When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.When an open-minded Jewish waiter and his son become victims of the Holocaust, he uses a perfect mixture of will, humor and imagination to protect his son from the dangers around their camp.
- Won 3 Oscars
- 72 wins & 52 nominations total
Sergio Bini Bustric
- Ferruccio
- (as Sergio Bustric)
Horst Buchholz
- Dottor Lessing
- (as Horst Bucholz)
Lidia Alfonsi
- Guicciardini
- (as Lydia Alfonsi)
Jürgen Bohn
- Attendente tedesco festa
- (as Jurgen Bohn)
Summary
Reviewers say 'Life is Beautiful' is acclaimed for its poignant mix of humor and tragedy, highlighting love and hope during the Holocaust. Key themes include imagination, parental protection, and human resilience. Critics argue it romanticizes the Holocaust, lacks realism, and may be disrespectful. Some find it manipulative and sentimental, while others praise its emotional depth and performances, especially Roberto Benigni's. The film's comedic approach to tragedy is both celebrated and criticized, sparking debate on its handling of such a grave subject.
Featured reviews
Emotional extremes abound, this story takes you round and around, elevating high, then smashing you down, your guiding light, an endearing clown.
The essence of all that's right, that's wrong, a fathers love for his wife and son, to the thieves of liberty with power - and a gun; the worst of man, the world undone.
The essence of all that's right, that's wrong, a fathers love for his wife and son, to the thieves of liberty with power - and a gun; the worst of man, the world undone.
10kvonarx
I am surprised about the negative comments that some people made on this web-page. I can see how some people might not experience the same kind of uplift or joy that most of us lived through when seeing the movie. But that some viewers felt insulted and betrayed because the movie did not depict "reality" as it really was or is, is not fair.
I must concur with my fellow proponents of the movie -- it was a great and very satisfying movie. It provided me with something that everyone in one or another shape or form needs -- Hope. The movie showed the cruelty of life and yet managed to shed some light and insight into the beauty of love and life in general.
I urge anyone who has not seen La Vita è bella to go out there and watch it. If we all take with us just little bit of that hope and love that this movie is trying to convey; this world would be a much better place.
Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed or will enjoy the movie as much as I did.
I must concur with my fellow proponents of the movie -- it was a great and very satisfying movie. It provided me with something that everyone in one or another shape or form needs -- Hope. The movie showed the cruelty of life and yet managed to shed some light and insight into the beauty of love and life in general.
I urge anyone who has not seen La Vita è bella to go out there and watch it. If we all take with us just little bit of that hope and love that this movie is trying to convey; this world would be a much better place.
Thank you for reading this and I hope you enjoyed or will enjoy the movie as much as I did.
I can't understand how other reviewers see this as a film about the Nazis or the Holocaust. It's not!!! "Life is Beautiful" is a film about love, optimism, courage and inner strength.
To be honest I can't get this film out of my thoughts and decided to write this brief review in the hope that I could move on.
"Life is Beautiful" is an unforgettable film. You go through emotions you were surprised could have for a fictional film. The story, although totally implausible, is uplifting and depressing at the same time.
Please see it for yourself. Have a box of tissues handy.
Best film ever seen!!!
To be honest I can't get this film out of my thoughts and decided to write this brief review in the hope that I could move on.
"Life is Beautiful" is an unforgettable film. You go through emotions you were surprised could have for a fictional film. The story, although totally implausible, is uplifting and depressing at the same time.
Please see it for yourself. Have a box of tissues handy.
Best film ever seen!!!
This is one of those movies that have a lasting effect on you. After watching it, I found that it has less to do with the Holocaust and more to do with the human feelings and the beautiful relationship of a father and his son. The holocaust provides the ultimate context, that brings and highlights the story and adds yet another deep dimension to the movie. No such piece of art has ever before combined laughter and tears of sadness in me before and that is the miracle of the movie. The realism of the movie is not its strong point, but then again it is not supposed to be; this helps in bringing the audiences to a state of mind away from reality, focusing on the feelings generated by forgetting about all external events and developments of the war. Despite that, the movie does not fail to point out an element of the nazi psychology demonstrated by the doctor who was obsessed with riddles. This portrayed the nazi 'state of mind' (if ever such an expression existed) as a sick mentally disturbed state. Life is really beautiful as you watch Guido's relentless efforts to make a lovely exciting experience of the concentration camp to his son. You get exhausted just watching him going through his painful day and yet you smile as he speaks to his son and makes him laugh. One can go on forever describing the creativity of this movie, but one will not be able to capture all its beauty in writing.
It makes you cry while laughing, creates an emotional harmony. Guido is an amazing character and acting. The script describes the possible pain very well.
Trying to make hell beautiful, Guido is an unforgettable character. It's the best movie I've seen recently.
It is very different from the exaggerated bestseller list of IMDb Top 250.
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaGuido's wife, Dora, is played by Roberto Benigni's real-life wife, Nicoletta Braschi.
- GoofsDora calls her husband (Roberto Benigni) "Roberto" rather than "Guido" on one occasion.
- Quotes
Bartolomeo: They are looking for someone who speaks German, to translate their instructions.
Guido: Me! I'll do it, I'll translate!
Bartolomeo: Do you speak German?
Guido: No.
- Alternate versionsThe version shown at the Cannes festival in 1998 is slightly different from the original Italian theatrical release: some scenes have been slightly re-edited and a panel has been added at the beginning of the film, showing the phrase "This is a fairy tale", supposedly to avoid controversy over the subject matter.
- SoundtracksMarcia Reale
(1831)
Written by Giuseppe Gabetti (as G. Gabetti)
Ed. Casa Musicale Pucci di Portici (Napoli)
Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Official sites
- Languages
- Also known as
- La vida es bella
- Filming locations
- Production companies
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Budget
- ITL 15,000,000,000 (estimated)
- Gross US & Canada
- $57,563,264
- Opening weekend US & Canada
- $118,920
- Oct 25, 1998
- Gross worldwide
- $230,099,013
- Runtime1 hour 56 minutes
- Color
- Sound mix
- Aspect ratio
- 1.85 : 1
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