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On her child’s second birthday, Leonor (Luisina Brando) comprehends the fact that becomes central to her girl. Her daughter is a dwarf and as a result, Leonor feels the urge to secretly go to the neighbor’s garden during the night. There, she breaks magic gnome like decorative sculptures. Back home, she gets rid of the books “Gulliver’s Travels”, “Thumbelina” and “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” by burning them.
But by then, while she remains unaware, Leonor has started to live a more diabolical version of a storybook fantasy.
I Don’t Want to Talk About It, which has its premiere today at the 68th Street Playhouse, is a supremely formal and elegantly spine-chilling story written by the Argentinean filmmaker Maria Luisa Bember (also director of the Oscar nominated film Camilla) and she became a winner of the book describes what happens when the dwarf girl, Carlotita (Alejandra Podesta) matures. Her purpose in life is more described as “ for all of those who day dare to be different to express themselves.” Ms Bemberg has geat difficulty to tell this weird story, as it was, as an extended metaphor and turns it into an improbable romance.
In this regard, it represents a triumph of fantasy over fact, and a story rendered poignant by the unwillingness of its protagonist to accept reality (thus the title). Ms. Bemberg, who clearly has the audacity to be different, directed her first film, “Momentos” (1981) at the age of 54. With clear faith in what it is trying to say, she quietly commands the film.
The film’s central figure is actually a courtly, enigmatical gentleman, Ludovico D’Andrea, who is around 15 when he meets Leonor’s daughter and becomes enamored by her. Leonor has dreams for her child, having changed her name to Charlotte and provided her with a classical education, but the arrival of Ludovico surpasses all her expectations.
This man, believed to be a melancholy millionaire, a political radical or a spy, becomes enchanted by little Charlotte. Although the girl is not beautiful, she appears to be extraordinarily compassionate. Her eyes truly reveal sharpness, and when she speaks, it sounds like she is pouring her heart out.
Given that she has engaged a striking star like Marcello Mastroianni for the part of Ludovico, Ms. Bemberg does not overstrain the credility of her audience. It is rather rare for Ludovico and Charlotte to be portrayed together and indeed, what actually transpires between them is inconsequential. What counts is that eventually, Ludovico comes to realize he is in love and this notion gives him intense discomfort. While grappling with the realization of his feelings, he is so self-destructive that he gets into a fistfight with a random man. “Ah, doctor,” he says afterward, “why not shoot me through the heart instead?”
Yet, Ludovico starts doubting the veracity of his own beliefs. He questions whether perhaps not loving Charlotte is not the right thing and his speculation that other people’s opinion do not carry any weight. He is soon going to discover that after he has a conversation with Leonor and proclaims his affection for her daughter, there lies the expected misconception: Naturally, this aging charmer has captured the heart of Leonor, who is herself younger than him by a generation. All the participants in ‘ I Don’t Want to Talk About It’ will begin to reconsider the nature of romantic love when Ludovico starts breaking the rules of romance in the small town setting of the film.
Ms. Bemberg’s artistry of storytelling brings a whole new depth to “I Don’t Want to Talk About It” which sheds the simplification of a love story. The consequences of Leonor’s conscious blindness, Charlotte’s innocent viewpoint along with Ludovico’s intense fabled passion results in a film that is so much larger than life. Mr. Mastroiann’s, as Podesta, courtliness and her enduring character give the film so much more meaning which allows Mr. Mastroiann to maintain a sense of skepticism. Additionally, he cuts her off so effective, considering she appears to so fully be the unusual character she provides the oddity of the story with.
Similar to Charlotte, Ms. Bemberg already expects her audience not to judge too quickly, since the sheer force of personality comes as a much greater surprise than the disbelief is anticipated. The style of the film is bluntly truthful which results in the love story being depicted so incredibly unusual.
“I Don’t Want to Talk About It” has a rating of PG-13 (Caution to parents is recommended). It includes vague sexual situations set in a brothel.
I DON’T WANT TO TALK ABOUT IT Directed by Maria Luisa Bemberg; written in Spanish with English subtitles by Ms. Bemberg and Jorge Goldenberg and translated from a short story by Julio Llinas. Photography director was Felix Monti. Edited by Juan Carlos Macias. Music by Nicola Piovani. Produced by Oscar Kramer. Distributed by Sony Pictures Classics. At 68th Street Playhouse located at Third Avenue and 68th Street, Manhattan. The duration is 102 minutes. This movie is rated PG-13. WITH: Marcello Mastroianni (Ludovico D’Andrea), Luisina Brando (Leonor), Alejandra Podesta (Charlotte), Betiana Blum (Madama), and Roberto Carnaghi (Padre Aurelio)
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