Oscar-award winning film Life Is Beautiful is a remarkable movie that has impacted its viewers since its release in 1997. I first watched this film after my sister saw it in her high school history class, raving about the brilliance of the film. It's no wonder why I fell in love with the story. It's a classic! Check out these great moments from Life Is Beautiful, and I'm sure it'll be in your collection in no time!
1. Buongiorno Principessa
Buongiorno Principessa. Good-morning Princess. Whenever I hear this phrase, I instantly think of Life Is Beautiful. There is a point in the film when the family is in the concentration camp and the wife Dora is losing hope that her family is still alive. Then, her husband Guido and son Joshua break onto the loud speaker and say, Buongiorno Principessa. It makes me want to cry because it's so meaningful to their relationship, as you know from earlier in the film, and Guido wanted to assure his wife that they were okay. Now that's a man I'd like to have in my life!
2. Baths
What are the odds that Joshua doesn't like taking baths? A striking moment that hit me during the film was when the boy refused to take a bath like the officers ordered. By hiding instead, he actually unknowingly saved his own life from the gas chambers. Something that seems as trivial as a child not wanting to take a bath can have such a big impact.
3. The Rules
The extent that Guido goes to protect his son from the horrors of the concentration camp inspires me. He turns their experience into a game. In one scene, Guido explains the rules to a crowd of inmates while a German officer speaks. You cannot cry, beg for your mother and ask for extra food or lollipops, he says. A father that goes to this extent to protect his son is definitely doing parenting right in my mind.
4. Coincidence
It's hilarious in the start of the film how Guido goes about winning over his soon-to-be-wife Dora. She is engaged to someone else and yet Guido can't live without this beautiful princess in his life. He stages various encounters that he insists are coincidence, though Dora knows otherwise. It's funny and captivating!
5. Belly Button
Can we take a moment to admire the perfect Aryan belly button? Guido continues to entertain me when he imitates a member of the National Fascist Party. His analogy to his superiority based on his incredible belly button shows the ridiculousness of the Nazis' racist thoughts. And of course, Dora is there and happens to witness this shining moment of Guido's life.
6. Dora
Though Dora is not Jewish, she goes to the concentration camp because her family is. I don't necessarily agree that it was the wisest move on her part but it just goes to show the impact her family had on her life. Without them, she would be dead already. Since the first part of the film deals with the relationship between Guido and Dora, I feel this was an important part of the movie.
7. Human Spirit
While researching for this article, I stumbled upon a review written by Rotten Tomatoes. It was interesting to see how they described the film: Life Is Beautiful is not about Nazis and Fascists, but about the human spirit. The spirit that Guido creates for his son throughout the film just goes to show how far you can stretch yourself in order to protect someone you love. Their perseverance and hope amaze me.
Life Is Beautiful is an amazing film that words can't express. It's a classic, that's for sure. What part of the movie stood out to you?