Armchair Escapism 4

FILMS

The Hand of God
A grumpy Neapolitan eating a mozzarella like an apple whilst wearing a fur coat in the height of summer; a colossal golden chandelier teetering on the floor of a baroque palazzo; a thrilling boat chase between the police and illegal cigarette smugglers. These are just some of the sensational scenes which make up Paolo Sorrentino’s film, The Hand of God.
When Fabio’s parents die in a car accident, he tries to renounce reality. His grief takes him to the realm of the surreal. Somewhat based on the Sorrentino’s own teenage years, we see a deeply personal portrayal of 1980s Naples through the eyes of a budding artist who grieves. Stunning scenes are filmed with clarity, humour and depth. The title refers to Naple’s hero Maradona, and his famous ‘Hand of God’ goal that defined a period amongst citizens of all ages and backgrounds.

To Catch a Thief
Amongst the glamour of southern France in the 1950s, two of Hollywood’s greatest actors star in a film by one of Hollywood’s greatest directors. Alfred Hitchcock’s ‘To Catch a Thief’ stars Grace Kelly and Cary Grant. John Robie (played by Grant) is an infamous retired burglar whilst Frances Stevens (played by Kelly) is a wealthy heiress whose mother’s jewels suddenly disappear. When a string of further robberies take place, Robie is the main suspect. To prove his innocence, he pairs up with Frances and attempts to find the real thief. Amidst the drama and intrigue, a romance begins to blossom and all the while we are left guessing the culprit until the end.  Above everything, as we follow Kelly and Grant on their adventures, we see how the French Riviera shone in its glory days.

The lost daughter
48-year-old Leda escapes to a Greek island for a solo trip of reading, writing and reflection. There, she observes a loud American-Greek family who occupy the same beach as her. She becomes particularly drawn to the beautiful Nina and her small daughter. They catapult her into a world of flashbacks of her own time as a young, struggling mother with two daughters. Her time in the Mediterranean forces her to confront feelings of guilt, confusion, and regret over the moments when she had prioritised her own freedom over her role as a mother. Olivia Coleman plays the present day Leda with immense force and we are compelled by the complexities of her emotions. Further cast members include Paul Mescal and Dakota Johnson who play their roles with conviction and pulse.

BOOKS

The Garden of the Finzi-Continis, Giorgio Bassani
Set in 1930s Italy, Bassani traces the rise of Fascism through the lives of a wealthy Jewish family in Ferrara. The narrator looks back on his youth and his friendships with the Finzi-Continis. He comes and goes from their vast estate, playing tennis with Alberto and falling in love with Micol (unrequited). As tensions and anti-Semitic sentiment grows throughout Italy, the Finzi-Continis home becomes a sanctuary from the vitriol. The book muses on the innocence of youth, the fragility of human relationships, and the tragedy of a society torn apart by intolerance and hate. Beyond the book, the film adaptation is also a beautiful and shattering portrayal.

Tender is the night, F. Scott Fitzgerald
Wealthy Americans, Dick and Nicole Diver are wasting away on the French Riviera as part of a wealthy, expat circle. Dick, once a charming and successful pschyciatrist has succumbed to alcoholism whilst Nicole’s mental health has deteriorated amidst the breakdown of her marriage. The decadence and glamour of the south of France serves as a symbol of the corruption of wealth. The beautiful surroundings contrast with the emotional turmoil that the couple faces. Away from their homeland, they begin to feel the dark side of the so-called American Dream. 

A Month in Siena, Hisham Matar
When Matar was 19 years old he fell in love with the school of Sienese painting. That same year, he fell into an unknown territory of grief when his father disappeared in connection to persecutions by the Ghaddafi regime. Matar never heard from him again. Years later, as an adult, Matar visits Siena alone and chronicles his month in the medieval Italian city. As he explores its historical art and its present-day happenings, he reflects on the cruelty of his late teenage years. Whether he stands in front of a Renaissance masterpiece or simply watching life go by, he observes everything with depth, sincerity and forethought. The book is short but powerful, and instils within the reader their own desire to escape to a little Italian town for a while…