The Garden of the Finzi-Continis directed by Vittorio De Sica tells the story of the Finzi-Contini, a wealthy, Jewish, and aristocratic family, in fascist Ferrara Italy through the eyes of Georgo, a upper middle class jew. The Finzi-Contini’s represent an older aristocratic European tradition that was dying after World War 1 leading them to ignore the dangerous realities, and the restrictions placed on their lives by the fascist italian state. They are so oblivious to the danger that they do not consider leaving Ferrara or Italy unlike the other Jews in the film. The director uses a series of visual cues to show the audience that the family will not leave Italy despite the growing danger.
The Finzi-Continis’s dog Joir is a symbol for the family. …show more content…
When Georgo and Micol run into her carriage house to escape the rain, the carriage house is rundown, filled with outdated items, and is outdated. ( figure 2: 25:29). Some of the windows are missing, the walls and floors appear dirty, there is a faded mural in the background, and the gymnastic equipment looks outdated. All of this is contrasted with a modern car, which is in the center of the foreground of the frame. The car appears out of place, so it emphasis the old age, the dilapidated nature, and the impracticality of the rest of the objects, and the carriage house. In the very next shot, the camera flips around, and shows the other side of the carriage house(Figure 3, 25:30). In the foreground of the frame is the family's old carriage with a horse in the background. It like the rest of the objects in the frame was a luxury when it was purchased, but is only a shell of its former glory. The direct juxtaposition in the car, and the carriage highlight the family's love of the past, and their inability to complete the transition to the future. The families old fashion live style is highlighted by Micol when she admits that Perrotti still puts flowers in the carriage, and he escorts the grandmother around the property in it. With this admission, he acknowledges that the families has not moved past the time when it was at the peak of its …show more content…
It clear that the threat of fascist persecution is a constant threat to Georgo and his family(Figure 4, 41:53). This frame takes at a gathering at Georgo families house during a gathering between family and friends. The group was boisterously singing and then the phone rings, Georgo answers as everyone quiets down to listen, and no one speaks. The phone rings again, George answers it again, and no one speaks again.. Everyone at the party is clearly scared by the calls, and they everyone is afraid of what they could be. The frame takes place after Georgo has sat down. the phone rings again, and everyone’s head whips towards the phone. The shot is taken at the eye level of the four men which forces the audience to look at their tense faces. In the lower center portion of the frame is an object which obstructs the viewers view, and it points directly towards Georgo’s father. The obstruction draws the viewer’s eyes to Georgo’s father who is unable to look at the phone without fear. This is significant because he started the film by defending the fascists and their policies, but he is now afraid of what the phone ringing alludes to. The men’s costumes and the stage decoration also tell the viewer a lot about the family. The men are wearing suits, so they are dressed normally for the time period while the drapes in the background look newer and
The Finzi-Continis’s dog Joir is a symbol for the family. …show more content…
When Georgo and Micol run into her carriage house to escape the rain, the carriage house is rundown, filled with outdated items, and is outdated. ( figure 2: 25:29). Some of the windows are missing, the walls and floors appear dirty, there is a faded mural in the background, and the gymnastic equipment looks outdated. All of this is contrasted with a modern car, which is in the center of the foreground of the frame. The car appears out of place, so it emphasis the old age, the dilapidated nature, and the impracticality of the rest of the objects, and the carriage house. In the very next shot, the camera flips around, and shows the other side of the carriage house(Figure 3, 25:30). In the foreground of the frame is the family's old carriage with a horse in the background. It like the rest of the objects in the frame was a luxury when it was purchased, but is only a shell of its former glory. The direct juxtaposition in the car, and the carriage highlight the family's love of the past, and their inability to complete the transition to the future. The families old fashion live style is highlighted by Micol when she admits that Perrotti still puts flowers in the carriage, and he escorts the grandmother around the property in it. With this admission, he acknowledges that the families has not moved past the time when it was at the peak of its …show more content…
It clear that the threat of fascist persecution is a constant threat to Georgo and his family(Figure 4, 41:53). This frame takes at a gathering at Georgo families house during a gathering between family and friends. The group was boisterously singing and then the phone rings, Georgo answers as everyone quiets down to listen, and no one speaks. The phone rings again, George answers it again, and no one speaks again.. Everyone at the party is clearly scared by the calls, and they everyone is afraid of what they could be. The frame takes place after Georgo has sat down. the phone rings again, and everyone’s head whips towards the phone. The shot is taken at the eye level of the four men which forces the audience to look at their tense faces. In the lower center portion of the frame is an object which obstructs the viewers view, and it points directly towards Georgo’s father. The obstruction draws the viewer’s eyes to Georgo’s father who is unable to look at the phone without fear. This is significant because he started the film by defending the fascists and their policies, but he is now afraid of what the phone ringing alludes to. The men’s costumes and the stage decoration also tell the viewer a lot about the family. The men are wearing suits, so they are dressed normally for the time period while the drapes in the background look newer and