The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini) poster & wallpaper
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Dominique Sanda, Lino Capolicchio, Helmut Berger, Fabio Testi, Romolo Valli ... see more see more... , Camillo Cesarei , Inna Alexeiff , Camillo Angelini-Rota , Cinzia Bruno , Alessandro D'Alatri , Marcella Gentile , Ettore Geri , Barbara Pilavin Gelber , Katina Viglietti , Raffaele Curi

Vittorio De Sica directs the lyrical war drama Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini (The Garden of the Finzi-Continis), based on a book by Giorgio Bassani. In Ferrara, Italy, at the beginning of WWII, anti-S... read more read more...emitism is spreading. Mussolini has passed several laws that forbid Jews from going to public schools, joining the army, or marrying non-Jews. While many middle-class Jewish families flee the country, the Finzi-Continis believe it's safe inside their sprawling estate. As a wealthy, aristocratic Jewish family, they think their luxurious garden walls will protect them from fascism. Micol Finzi Contini (Dominique Sanda) and her brother (Helmut Berger) invite their Jewish friends to join them in the estate for parties, tennis, and games while the war ravages on. Middle-class Jew Giorgio (Lino Capolicchio) attends the parties with his friend Malnate (Fabio Testi). Giorgio and Micol are childhood sweethearts, but she begins to reject him in favor of Malnate. She also refuses to accept that there's a war going on. Eventually they can pretend no longer, and the war closes in on them. The Garden of the Finzi-Continis won the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film in 1971. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, Rovi

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80% liked it

1,270 ratings

Critics

100% liked it

13 critics

R, 2 hr.

Directed by: Vittorio De Sica

Release Date: December 4, 1970

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DVD Release Date: June 19, 2001

Stats: 78 reviews

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Flixster Reviews (78)

  • wildaly14
    November 16, 2011
    wildaly14
    There's so much going on in this film, from the symbolism of the garden to the relationship between Micol and Giorgio. It definitely deserves more than one viewing and just goes to demonstrate how great Italian cinema is.
  • bookmunki
    January 13, 2010
    bookmunki
    Each country has their WWII legacy, but the Italian auteurs transform their collective experience into cinematic political testaments. In the Finzi-Contini passover scene, Alberto's presentiment about the war is that the 'good' side will win. The irony, reality, and horror is t... read morehat any faction, be it Fascism, Nazism, Communism, faithfully believes it is fighting for the 'good.' Giorgio's father also says that we all die at least once; it's better to do so when you are young, so you can rebuild, recreate. Powerful messages with profound implications.
  • hypathio7
    May 20, 2010
    hypathio7
    The garden is IDYLLIC. Giorgio (Capolicchio) is from a middle class Jewish Italian family. He has the pleasure of spending some leisurely time inside the gates of an upper class Jewish family's property. Micol (Sanda) and Alberto (Berger) Finzi Contini, sister and brother, pla... read morey tennis, ride bikes and talk about politics with their young friends. Bruno (Testi) is also there though he is not Jewish. It is the late 1930's. Giorgio observes as Italian laws in his town begin restricting the rights of Jews. His father (Valli) doesn't think that the Fascists in Italy will let the treatment of the Jews get as bad as the Nazis in Germany have. But Giorgio sees things spiraling out of control, the situation getting ready to fall like the seasonal fall leaves captured in the opening credits. Giorgio and his younger brother may not be able to finish their college education. Meanwhile Alberto gets sick with pneumonia, or is it some other mysterious disease. Micol flirts with and teases Giorgio and Bruno. Giorgio falls in love, but Micol keeps him at a distance. Perhaps it is their class difference or the fact that because the Finzi-Continis have lived such a privileged life they hardly consider themselves Jewish anymore. Maybe Micol's attraction to Bruno is an effort to blend in with the Aryan, non-Jewish, population. Sadly, very few escape history.

    The movie starts with lots of sunshine and the pristine white preppy clothes of the young adults as well as the spotless condition of the interior of the Finzi-Contini mansion. By the end we see many more drab grays. Yet the movie keeps reminding the audience to look up toward the tree tops and the sun in hope.

View All The Garden of the Finzi-Continis (Il Giardino dei Finzi-Contini) Reviews

Critic Reviews

Donald J. Levit
February 5, 2011
Donald J. Levit, ReelTalk Movie Reviews

For its story moment before the gathering storm broke, this film is a garden wall held up, a finger in the dyke, just before the deluge and fall into darkness. Full Review

Emanuel Levy
June 17, 2005
Emanuel Levy, EmanuelLevy.Com

Splendidly recreated, Vittorio De Sica's elegantly painful and eloquently tragic tribute to the demise of the Jewish aristocracy in Italy in WWII deservedly won the best foreign-language Oscar in 1971. Full Review

Arthur Lazere
January 1, 2000
Arthur Lazere, culturevulture.net

a highly effective piece of work by an always interesting and thoughtful filmmaker Full Review

March 26, 2009
Variety

Click to read the article Full Review

Roger Ebert
October 23, 2004
Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Vincent Canby
June 2, 2003
Vincent Canby, New York Times

Click to read the article Full Review

Susan Stark
January 1, 2000
Susan Stark, Detroit News

Click to read the article Full Review

James Berardinelli
January 1, 2000
James Berardinelli, ReelViews

Click to read the article Full Review

Peter Stack
January 1, 2000
Peter Stack, San Francisco Chronicle

Click to read the article Full Review

Joshua Tanzer
August 7, 2005
Joshua Tanzer, Offoffoff

No review available.

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