2019-09-04
$3.8M
129 min
The tale of an individualist proletarian in a time marked by the rise of mass political movements. In early 20th-century Italy, illiterate sailor Martin Eden seeks fame as a writer while torn between the love of a bourgeois girl and allegiance to his social class.
Now it is quite possible that I just wasn't in the right frame of mind when I saw this, but somehow it just misfired. Luca Marinelli is the eponymous character hell bent on improving his lot from a pretty meagre upbringing. His opportunity comes when he rescues the young "Arturo" from some local bullies and when he is invited to his new friend's luxury home for a thank you lunch, meets the boy's sister "Elena" (Jessica Cressy) and it's love at first sight. Determined to elevate himself even more now, he falls in with noted, if slightly dissolute, socialist "Brissenden" (Carlo Cecchi) and whilst his newly found success satisfies his desire for wealth and self-improvement, it also serves to throw some obstacles in his path to true love. It is certainly a very stylish film to enjoy - the mix of colour and monochrome cinematography delivers well, and the score works well to complement the dialogue and the feelings of desire, frustration and maybe even danger as our hero's increasingly successful, politically driven work draws enemies from his peers and the authorities. I suppose, for me, it dwells a little too much on the introspection of a man that I didn't particularly care for; and as ever with films based around one single character - it's hard to stay engaged if that character isn't working for you. I hesitate to say I found it dull, it isn't dull, but then it isn't really very good either... Perhaps after a second watch, but I can't really think I will bother.
