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» » Le due vite di Mattia Pascal (1985)

Short summary

Unlike in the previous 3 adaptations of the book,here Mattia narrates in flashback,back at his library job in his village,how he changed his name when mistakenly thought dead and tried to start a new life in Rome.

User reviews


  • comment
    • Author: Ucantia
    Based on the brilliant novel by Luigi Pirandello, "The Two Lives of Mattia Pascal" weaves the story of a man who accidentally fakes his own suicide and tries and fails to live a new carefree life before being drawn back to the community that has "buried" him years ago. A superb film about identity, fate, chance and anonymity.
  • comment
    • Author: Impala Frozen
    Mattia Pascal is a petty profiteer,viscous,flabby,giddy,a landlord shamelessly cheated by his administrator (the swindler Malagna,played with some brio by Néstor Garay ...).

    The Two Lives of Mattia Pascal is a movie of eerie atmosphere and of some great bits that mean much in the imaginary's archive.It begins after Mattia leaves his family (his wife and his mother-in-law).The events in Mattia's life suddenly take a soaring run;the casino's villains turn up.Mattia meets Véronique (Caroline Berg).The music is,throughout the film ,alert and powerful,suggesting rather a "giallo" than a satire.There is no transition between Mattia's provincial life and his Monte-Carlo break.The detachment,sarcasm,cool are those of the director Mario Monicelli. Not a very good movie,"Mattia Pascal" is nonetheless suspenseful, amusing, straightforward,grim also, mocking and cynical,in a standard TV way.It is a movie made to amuse.Anyway,Mario Monicelli made much better,and more inventive movies.

    The feminine cast is in itself interesting:Laura Del Sol as "Romilda" (Mattia's wife);Clelia Rondinella as the rustic beauty "Oliva".

    The score is Nicola Piovani's.
  • comment
    • Author: Nicearad
    The fourth film adaptation of Pirandello's 1904 book is not as interesting as the previous ones,But the director,in collaboration with veteran scripter Suso Cecchi D'Amico,has modernized the story by having Mattia pretend to be from Argentina,has given away the ending (that Mattia will return to his home village and his library job) by restructuring the narrative as a flashback told by Mastroianni and has brought out more of the humor that was a part of the author's approach (for example,the detail of Mattia flushing his wedding ring,when he finds out he can adopt a new identity,into a toilet) .
  • Cast overview, first billed only:
    Marcello Mastroianni Marcello Mastroianni - Mattia Pascal
    Senta Berger Senta Berger - Clara
    Flavio Bucci Flavio Bucci - Terenzio Papiano
    Laura Morante Laura Morante - Adriana Paleari
    Laura del Sol Laura del Sol - Romilda Pescatore
    Caroline Berg Caroline Berg - Véronique
    Andréa Ferréol Andréa Ferréol - Silvia Caporale
    Bernard Blier Bernard Blier - Anselmo Paleari
    Alessandro Haber Alessandro Haber - Mino Pomino
    Néstor Garay Néstor Garay - Giambattista Malagna
    Rosalia Maggio Rosalia Maggio - Vedova Pescatore
    Clelia Rondinella Clelia Rondinella - Oliva Salvoni
    Carlo Bagno Carlo Bagno - Pellegrinotto, dattilografo
    Flori Cantori Flori Cantori - Madre di Mattia
    Helen Stirling Helen Stirling - Zia Scolastica
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