Director: Vittorio De Sica
Stars: Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni
Running time: 104 minutes
Certificate: 15
Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni star as lovers torn apart by war in a beautifully crafted film by Vittorio De Sica. Originally released in 1970, SUNFLOWER comes to DVD in a newly restored version. The film is indeed a classic depicting the trails and heartbreak of war-torn lovers, but more so through the outstanding performances of Loren and Mastroianni.
The film starts twelve days before WW II breaks out; Giovanna (Loren) marries Antonio (Mastroianni) after a whirlwind romance. It soon becomes clear that the two are inseparable and the outbreak of war threatens their bond. With no desire to fight in the conflict Antonio fakes insanity, but officials soon see through the charade and send Antonio to the Russian front where he battles against the unbearable freezing temperatures and a short supply of rations.
As the war ends, Antonio is left to die in the snow after he is unable to keep up with his troop. All hope is lost until he is found by a beautiful Russian girl who hides him and helps him recover. Giovanna struggles to cope with the news that her missing in action husband is dead and decides to travel to Ukraine – by-then post-war Russia – to search for the man she vowed never to abandon.
Of course there are elements you come to expect with a story centred on romance, but Vittorio De Sica expertly crafts the emotional journey whilst tapping into his Neo-realist roots. The film’s ending whilst feeling unsatisfying is realistic and adds to the tragedy that unfortunately love does not conquer all.
It’s hard to fault a classic, especially since the film was under the direction of De Sica. In lesser hands, SUNFLOWER could have easily been a self indulged load of drivel, yet De Sica provides a powerful and heartbreaking story. The battle scene shows a harrowing portrait of the brutality of war, with Italian soliders falling one by one into frozen death.
Loren and Mastroianni are both screen royalty, and both deliver a captivating performance. Loren artfully plays down the glamour, which is clearly no easy task, to convey the heroic determination of her character that battles her own war. Sophia encompasses a vulnerability and naivety in her portrayal of Giovanna that encourages audiences to feel her heartbreak, whilst delivering an unforgettable performance. Mastroianni provides a stunning performance as he effortlessly shows the journey of a joyful youth who is full of life to the transformation of a broken man. The scene in which Mastroianni spots Loren at the train station speaks volumes in emotion even though not a single word was uttered.
SUNFLOWER is a classic Italian drama that can still conjure so much feeling and is definitely a must have for anyone who admires Italian cinema or just appreciates good film. The DVD comes with a few delightful extras, an exclusive documentary SOPHIA, YESTERDAY TODAY TOMORROW woven around an intimate interview with Loren. As well as a stunning photo gallery that features images from the film and documentary. The film itself is presented in a newly restored version with an additional eight minutes of previously unseen footage. The added bonus features certainly provide a tempting incentive.
[usr=5] SUNFLOWER is released iTunes and on DVD today.
