Die Audienz (1972) Online

This film somehow mixes the red tape nightmares depicted by Kafka with the Catholic church's man made organization and hierarchy in today's corporate world, making vis a vis contact with authorities impossible. Apart from the intrigue, this film has Ferreri directing his most dramatic film since "El Cochecito" (Spain, 1960), where his ability to create emotional conflict intermingles with his more satiric and absurdity touch, A facet that's is very interesting to explore, given that his output post-Grade Bouffe is his body of work that most Ferrei enthusiasts are familiar with. I would argue that this film, along with "Chiedo Asilo" (Italy, 1979) are films that explore Utopian gestures borne of the everyday Utopian man, as it faces the brick wall of bureaucracy and normality and convention. Walking the fine line cinema as "theater of the absurd" of the path explored by Buñuel, Raul Ruiz, Arrabal, Jodorowsky and many others, Ferreri champions (the dadaist-inspired) path less traveled in cinema.

Amedeo, a young man from the provinces, came to Rome to be part of an audience with the Pope. As the group is assembled, an aide goes over how to behave in front of such distinguished individual. Amedeo has another thing in mind, he wants to take the opportunity to ask the Holy Father a few questions he needs to have answered. To his horror, he is taken aside and whisked to a sort of holding area where someone connected with the Vatican security will interview him about his real intentions. Horrified, Amedeo, thinks he is living a Kafkian experience, only to be told by Aureliano Diaz, he cannot see the Pontif. Diaz refers him to go see Aiche, a high class prostitute that seems to be a sex object for the moneyed classes. Amedeo's quest to have his questions answered will end badly, as he ends up more confused than when he first started.

"L'udienza", Marco Ferreri's 1971 film, shown recently on a cable channel, takes a look at the machinations within the Vatican and makes a critical account of the behind the scenes machinations the mere mortal cannot imagine could exists. The director made this film before his great success "La Grande Bouffe" that will come out a couple of years later. Like his contemporaries, the papal audience is only a pretext to present his tale about the politics within the high hierarchy of the Catholic Church. Mr. Ferreri, like most of the Italian directors had a dim view of religion as it is exposed in the film. In a way, Mr. Ferreri's films always had to do with the absurdity of an institution he perceived as a way to wield its power in order to dominate.

In Enzo Jannacci, the director found the kind of actor he wanted to use to juxtapose two opposing forces; one that would always questioned the divine authority, and the other the hard line of the church. Claudia Cardinale at the height of her beauty appears as Aiche, the well connected prostitute that seduces Amedeo and gets more involved than what she really wanted. Ugo Tognazzi plays the security man, Diaz to excellent results. Michel Piccoli, also shows up as a priest with connections. Vittorio Gassman, the wonderful Italian actor appears as the Prince.

An enigmatic film by Marco Ferreri that is worth a look by serious viewers.

Taken by the alluring performance of Claudia Cardinale in La viaccia,I decided to search around for other titles that she has starred in,and I was delighted to spot that a DVD seller had recently tracked down a peculiar-sounding Drama starring Cardinale,which led to me joining the audience.

The plot:

Leaving the countryside behind, Amedeo goes to the Vatican to ask the pope some questions which have been troubling him deeply.Joining a tour group at the Vatican,Amedeo tries to ask the pope some questions,but is pulled by security,and asked if he will just go to their office to answer some questions.

Surrounded by officers,Amedeo is told that the pope is someone who does not talk to "regular" people.Desperate to ask the pope his questions,Amedeo tells the officers that he will not let them get in his way to have a meeting with the pope.Getting moved from one department of the Vatican to the next, Amedeo begins to fear that not even divine intervention could help him to meet the pope.

View on the film:

Opening with misty shots of the Vatican,co-writer/(along with Rafael Azcona & Dante Matelli)director Marco Ferreri and cinematographer Mario Vulpiani subtly use arch wide shots to superbly show the soulless atmosphere of the Vatican,with churches designed to be filled with light instead being packed with middlemen placed to keep the "normal" members of the public away from the man/religion that they follow.For the screenplay of the movie,the writers brilliantly mix Neo-Realism with delightful shots of surrealism,as Amedeo begins meeting people who live on the outskirts of society/the Vatican,whilst finding himself in a never ending circle which leads to an oddly funny,off-beat ending.

Looking rather cute in a sailor uniform, Claudia Cardinale gives an exquisite performance as Aiche,with Carinale initially showing a real playfulness whilst Aiche tries to change Amedeo's mindset,which cools down as Aiche finds herself unexpectedly falling for Amedeo.Wrapped in Clark Kent style glasses, Enzo Jannacci gives an excellent performance as Amedeo,thanks to Jannacci showing Amedeo's polite, casual manner to become brittle and transform into a foaming at the mouth obsession,as Amedeo finds out that he can never join the audience again.