Talk:Life Is Beautiful

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Filming at Auschwitz[edit]

No scene was filmed in the concentration camp at Auschwitz in Poland. I have confirmed that by the direction of the museum. They everytime refused all films except some documents. Wulfstan 09:38, 31 October 2005 (UTC)[reply]

I saw a TV quiz a few years ago on Serbian TV "BK" with a question "In which recently-released movie does the greater part of the plot take place in Aushwitz?" The answer was "Life is Beautiful", but the man who came up with the question failed to take into account that the Aushwitz was liberated by the Soviets, not Americans, as shown in the movie (and never mind the mountains that look more like Italy than Poland). So the camp (in the movie plot) was definitely not Aushwitz.
-- Veljko Stevanovich 7. 12. 2005. 9:50 UTC+1

I am the main author of the thema of the Nazi camps in the Polish Wikipedia. I am also in very good relations with the direction of the Auschwitz-Birkenau State Museum. They have confirmed to me, that they were asked, but they refused the authorization to film a non-historical movie inside the ex-camp. Wulfstan 18:42, 2 January 2006 (UTC)[reply]

The movie was in fact shot in Italy. The concentration camp was recreated in an abandoned steel factory, near Terni. --Gspinoza 17:48, 13 March 2007 (UTC)[reply]
I don't think the movie ever specifies what camp the story takes place in, but one camp near Italy that had homicidal gas chambers and crematoria would be the Mauthausen-Gusen complex. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2A02:8388:502:3D80:B1A7:170C:95CD:10BE (talk) 14:27, 30 September 2016 (UTC)[reply]

Misinterpretation[edit]

I do not think that this is true: "The misinterpretation, meant as humor, placed other captives in jeopardy under the gravest of circumstances." Right after Guido finishes his mistranslation, he tells the other captive, who is fluent in German, to tell all of the other men what the guards really said. In the end, they all learn the real rules and Guido maintains the facade for his son.

We can guess they learn the rules, but they don't show it in the film.--Rataube 22:56, 10 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

In the English version, he tells a person to make sure to tell him the translation, so no guessing is needed.

In the versions I've seen, he does tell the others to ask Bartolomeo (sp?), and then to tell him (Guido) what it turns out they've said; however, it is not evident that Bartolomeo actually knows German — after all, wouldn't he have offered to translate when Guido first admitted he didn't speak the language? I've always read it as Guido palming them off on Bartolomeo, who likewise doesn't know German, to temporarily save himself from attack, on the assumption that everyone will be able to find out the real announcement by asking captives in other barracks where someone knew German.Lawikitejana (talk) 01:07, 8 March 2008 (UTC)[reply]
The prior conversation between Guido and Bartolomeo stongly suggests the latter understands German. Ordinary Person (talk) 01:54, 14 February 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Controversy: add heading?[edit]

A chapter on the controversy the film arised would be good...--Rataube 22:56, 10 April 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I agree (see my discussion: "...and outside of that the horror is not whitewashed"), based on my reading of Kobi Niv's book and my understanding of Italian Jewry during that period and practices in Nazi concentration camps overall.
As I'm insufficiently prepared to write the pertinent material, I'll watch this page and edit in due course. -- Deborahjay 00:13, 15 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

"...and outside of that the horror is not whitewashed" -- Really?[edit]

Whichever editor wrote this remark in the article, I challenge it but seek corroboration before editing further.

According to Kobi Niv's book, "Life is Beautiful, but Not for Jews" (in the Hebrew original I read), the film scrupulously avoids onscreen depictions of the actual circumstances of concentration camps, e.g. starved and broken inmates, summary executions and corporal punishment frequently delivered in full view of other inmates rather than discreetly performed elsewhere (offscreen), and similar points. Is that not whitewashing?

I don't have access to the book's English edition for the purpose of citing passages. Would appreciate other editors' assistance here, in this or in adjusting the text of the article on this point (as noted in the heading of this discussion). --Deborahjay 00:04, 15 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

  • The edit was recent, on 2006-05-20 19:07:01 by 71.146.133.208. As an IP Address, it is unlikely that they are watching this article. I've not (yet, although it's in my collection) watched the film yet, personally, so have nothing more to add at this time. — Estarriol talk 13:14, 15 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]
    • Further info, as reported on the NCHP - that IP user is famous for dodgy edits of historical articles. See User talk:71.146.133.208, and please consider removing the statement if you feel it isn't appropriate. — Estarriol talk 13:22, 15 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Done, as NPOV ("horror" being a subjective assessment in this unsupported statement). -- Deborahjay 07:48, 16 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

Further to this, I'll translate the bio article on Kobi Niv into English to establish his credentials for English-language readers. I'll add a synopsis of his thesis to this article (preferably supplemented by Web-accessible critiques as external links), then develop that into a separate article on his book. -- Deborahjay 07:48, 16 June 2006 (UTC)[reply]

I realize now about the confusion that the "whitewash" term created. What I meant was that Life is Beautiful is not whitewashed (ie what I meant is that it was stripped down to the VERY bare hints of dark and violent content ALA Hogan's Heroes) but it was "bowdlerized" to make it suitable for a wider (though obviously not too wider) audience than say Schindler's List, for lack of a better term (aka it did not go into every nitty gritty detail about the horrors commited by the murderous thugs (and yes, I know that might offend some ex-concentration camp guards, but after everything that happened to those who were unfortunate enough to come under their power, I am FAR beyond caring)in the concentration camps, but it is shown prominently enough so that anyone with base knowledge of the holocaust and a healthy amount of common sense knows EXACTLY what the sick rats are doing.) Again, I am sorry about the confusion caused, but it was DEFINITLY a lot more viewer-friendly than Schindler's List, though it is also not a happy-happy joy joy like Hogan's Heroes, and I find it strange that the criticisim claims that it "whitewashes" the holocaust, when it is obvious about the utter depradation it portrays. Again, sorry for the confusuion, and do what you wish with the add-on.ELV

Comparison to Stalag 17, which Hogan's Heroes stole from, might be more pertinent. Stalag 17 is much darker. And since Life is Beautiful claims to be a fable, I don't see a reason for criticizing that it is not more of a documentary. Oh, and just to be clear, Stalag 17 (and Hogan's Heroes) are about life in a POW camp, not a concentration camp, and in Stalag 17, POWs are shown being shot for trying to escape, the lead is not beloved by those in his barracks but is beaten up by them because he is accused of being a snitch, a character is so haunted by the horrors of the war that he is silent throughout the whole movie, etc. The TV show is very different (even Sergeant Schultz is shown as having a sense of humor and being amused by the jokes played on him, rather than as a mindless dolt in the TV show).

People who complain about this have no imagination/empathy it seems. You don't see Guido executed but you know it and it is not necessary for the story to show the actual "horrors". Mallerd (talk) 10:22, 6 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]

Wonderful...! Ironic...![edit]

My name is Veronika Swanti. I once did a play performance of Life is Beautiful. It became the best performance in my university. Thank you for the story. We are so inspired by this. We know that life is so beautiful and full color, though the color is black. If you want to see the copy of video, please send me an e-mail at phero_2109@yahoo.com Yours,

Swanti

Snow White riddle[edit]

i know this may not be the place to ask, but im curious about the snow white riddle-

i already now the answer is "seven" but i dont know WHY its that-
heres the riddle--->


"Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs stop for a bite to eat. How fast can you guess what she serves them next?"

if you know, please tell me- -- —Preceding unsigned comment added by 194.154.149.197 (talk • contribs) at 09:04, 3 January 2007

Seven Seconds....There are seven dwarfs...she is serving them second helpings next...so seven seconds. -- —Preceding unsigned comment added by 65.121.135.195 (talk • contribs) at 13:32, 19 March 2007

In Italian the riddle is: "Biancaneve in mezzo ai nani. Indovina questo indovinello, cervellone, nel tempo che ti dà la soluzione" = "Snow White between the dwarfs. Guess this ridle, genius, in the times that gives you the solution". The answer is 7 minuti (7 minutes). Minuto, like the english Minute, means at the same time 1/60 of hour and small. So, Biancaneve is fra 7 minuti, that can be translated both: between 7 little ones and in 7 minutes. -- —Preceding unsigned comment added by 151.77.243.125 (talk • contribs) 11:42, 12 June 2007

It works better in Italian. -- Beardo (talk) 12:36, 15 August 2008 (UTC)[reply]

What about the riddle in the concentration camp? The one with quack-quack-quack? Mallerd (talk) 10:16, 6 May 2009 (UTC)[reply]


Which year[edit]

The Wikipedia entry for the 71st Acadamy Awards says that they were held in 1999, and on that page it also says that the winner for best foreign language film that year was Life is Beautiful. Yet the box at the bottom of the page says that it won in 1998.

Is that an error, or is there some explanation? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 81.187.233.172 (talk) 18:11, 8 June 2010 (UTC)[reply]

Off the top of my head ... the films and awards for 1998 are actually presented at the ceremony held in 1999. So, if a film were produced at any point in the calendar year 1998, it is honored at the Oscars ceremony held in January / February 1999. So, it is still considered the 1998 Best Film or 1998 Best Actor or whatever category prize. Thanks. (64.252.34.115 (talk) 01:34, 31 August 2010 (UTC))[reply]

Reception[edit]

I think, the reception part is too biased, too subjective… the neutrally is not given there for a Wikipedia article! To be exact, I mean the reviews of Rick Groen & Kenneth Turan. Could somebody please delete these parts? — Preceding unsigned comment added by 82.195.234.51 (talk) 12:57, 13 June 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Rubino Romeo Salmoni[edit]

Not even logged in right now, but why is there no mention of Rubino Romeo Salmoni, the man who's story was adapted into this movie? For that matter, there's no entry for Rubino Romeo Salmoni at all, who passed away this sunday. 82.45.189.14 (talk) 23:38, 13 July 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Nonsensical sentence in intro[edit]

The following sentence is in the intro : "Part of the film came from Benigni's own family history: before born his son and all the family , including Benigni's Italian wife , interned at the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp."

I wanted to correct it, but I couldn't really figure out the meaning of it.. Does someone have any idea? I'm guessing that it's supposed to mean that Benigni's family was interned at Bergen (but he and his wife were born after), but I don't want to take chances.--Munin75 (talk) 02:42, 20 April 2012 (UTC)[reply]

Timeline[edit]

The movie starts in 1939 (per the title card). The seizure of Guido and Joshua occurs in a German-occupied Italian town, so it must occur after October 1943. Historically, Arezzo (where the movie occurs) fell to the Allies in July-August 1944, but the movie does not reference any historical markers so "late in World War II" is probably as accurate as you can be. Astro$01 (talk) 04:54, 9 March 2013 (UTC)[reply]

Giosué vs Joshua[edit]

For consistency's sake, what name should be use for Guido's son? The article switches to Giosué mid-way in the article and it bugs me. MisaTange (talk) 04:54, 24 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]

I looked at the external links in the article. Of those that list the credits, 4 say Giosué, 1 says Joshua, and one says Giosué (Joshua). Based on that highly scientific study, I would say go with Giosué. BollyJeff | talk 12:39, 24 March 2015 (UTC)[reply]
Modified to read Giosuè, because the Italian name is spelled with a grave accent, not an acute. — Preceding unsigned comment added by 2601:240:4B00:AEA0:D0E6:A37C:5720:4B9C (talk) 01:03, 15 March 2020 (UTC)[reply]

Benigni's father[edit]

The line about Benigni's father having been a Holocaust survivor needs a few more words. According to the WP article on Benigni himself, he is not of Jewish extraction. Therefore, the Nazis had something else against his father. Which of their exhaustive list of "people who need killing" was he? Communist? Trade unionist? Esperantist? Mental patient? Partisan? The mind naturally poses the question, but the article doesn't answer it. A slight rewrite of the line in question, and perhaps three more words, would do it. Laodah 22:17, 2 May 2016 (UTC)[reply]

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