A Beast of A Niece

Sophia Loren is arguably Italy's most luminous if not most notable actress and movie star. What makes her all that is that above and beyond her unique beauty she is an incomparable actress. Never more so than in 1977's Una Giornata Particolare (1977) (A Special Day), Ettore Scola's masterpiece, a movie that is a most subtle and beautiful critique on contemporary culture. The IMDB has two viewer comments. This one is the shorter and comes from Luxembourg:

"This film literally took my breath away ! Both Mastroianni and Loren are fantastic actors, who can express a whole range of human feelings in just a look or a silence. This film is an unbelievable contrast : simplicity and sobriety in form but ultimate sophistication in content and in the actors' performance. I have never seen a film which raises so many questions at the same time : war, family, tolerance, women's condition, fanaticism, homosexuality, etc. Furthermore, it is a wonderful love story between two people who are actually too good for the world they live in. And last but not least, the contrast between the scruffy apartments and the beauty and elegance of Mastroianni and Loren is incredible. Mr. Scola achieved a masterpiece without make up, special effects or wonderful sceneries. When you have seen the film, you will understand that the special day was not for Mussolini and Hitler, who all the sudden seem very unimportant compared to what happened to the two characters. The day I have seen this film was definitely a special day for me as well, unforgettable ! It is just the most human film I have ever seen, a wonder of refinement."




It is noteworthy in that it was an Italian mainstream film, so to speak, that directly spoke to homosexuals as pariahs. It comes to mind now that Ms. Loren's niece Alessandra Mussolini, an MP from the neo-fascist Alleanza and also the Dictator's granddaughter, made this sound bite: "Better fascist than faggot" ("Meglio fascista che frocio.")

She seems to forget the fate of her grandfather and his mistress, perhaps Claretta Petacci ought to make a midnight visitation to the bleached blonde a la Jacob Marley to remind her about what happens to those who are not mindful of history's lessons. It is also noteworthy that the young Alessandra appeared in that film.

Italy for most Italians is a nation of pedigreeds. Alessandra is the exceptional bitch that proves the rule.



Italy by and large has a very tolerant culture. As a united political entity it is not even 150 years old. Prior to the 1860s it was just a geographical expression. Since its unification it has seen three types of government, although a case could be made for only two, since Fascism was actually in force under the Monarchy. Be that as it may, since its unification Italy has been home to many political persuasions.

It was an ongoing joke at how often the government 'fell' under various Christian Democratic coalitions and thereby causing elections. Italy had a terrorist problem decades before it happened in the United States. One need only go back to the Aldo Moro kidnapping and assassination to see its pinnacle. Italy as a geographic and political entity has survived ferocious and dangerous times and still managed to bring to the world a beautiful and significant culture, part of which for many centuries have been wonderful FROCI like Michelangelo Buonarotti and Pier Paolo Pasolini to mention only two.




In A Special Day, Antonietta, a Roman housewife from a fascist family develops a bond with her homosexual neighbour who is about to be brought to justice by the fascist government. It happens on a special day when the two axis demons Benito and Adolf meet. Antonietta's family has gone to the Piazza to celebrate while she remains home. Her pet bird flies out of an open window and is rescued by her neighbour Gabriele (Mastroianni). The scenes are interlaced with Mussolini's speeches in the background talking about the meaning of manhood. A poignant moment occurs when Antonietta runs from Gabriele after a moment of realization as he shrieks a list of Italian epithets regarding homosexuality at her.

Fortunately many Italians tend to be very informed about politics and are probably more sophisticated than Alessandra gives them credit. Still the electorate has kept Berlusconi's coalition in power for 5 years. And again if Alessandra thinks it is better to be fascist than gay, if only she could speak to her grandfather's mistress, who might have done better to hang out with some gay guy instead of a beast of a dictator.