Life Is Beautiful (movie review)

The story started with a whimsical scene with two young Jew men, Guido Orefice and Feruccio Orefice motoring on countryside on their way to Arezzo, Italy. Unfortunately, their car breaks down. While Feruccio tried to repair the car, Guido, a happy-go-lucky but intelligent kind of man, wanders on a farm. There, a beautiful woman, Dora, fell out of the hayloft, into Guido’s arm. At that instant, Guido fell in love with Dora.

After Feruccio’s successful repair of the car, the two men continued their journey and reached the city. Guido planned to open a bookstore. But because of lack of financial assistance, he decided to work as a waiter in his uncle’s restaurant.

One night, at his uncle’s restaurant, he again saw Dora. Using his humorous and charismatic side, he romances this woman saying that she is as beautiful as a morning sunrise and called her as his princess. He continued attracting her until he learned that Dora was already engaged to an aristocratic councilor. And that party being held in the restaurant was Dora’s engagement party.

With enough determination, he did his best to steal Dora. Fortunately, Dora, who also fell in love for Guido at their very first meeting, left his fiancée and came with Guido riding a green painted horse.

After four years, Guido and Dora had a son named Giosue. They already have a happy family and contented with their lives until the Second World War started. Because of being Jews, Guido, his uncle and his son were forced to become prisoners and at the same time, slaves of the German People. They were placed on a train and taken to a concentration camp. On the other hand, Dora, despite being a non-Jew, demands to be on the same train just to be with her family and was permitted to do so. Unfortunately, their family was still not reunited because males were separated from females.

In the camp, Guido hides his son from the Nazi guards, sneaks him food, and humors him. Even though he is weak and dreadfully tired every day, he keeps his cheery face for his son. Using his own way of manipulating things, he shields Giosue from the horrors of war saying that the war was just a game.

Guido said that whoever gets 1000 points first, will win Giosue’s favorite and unfulfilled birthday wish-a real tank. But, there were also some rules to follow to follow just like if he cries, complains that he wants his mom, or says that he is hungry, he will lose points. Guido also said that the Nazi guards were mean and they want the tank for themselves. Due to Giosue’s innocence and his father’s convincing power, Giosue believed everything about the game.

-to be continued...