THE ADVENTURES OF PINOCCHIO
Feature-film and five episodes for a TV serial (released in Italy) from Lorenzo Collodi's work.
Identification Sheet:
1971, Italy
Running time: five episodes of 55 minutes each and a colour feature-film of 135 minutes
Direction: Luigi Comencini
Scenario: Luigi Comencini, Suso Cecchi d'Amico
Photography: Armando Nannuzzi
Sound Track: Fiorenzo Carpi
Production: RAI / ORTF / Bavaria Film / San Paolo Film
Main Characters:
Andrea Balestri (Pinocchio), Nino Manfredi (Gepetto), Gina Lollobridgida (Blue Fairy), Franco Pranchi (the cat), Ciccio Ingrassia (the fox), Ugo d'Alessio (Lampwick), Lionel Stander (Mangia Fuoco), Vittorio de Sica (the judge), Mario Adorf (the manager of the circus).
This Italian version "reitalianises" (as it should be well expected) the names of the characters, thus Mangia Fuoco replaces Wonthington Foulfellow and Lampwick becomes Lucignolo.
Conception of the work:
A progressive work: Comencini's adaptation places Collodi's work in a precise social reality, that of the end of 19th century in Europe. Capitalism is at work, working-classes are not protected, so what about children?
This film has been widely critisized and Gini Lolobrigida regretted having played in it, stating that had she known Pinochio was a comunist film, she wouldn't have played her role. Indeed, this adaptation reveals left-winged ideals, and an obvious comparison with Disney's version may be made. In fact, like the main character of the cartoon film, the young actor who plays Pinocchio shows his moral sensitivity and appropiates the world. Thus, the magical intervention of the Blue Fairy is left as marginal.