Il postino (1994)

Director:

Michael Radford

Writers:

Pablo Neruda (poems)
Anna Pavignano (writer)
(more)

Release Date:

14 June 1995 (USA)

Genre:

Biography | Comedy | Drama | Romance

Tagline:

Dreams do come true.

Plot:

Simple Italian postman learns to love poetry while delivering mail to a famous poet; he uses this to woo local beauty Beatrice.

Plot Keywords:

Island | Poetry | Poet | Pablo Neruda | Exile

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 21 wins & 10 nominations

Cast

Philippe Noiret	...	Pablo Neruda
Massimo Troisi	...	Mario Ruoppolo
Maria Grazia Cucinotta	...	Beatrice Russo
Renato Scarpa	...	Telegrapher
Linda Moretti	...	Donna Rosa
Sergio Solli
Carlo Di Maio
Nando Neri
Vincenzo Di Sauro
Orazio Stracuzzi
Alfredo Cozzolino
Mariano Rigillo	...	Di Cosimo
Anna Bonaiuto	...	Matilde
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Simona Caparrini	...	Elsa Morante (uncredited)

Directed by
Michael Radford

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Pablo Neruda		poems
Anna Pavignano		writer
Michael Radford		writer
Furio Scarpelli		screenplay
Furio Scarpelli		story
Giacomo Scarpelli		screenplay
Giacomo Scarpelli		story
Antonio Skármeta		novel "Ardiente Paciencia"
Massimo Troisi		writer

Produced by
Mario Cecchi Gori	....	producer
Vittorio Cecchi Gori	....	producer
Gaetano Daniele	....	producer
Alberto Passone	....	executive producer

Original Music by
Luis Enríquez Bacalov		(as Luis Bacalov)

Cinematography by
Franco Di Giacomo

Film Editing by
Roberto Perpignani

Production Design by
Lorenzo Baraldi

Costume Design by
Gianna Gissi

Makeup Department
Alfredo Marazzi	....	makeup artist
Simone Marazzi	....	makeup artist
Ferdinando Merolla	....	hair stylist
Léone Noël	....	makeup artist
Angelo Vannella	....	hair stylist

Production Management
Federico Foti	....	unit manager
Vincenzo Testa	....	production manager
Raffaele Veneruso	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Gaia Gorrini	....	assistant director
Stefano Veneruso	....	second assistant director

Art Department
Laura Casalini	....	assistant production designer
Roberto Magagnini	....	lead person
Riccardo Passanisi	....	property master
Luigi Sergianni	....	construction manager

Sound Department
Paolo Amici	....	sound effects
Tullio Arcangeli	....	sound effects
Vince Caro	....	sound recording engineer
Giulio De Angeli	....	sound effects (as Giulio D'Angeli)
Franco Finetti	....	sound
Saverio Lancia	....	sound effects
George A. Lara	....	foley mixer
Massimo Loffredi	....	sound
Ettore Mancini	....	boom operator
Ezio Marcorin	....	sound editor
Ezio Marcorin	....	sound effects
Daniele Masini	....	sound effects
Nicoletta Negri	....	dubbing assistant
Augusto Penna	....	sound effects
Alessandra Perpignani	....	sound supervisor
Paolo Pucci	....	sound effects editor
Angelo Raguseo	....	sound re-recording mixer
Roberto Sterbini	....	sound effects
Marco Streccioni	....	sound re-recording mixer
Fabio Venturi	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Alberto Altibrandi	....	electrician
Elio Bosi	....	grip
Piero Bosi	....	grip
Bruno Bruni	....	still photographer
Osvaldo Caruso	....	grip
Stefano Coletta	....	camera operator
Francesca D'Antoni	....	assistant camera
Rolando Marcheggiani	....	electrician
Ernesto Natoli	....	assistant camera
Gaetano Rutigliano	....	grip
Mario Tursi	....	still photographer

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Yvette Bonnay	....	wardrobe
Alberta Ceccarelli	....	wardrobe
Rita Cirilli	....	wardrobe
Luciana Morosetti	....	assistant costumer

Editorial Department
Stefano Giovannini	....	color technician
Lidia Pascolini	....	assistant editor
Rita Triunveri	....	assistant editor

Music Department
Luis Enríquez Bacalov	....	conductor (as Luis Bacalov)

Other crew
Bruno Alessandro	....	voice dubbing: Philippe Noiret
Rodolfo Bianchi	....	dubbing director
Cristiana Caimmi	....	publicist
Anna Cenciarelli	....	administrator
Elide Cortesi	....	script supervisor
Marco Mattei	....	cashier
Marco Mattei	....	payroll clerk
Gianluca Passone	....	production secretary
Flavio Tallone	....	production secretary
Alfredo Veneruso	....	production secretary
David H. Kramer	....	adr loop group (uncredited)

Thanks
Massimo Troisi	....	dedicatee

Production Companies

• Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica
• Penta Film
• Esterno Mediterraneo Film
• Blue Dahlia Productions (co-production)
• K2 Two (co-production)

Distributors

• Cecchi Gori Group (1994) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1995) (Japan) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1995) (Netherlands) (theatrical)
• Buena Vista International (1995) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Filmes Lusomundo (1995) (Portugal) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1995) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Svenska Filminstitutet (SFI) (1995) (Sweden) (theatrical)
• Miramax Films (1995) (USA) (VHS) (subtitled)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1996) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Buena Vista Home Video (1996) (Sweden) (VHS)
• Cecchi Gori Home Video (2001) (Italy) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2002) (Spain) (DVD)
• Buena Vista Home Entertainment (2003) (Brazil) (DVD)
• Miramax Home Entertainment (2003) (USA) (DVD)
• Abril Vídeo (Brazil) (VHS)
• Gativideo (199?) (Argentina) (VHS)

Other Companies

• CAM Edizioni Musicali  soundtrack released by
• Hollywood Records  soundtrack
• Miramax Records  soundtrack
• Orchestra Sinfonietta di Roma  orchestra
• Videogamma  titles and opticals

Also Known As:

Il Postino: The Postman (UK) (USA)
Le facteur (France)

MPAA:

Rated PG for mild thematic elements.

Runtime:

108 min

Country:

Italy | France | Belgium

Language:

Italian | Spanish

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Iceland:L | South Korea:All | Peru:PT | Argentina:Atp | Australia:G | Chile:14 | Finland:S | Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL | Portugal:M/12 | Spain:7 | Sweden:11 | UK:U | USA:PG | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Pollara, Salina Island, Aeolian Islands, Messina, Sicily, Italy

Company:

Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica

Trivia:

This is a remake of Ardiente paciencia (1983), a film directed by Antonio Skármeta, the exiled Chilean author of the original source novel.

Quotes:

Mario Ruoppolo: If you make this much of a fuss about one poem, you're never going to win that Nobel Prize.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Poetry, Passion, the Postman: The Poetic Return of Pablo Neruda (1996) (TV)

Soundtrack:

If You Forget Me

Better than most all American romances.

"Il Postino" is a movie that received oodles of critical acclaim upon its release in 1994. While I don't think it was as good as advertised, I understand why it received such praise. In a movie world that is filled with dry and unamusing romance stories, "Il Postino" is a relatively lush and beautiful tale.

The plot is fairly simple but loaded with subtleties that allow, even encourage, multiple viewings. Mario (Massimo Troisi) longs for something more than his simple fisherman life on an Italian island, so he takes a small job as a postman, delivering mail to famed romantic poet Pablo Neruda (Phillipe Noiret), who is living in exile on the same island. Over time, they develop a relationship that is based on Neruda aiding Mario in wooing his beloved Beatrice (Maria Grazia Cucinotta).

The final act is where the film makes the leap from well-made standard fare to something greater. With a couple plausible plot developments, characters and relationships are deepened beyond a basic love story, to a place that accents everything that happens leading up to that point. I can't say much else without giving things away, but stick with the movie to the end, even if you're dragging midway through.

As you might expect from an Italian film, "Il Postino" has a very European feel. The passion of Italy is present throughout, explained through lifestyles, literal and metaphorical imagery, and the emotions of the characters. The setting is far from the bustling dollar-driven society in which Americans dwell, and a movie like this wouldn't get made in America, because the cultures are drastically different.

The film's star, Massimo Troisi, is excellent. He embodies everyman qualities exceptionally, similar to Tom Hanks, yet with more...something. Soul perhaps? He, like the entire film, is just more European, and I hope you understand what I mean by that. Noiret portrays Neruda perfectly, expressing his romantic ways through both words and actions. Everyone else is very good, although no one stands out; the overall anonymity of the cast aids the viewer in establishing culture as well.

The cinematography and the scenery it presents is often breathtaking, although not in the sweeping manner of something like The Lord of the Rings. Rather, cinematographer Franco Di Giacomo wisely chose to let the pictures speak for themselves. The elegant cliffs, white-capped waves, and rolling topography of the island gently yet firmly frame and support the story. A straight-forward tale should have suitable pictures, and "Il Postino" meets that requirement.

The film is touted as a romantic comedy, and it is, although not in the traditional sense. The comedy isn't slapstick and won't elicit bushels of laughter. But there is an underlying sense of humor laced through the whole movie, often in simple movements, tasks, or occurrences.

All of this combines to present something like a fairy tale replete with Italian heart and soul. "Il Postino" won't blow you away, but its tender lessons about life, love, and friendship will stick with you for some time, urging another viewing.

Bottom Line: A very European romance that is better than most anything Hollywood can conjure up. 8/10.

(If you like the film, get the Collector's Edition DVD; it's quite good.)