The title of
Ettore Scola’s film could be interpreted several ways, as the events of the
narrative take place during an important day in Italian history but may have
even more significance for the two leading characters for completely different
reasons. A Special Day takes place
during Adolf Hitler’s visit to Italy
The festivities
of Hitler’s visit is central to the film’s narrative, though it is even more
telling that our two protagonists are among very few not in attendance.
Antonietta (Sophia Loren) stays home to do housework, unappreciated by her
family and treated as a servant by her unfaithful husband. Although she is
absent from the event, it is not from a lack of faith in her country’s
politics, which cannot also be said of her neighbor. Gabriele (Marcello
Mastroianni) is a former journalist whose sexuality ruined his career and will
shortly result in his deportation. He contemplates suicide alone in his
apartment until Antonietta’s escaped bird finds its way into his apartment,
giving him necessary distraction and companionship.
When these two
accidentally cross paths in what might ordinarily be a fitting ‘meet cute’ for
a typical Loren-Mastroianni production, Scola plays with audience expectations.
We are accustomed to seeing this pair romantically linked, so the plutonic
nature of their friendship is somewhat off-putting. Loren was made to look worn
down, as a mother and housewife to a large Italian family would be, and
Mastroianni sets aside his masculine persona to play a persecuted homosexual.
Their chemistry together remains, though the dynamics of their relationship are
different here than in any of their other collaborations together.
Throughout the
course of this single day, these two lonely souls are able to connect with each
other in unexpected ways, all the while the radio broadcast of Hitler’s visit
is a reminder of the fascist society they live in. Neither have any power in
their own homes (or home country), but they are able to rise above these
limitations in the brief time they have together. Even as the world continues
unchanged after this day, one can imagine that neither of these two will be the
same person after its events. Like a photograph whose color has faded, the
visual style of Scola’s film retains the feeling of a memory saved in a
scrapbook.
The Blu-ray
release includes a newly restored 4K digital transfer of the film, supervised
by Scola and featuring an uncompressed monaural soundtrack. The special
features include the 2014 short film, Human
Voice, also starring Sophia Loren, as well as new interviews with the
actress and Scola. Also included in the extras is a two-part special from “The
Dick Cavett Show” with Loren and Mastroianni as the guests. There is also the
film’s theatrical trailer and a foldout insert with an essay by critic Deborah
Young.
Entertainment Value:
7.5/10
Quality of
Filmmaking: 9/10
Historical
Significance: 8.5/10
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