Hidden Movie Gem: “Bread and Chocolate”
Today’s Hidden Movie Gems guest post comes courtesy of Mark Twain:
Movie Title: Bread and Chocolate (Italian Pane E Cioccolata )
Year: Italy 1974 USA 1978
Writers: Franco Brusati, Nino Manfredi and Iaia Fiastri.
Lead Actors: Nino Manfredi Johnny Dorelli Ana Karina
Director: Franco Brusati
Plot Summary: A earnestly sincere Italian temporary worker tries to become a member of Swiss society but fails as a waiter and even as a chicken plucker. He then becomes involved with shady wealthy character and tries to hide his Italian identity. He refuses to give up no matter how awful his situation.
Why I Think This Movie Is A Hidden Gem: My regard for this production has grown since first viewing it with friends from college. In Bread and Chocolate, Nino Manfredi plays Nino, an undocumented Italian immigrant who has taken a job as a waiter at an elegant Swiss resort. When he is fired from his waiter position a series of comical mishaps plague Nino’s efforts to assimilate. As Nino’s efforts backfire he moves from weary resignation to an I-Am-Somebody stand-up-ness. Initial scenes play broadly comic but Nino Manfredi’s skills, allow us to believe in the likelihood of such events. At times comic touches seem overwrought but the filmmakers never lose sight of their theme, the underlying gap between the wealthy and the working poor. Nino’s decision to return to Italy, provides the films climax as we watch a sullen Nino riding with other returning Italian laborers. When they begin singing the praises of Sunny Italy and it’s wonderful wine and beautiful women, Nino’s frustration finally erupts and with the best speech in the film tells the singers they are all suckers and the whole thing about how wonderful Italy is a fantasy and they are all just getting screwed. The final scene shows the train disappearing into the long border tunnel. As its shrieking whistle fades the camera remains staring at the gaping emptiness until finally Nino emerges, walking, suitcase in hand, and then stops, completely perplexed and stunned at his own confusion. Fourty years on Bread and Choclate stands as an effective statement about displacement, identity and class conflict even more topical than when it was released. That is why I think Bread and Chocolate is a hidden gem.
My Favorite Moment In The Movie: After having sought refuge with a group of bootleg chicken pluckers Nino, through a chicken wire window, watches as several young people arrive on horseback to skinny dip in a nearby pond. Nino’s dilemma could not be more clearly displayed as he watches the privileged offspring of the wealthy Swiss land owner frolic in a Golden Elysium only a few yards away from his chicken coop sanctuary:
My Favorite Dialogue In the Movie: “With two million immigrants in a country of five million people there is bound to be friction.”
Key Things You Should Look For When Watching This Movie: From a screenwriter’s point of view this film’s deft use of reversals which further the plot as the main character is challenged to grow beyond his personal limits.
You can see the entire movie online for free here.
Thanks, Mark! To show our gratitude for your guest post, here’s a dash of creative juju for you. Whoosh!
Tomorrow: Another Hidden Movie Gem!
Note: At this point, we have 28 guest posts. We are shooting for 31. If you’d like to submit a post for one of your favorite Hidden Movie Gems, please use the above template and email to me.
Also I’m looking for a special horror gem to post on Halloween Day.
You’ve done a great job so far, folks. Let’s finish this series strong!