Best Film not in the English Language and Alexander Korda Award for Best British Film for each year, in addition to the retired earlier versions of those awards...
. - The film's score, composed by Luis Enríquez Bacalov, won the BAFTA Award for Best Film MusicBAFTA Award for Best Film MusicThe Anthony Asquith Award for Film Music is an annual award given by British Academy of Film and Television Arts.-1960s:*1968 - The Lion in Winter - John Barry...
(as well as an Academy Award).