Il silenzio dell'allodola (2005) Online

The movie purports to tell the story of Bobby Sands, a North Irish Catholic who was tortured and abused by British forces, and died in a hunger strike. That much is historical fact and stated at the beginning of the film, so the plot and ending have no surprises. It's an important story that deserves better treatment than this movie provides, despite the best intentions of the director. The story is laden with heavy-handed religious imagery comparing Bobby Sands to John the Baptist, and the prison warden to Herod. The Warden with a hook nose and long, stringy hair comes off as a very insulting Jewish stereotype. There is also a scene where he is sexually involved with one of the guards who offers to get for him another guard, making the villain a homophobic stereotype as well as an anti-Semitic caricature.

One positive aspect of the film is that the brutal violence in the prison is only shown "around the edges," not graphically exploited as it would likely be in an American production, but made just clear enough to know that the prisoners suffered horribly. It's a nice bit of subtlety in an otherwise bigoted and cack-handed effort of religious allegory.

I agree this film about Bobby Sands. I know his story and i know the history of Ireland, a tragic European story. I like much the nightmare dimension of his tragic story. Perhaps the actor Franek is too much intensive like actor, but wasn't easy, because the Bobby's life in the jail isn't easy. Very Good the direction and the photography, i like it. Very well the actors Baliani and Bucci. Very nice the music of the film and the ambient, the prison. I have read the book of Bobby Sands and this film is real, similar. In my opinion it's a good work, because it defend the most important human rights and because the director, David Ballerini, tell us an unforgettable story, that all people have to know.

I had the pleasure of seeing Il silenzio dell'allodola last month in Florence, Italy - in honor of the anniversary of Bobby Sands death.

The movie was the first film of the film maker David Ballerini - the technical aspects of this film showed a mastery far beyond what one would expect to see in a young directors first film. The lighting was beautiful, the composition was stunning, and the acting was - throughout - outstanding.

I was slow to warm to the performance of Ivan Franek (Bobby Sands) - but as the film progressed I became lost is his pathos, bravery, and courage. The performance by Anna Maria Gherard (Sands mother) - was simply astonishing.

One of the things I most appreciated about this film was that the characters were not - for the most part - black and white / good vs. Evil. While it is easy to portray "prisoners good / guards bad", Ballerini'a script that showed far more depth than this - these men were, for the most part all victims of an unjust political system, and this was particularly moving.

As to heavy handed religious symbolism (as stated in the review below) - I found this to be true - to a point. I didn't find it distracting, and in some senses it enhanced and universalized this story. However - the accusations of antisemitism and homophobia are unjustified and unfair.

This movie used at its core the theme of John the Baptist. In this allegory, the character of Herod was embodied by the prison warden. The prison warden had long hair and a hooked nose. Perhaps it's not widely known in the US - but big noses tend to be a rather Italian facial feature.

As to the perceived homophobia - again, I question the sensitivities of the other reviewer. This part of the story line was allegorical to Salome and the dance of the seven veils - told in an ALL MALE universe.

While Il silenzio dell'allodola is by no means a masterpiece, it is a very good movie, it honors the memory of Bobby Sands and universalizes this story to include all political prisoners throughout time. The cinematography is gorgeous, the performances excellent, and I hope to see more from this film maker in the future.