Two characters “at opposite ends of life” who know very little about each other: a 70-year-old grandfather and a 5-year-old grandson, brought together in a family home in Naples that becomes the setting for a tense clash between two generations—a duel filled with challenges, ghosts, and plenty of comedic moments.
This is how director Mario Martone describes the protagonists—played by Toni Servillo and young Lorenzo Perrotta, respectively—in “Scherzetto,” the film adaptation of Domenico Starnone’s novel of the same name, published by Einaudi, which premiered out of competition at the Venice Film Festival and will soon be released in theaters by 01 Distribution.
The protagonist is 70-year-old Daniele Mallarico, a well-known illustrator—now a widower—who lives in Milan. Having recently been discharged from the hospital, he returns to his old family home in Naples, where his daughter Betta, played by Serena Rossi, now lives, to look after his nephew—or rather, the “volcano” Mario—while his parents, both mathematicians, are away at a conference. With his spontaneous and irreverent remarks, Mario immediately manages to shake Daniele’s convictions. One remark stands out above all others: “Grandpa, your drawings are dark!”
Within the four walls of the house and on a balcony—a metaphor for emptiness—the past thus makes itself felt once more, particularly Daniele’s suffering in the face of a violent, patriarchal culture from which he had managed to free himself, becoming a revered master and moving in the circles of the Milanese bourgeoisie.
Little Mario will turn his grandfather’s days upside down, leaving him stunned to see his grandson knowing how to heat up his milk in the morning, checking the expiration date before putting it on the stove and waiting for it to curdle—just as his father, played by Leonardo Lidi, has smugly taught him—while the mother’s role, according to the boy, is to give orders and make sure everything runs smoothly. Rossi In fact, she plays a woman of her time who's always on the go and argues a lot with her husband in a marriage that's falling apart.
Tender and spontaneous, the film will revolve around conversations about life’s big questions and playful moments on the living room floor, as Daniele tries to prepare the illustrations The short story “Henry James’s Happy Corner,” which is about a character who returns to the house where he spent his childhood and encounters the ghost of what he would have become had he stayed there. Just as happens to Daniele, who He begins to ask himself questions and watch the certainties of his life crumble, especially when the young editor he works for—a somewhat unpleasant fellow—also thinks his drawings are too dark.
By striking up a conversation with his grandson, he enters his grandson’s fantasy world, and they begin drawing together, and it is here that the contrast reaches its peak, as Daniele sets out search for that light that is missing in his artwork—illustrations that are central to the entire film, brought to life by theillustrator and painter Dario Maglionico.
Daniele will begin to confront Mario, who—despite already seeming like a grown-up—still confuses the game with reality. And this will become clear when Daniele finds himself locked out on the balcony, caught in the rain and facing his greatest fears.
By alternating between moments of comedy, irony, and vitality, the film maintains a delicate balance amid the constant tension and worry that something might happen to the child or the grandfather.
“The multifaceted nature of the novel gave me the opportunity to make a film with many different facets: it has comedic, dramatic, and unsettling elements, as well as a ghost story. But the film is much more than that: it’s a reflection on the passage of time and on life at a moment of reevaluation,” said the director. “Starnone is a universal writer. I think every reader will find something that resonates with them. But for me, as a Neapolitan who has lived in a predominantly patriarchal culture, I’ve found resonances and echoes in many of his novels that have moved me—such as the conversations on balconies and the sense of emptiness that I can relate to.”
Toni Servillo was particularly drawn to the character of Daniele: “He’s a man who feels old age approaching, and this undermines the very foundations of his personality and his sense of self. He begins to wonder if he really is who he thinks he is, if what he does as an artist reflects his deepest self, or if he has built an image of himself based on the credit he’s been given over the years.”—continues the actor, who was awarded the Coppa Volpi last year right here in Venice— - A state of instability that reaches its peak during these four days with his grandson, who has his whole life ahead of him and expresses it with uncontrollable restlessness, an off-putting intelligence, and unbearable know-it-all attitude. “A dramatic situation that is, however, also fruitful, because it puts him in a position to perceive the things within and around him differently.”
The film was shot by alternating moments of play with a great deal of patience:
“At first, I was very concerned about the time limits imposed for working on set with such a young child,” the director confided. “At a certain point, however, it became clear to me that the four-hour limit was intended to protect not the child but the crew,” he said with a laugh, adding that Lorenzo was fantastic.
And Servillo confirms: “He understood the fundamental rule of the game—namely, that you had to know the lines by heart—and he didn’t miss a single one. He even knew what I was supposed to say, and he would either beat me to it or correct me.”
C.I.D. s.r.l. Società a Socio Unico – Casa editrice del settimanale Gente Veneta – CF e PI 02341300271 – REA: VE – 211669 – Capitale Sociale 31.000 euro i.v. – Dorsoduro,1 – 30123 Venezia
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