I saw "The Great Beauty", but I watched Toni Servillo. The film has received a slew of awards nods; the buzz is practically a din. As expected the movie itself is reminiscent of "La Dolce Vita" and "8 1/2" with a little "Last Year at Marienbad" for good measure. But in color.
I won't pretend I understood it. Perhaps I was distracted by... Toni Servillo. His character, Jep, is an erudite 65-year-old with the most impeccable fashion sense since Robert Redford got all pastel for his turn in "The Great Gatsby".
Jep doesn't just wear clothes well, he inhabits them. You know the expression about being comfortable in one's skin? He is that comfortable in his skin plus its layer of clothing. The man looks elegant in a rumpled dress shirt and boxers (don't ask). His principal accessories are a well-worn face and slicked-back, little-too-long, many shades of gray hair. Spoiler alert since this could be discussed as to its deeper meaning: towards the end of the movie you see a glimpse of his corset.
I may just be personally susceptible, but Italian men of a certain age do have a certain something. Mary Martin thought so about Ezio Pinza in "South Pacific. Gianni di Gregorio shuffled into my heart after "Mid August Lunch". Tony Bennett got better with age (and can sing too).
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| Ezio |
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| Gianni |
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| Tony |
Take note, Anthony Bourdain. You may not be Italian, but you could look this good in a few years.
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