The point of Domenico Salerno’s situation….
Conflicting and often exasperated opinions on Paolo Sorrentino‘s latest film. On the one hand those who are in symbiosis with the director’s worldview and the others who accuse him of everything from aping Fellini or Antonioni and sometimes rightly so, to the use of apparently useless vulgarity, but above all being inconclusive and not making himself understood. This writing is not and cannot be a film criticism because it is not supported by specific skills and professionalism in this regard, it is only the externalization of the sensations (feelings?) that the film left in an attentive spectator and well disposed towards the director at the which confirms the esteem for its qualities and peculiarities. The film Parthenope is certainly an insight into the recent history of the city of Naples and an excursus into the director’s life. The occasion is constituted by the character of the protagonist who paradigmatically represents the city. How the city is born in the sea, and from the sea it radiates like a siren, but elusive to everyone. No one can truly possess her in love, only characters outside of any regularity of life truly attract her. Those who love her with traditional feelings end up coming to a bad end, like the brother-in-love. The protagonist Parthenope dominates men with winks but does not give in except to a filthy character, excellent interpretation by a good Peppe Lanzetta. And even in this indulgence we find the equation between Parthenope and the city; they are both apparently consenting to be conquered but in reality only evil (or the devil) attracts them. Parthenope refuses motherhood and will feel it as a guilt when her mentor Prof. Marotta, as always an exceptional Silvio Orlando, will prove to be a caring and affectionate father towards a son with monstrous features, always an emblem representing the city of Naples, and who the father’s love makes in any case a happy being, precisely because he is loved . There is no shortage of the presence of the Camorra, enchantress and conqueror of the underprivileged who are however assured a glimmer of well-being, even if temporary and ephemeral. A captivating Camorra on the outside and terrible on the inside, a negative expression like the diva, in which many thought they recognized Sofia Loren, played by a particularly good Luisa Ranieri. The character of pseudo Loren hates Naples and the Neapolitans even though thanks to her Neapolitan nature she has achieved success, but above all the wealth to which she is deeply attached. Every scene, every shot has a meaning, a motivation, contains an explanation and all this forces the viewer to have absolute concentration and an effort to interpenetrate with the director which for many costs too much effort. But from the identification with the director’s world, with his visions of life, precious cameos also arise, such as the definition of what anthropology is which is revealed by the prof. Marotta is consistent in “seeing”, yes finally seeing everything that surrounds us without frills and in the nakedness and tragedy of things and in the awareness of a cosmic loneliness for those who did not want or know how to love. And the same paradigm is also evident for the public with respect to the director: if you love him and try to understand him you will be able to appreciate the passion and love he brings to Naples and to humanity, if you do not adhere to his philosophy, you will not be able to understand him. Sorrentino returns to a child ready for joy, in simplicity, with the final scene, of a Fellini style: a strange ship-shaped chariot that transports the players of the Napoli team returning from winning the scudetto. The protagonist also smiles, unfortunately aware of having played the game of life badly.
by Domenico Salerno
