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Antonio is given the task of transporting two children from
Milan away from their mother, who had forced her eleven year
old daughter to work as a prostitute, to an orphanage in Sicily.
At first the relationship between Rosette, Luciano and Antonio
is difficult, but as they make the physical and spiritual
journey south the three start to form a close relationship...
The Stolen Children (Il Ladro Di Bambini, 1992)
was co-written and directed by Gianni Amelio, an Italian director
who has been on the panel of both the Cannes and Venice film
festivals. 1992 and 1993 was a good year for the film as it
won twelve awards - two at Cannes - and was nominated for
a further two. You don't have to take my word for it as the
film credits starts with listing everything the movie won
or was nominated for. I'm sure that this was done because
they felt so proud of the final product, but in truth it felt
more like the film was trying to defend itself before you've
even had a chance to see it. This is odd as this little gem
has nothing to apologise for.
The first thing that you have to say is that Valentina Scalici
(Rosetta) and Giuseppe Leracitano (Luciano) provide superb
portrayals of two abused children who slowly start to believe
that there is a better future for them. Though, in truth,
the acting laurels go to Scalici, who succeeds in blowing
everybody else off the screen. Enrico completes the tragic
triumvirate. Tragic because, as they travel trying to find
the children a new home, Antonio's honest care for the children
leads them into trouble.
Having found no room at the inn - even the church turns the
children away for fear that their past will taint others in
their care - Antonia takes it upon himself to find the children
somewhere where they will be safe. Although the audience can
see that he does this out of a growing selfless love and care
for the children, this was not in his original orders. Back
in the city, where cynicism and darkness holds sway it is
believed that Antonio has kidnapped the children for his own
nefarious purposes and a man hunt begins.
This is not a film of big events. It is the collection of
minutiae, from Italian life, in which the children are immersed
which brings about their change from abused slum dwellers
back closer to the children they should have been. Gianni
brings an honesty to the script, which turns what could have
been a real pot boiler into a truly moving piece of cinema.
The film is presented here in 16:9 full anamorphic widescreen.
The stereo audio track is in Italian with optional subtitles.
The disc contains no extras. The picture quality is a little
soft and grainy, though not enough to distract from the film.
Overall,
this is a great film, the sort of movie that could never be
made in Hollywood.
Charles
Packer
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