Below are some notes that I found useful when teaching ‘I’m Not Scared’ for the Comparative. I hope they are of some use.
I’m Not Scared (Film) directed by Gabriele SALVATORES.
Setting:
¢Set in fictional town of Acqua Traverse in Southern Italy.
¢Although it is fictional, it has an historical basis in real national events.
¢In first half of the twentieth century, Italy struggled with debts accrued during the two World Wars.
¢By the end, it had inherited terrible poverty and corruption was endemic. This led to political and social unrest.
¢Traditional conflict between north and south.
¢The north was seen to have the wealth, power and influence whereas the south was seen to be hostile, primitive and jealous of the north.
¢High unemployment among poorer classes.
¢In 1978, kidnappings in Italy reached an all-time peak.
Social Class
¢Filippo Carducci, is a child of the north. He lives in Milan in the northern region of Italy, which is relatively prosperous.
¢The Amitranos, the family of Michele live in the south, poor and apparently unable to improve the quality of their lives, at least by legitimate means.
¢Their houses are poorly furnished with the most basic necessities. A key moment shows people buying second-hand shoes and clothing from a mobile shop.
¢Luisa Carducci appears on television as a well-groomed, beautifully dressed woman, unlike the women of Acqua Traverse. She speaks in an educated, polished manner .
¢Refined, frail Filippo and the hardy, adventurous, dark skinned Michele.
¢Depicts a willingness of poorer people to engage in financial dealings with richer people in order to satisfy greed and envy.
¢Social class boundaries are personally irrelevant to Michele and Filippo. In the innocence of childhood, social class is a meaningless thing.
Family Life
¢Michele’s childhood is typical.
¢When Pino returns home, his children run to him with delight and are warmly embraced by him.
¢He criticises Michele’s strength ‘Christ, are your muscles made of butter?…You’re a sissy!’ But there is no sense of a desire to hurt.
Anna is loving and affectionate. She is clearly the one responsible for her children’s welfare and safety.
¢She clips Michele around the ear when he has stayed too long away from the house. Her love for Michele is beyond any doubt.
¢She begs Michele to promise her that he will leave Acqua Traverse when he grows up.
Marriage
¢Anna and Pino’s marriage seems based on love. It is passionate and expressive. Their children are deeply cherished and loved.
¢They are struggling to give their children a better life. Their actions lead to the destruction of the family and the whole community.
Role of Women
¢They do not play a dominant role. Anna and the other women of the village are not consulted concerning the tactics of the kidnapping, although they collude in keeping it secret.
¢They don’t intervene when it is suggested that Filippo’s ears should be cut off. Their response to the news bulletin is muted and strangely out of character.
¢They have little option but to go along with whatever the men decide.
Role of Men
¢The portrayal of men is essentially very negative. The men are either brutal, hostile individuals or weak, complicit allies of the sadistic Sergio.
¢Sergio pokes ridicule at the other men, accusing them of incompetence and stupidity. A key moment s the meeting around the kitchen table in Pino’s home. Sergio tells them they have repeatedly messed up the operation.
¢‘He’s the stupidest of all’
¢‘Shut up…You’re the worst here because you think’.
¢Felice is also portrayed as a violent, insensitive thug in his treatment of Filippo, Michele and Anna.
¢Pino is brutal and vicious when he threatens Michele. ‘beat him silly’
¢They are willing to use a defenceless child in such an inhumane way to better their own lives an those of their children.
Religion
¢The inhabitants of Acqua Traverse, like the majority of Southern Italians, are Roman Catholics.
¢This is obvious in the religious statues, pictures and crucifixes which adorn their homes.
¢Contradiction between religious beliefs and immorality.
¢Could not ‘stab him [Filippo] because it is a sin.’
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