Questions


Some things I was unsure of while watching this:

What did the kids do to Clerici as a kid? Was this supposed to be ambiguous?

During the train ride when Clereci and Giulia are kissing, why does the outside scene turn instantly from red to blue?

What is the significance of Anna's whore twin?

What is Giulia and Anna's relationship supposed to represent?

The blond guy near the end is Lino, right? What was he supposed to have done in 1938 that Clerici was questioning him about? Whom had he killed?

How do you like them apples?

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The kids forced him to wear a petticoat/female panties in a park and called him Marcellina. [if you mean this]

The train scene - I guess no meaning, just an artistic idea of Bertolucci.

The meaning of the twin whore escapes me, it's not explained in the book either.

Either Anna was trying lesbian 'ars amandi' [art to love:)] or she focused her attention on Giulia to show Marcello she ignores him utterly. In the book it's clearly said Marcello fell in love with Anna at the first sight, just the opposite feelings Anna felt toward him, knowing he was a 'mouchard' [spy] {as she called him} from the beginning.

Yes, it's Lino and I don't think he's done anythin bad before the war, it was Clerici's histerically shocked reaction after seeing him; he wanted to throw his own remorse {letting Prof. Quadri and Anna murder} on Lino.



Cats come when they feel like it. Not when they're told.

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The kids forced him to wear a petticoat/female panties in a park and called him Marcellina. [if you mean this]

Yeah, that's what I meant. I didn't notice it though. Are you going by the book in your answers?
Yes, it's Lino and I don't think he's done anythin bad before the war, it was Clerici's histerically shocked reaction after seeing him; he wanted to throw his own remorse {letting Prof. Quadri and Anna murder} on Lino.

He gave two dates though. One, I think, was in 1918, which I took to be the date of their first encounter. I assumed that there was some meaning to the second date too.

How do you like them apples?

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Inspite of seeing the movies several times, I somehow can't recall the last scene precisely.

And yes, the book is one of mine all time faves, so the answer is yes,I used it:)


sorry if I haven't been of much help

Cats come when they feel like it. Not when they're told.

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No, thanks for your help, schmitzova.

How do you like them apples?

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Marcello is accusing Lino of doing two things:
(1) Sexually molesting him when he was a 13 year old. That is the previous date in 1917 or 1918 or whenever.

(2) Assassinating the Quadris in 1938. This accusation is not true as far as we know. As far as we know, he could have either been the driver of the car that stopped in front of the Quadris or could have been one of the three men who descended from the forest. None of them looked like him so he probably had nothing to do with it. Nevertheless, Marcello seizes this as an opportunity to not only blame Lino for a crime that Lino committed but also with one that he himself committed. In short, Marcello is falsely accusing Lino of participating in murders for which he himself was guilty.

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I think the use of red and blue, which happen on more than one occasion in the film, symbolises Marcello's feeling states. Red for intent, murderousness, warped desire; blue for cold and calculated.

A bird sings and the mountain's silence deepens.

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The 1938 thing is referring to the assassination of the professor, but Marcello isn't accusing Lino of literally being a part of it. Rather he is asserting that the interaction with Lino as a childhood (the first date) is what lead him to become a fascist (he wanted to fit in to escape his past) and that lead him to killing the professor. It's shaky logic but Marcello needs someone to put the blame on that isn't himself. Another interesting thing about that scene is that Marcello is realizing that that moment in 1917 that shaped the rest of his life wasn't what he thought it to be.

Giulia and Anna are probably supposed to be the antithesis of fascism. Not fear but freedom. Admittedly, though, I'm looking at it through a pretty modern lens where their relationship isn't a big deal but Bertolucci may have felt otherwise.

I understood Anna and Marcello to have previously had a relationship that isn't really addressed in the film. It seems that sometime in the past he was in love with her. She didn't entirely return his love or it ended badly for some other reason. When Marcello saw the prostitute, he was reminded of Anna and felt the urge to hug her.

My best guess for why the train scenery changes is that it's just supposed to show that a fair amount of time has passed. The sun has gone down and maybe come up again. That said, it could also be trying to show their relationship transitioning from fiery sensuality to cool ambivalence.

I don't think it really matters what the kids did to Marcello.

Not sure why I answered that in reverse order.

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