Bread and Chocolate/Pane e cioccolata (1974)
The
Hero Nino
Bread and Chocolate (Pane e cioccolata) is a delightful
comedy by Franco Brusati. The film is rooted in a social commentary and as implied
by the title, the juxtaposition of Italian and Swiss cultures. The social
commentary of Bread and Chocolate remains
relevant in the modern era throughout the world. The film uses humor to address
prejudice, problems within the Catholic Church, and the universal theme of a
man trying to carve out his place in the world.
At the heart of Bread and Chocolate is the character Nino Garofoli played by Nino Manfredi. Nino is an Italian immigrant living in Switzerland trying to build a better life. Although the audience is continually laughing at the trials and tribulations of Nino, Nino continually faces an underlying tragedy. Despite Nino’s efforts to fit in and obtain the acceptance of the Swiss people, he must embrace the notion that some goals are never accomplished.
At the heart of Bread and Chocolate is the character Nino Garofoli played by Nino Manfredi. Nino is an Italian immigrant living in Switzerland trying to build a better life. Although the audience is continually laughing at the trials and tribulations of Nino, Nino continually faces an underlying tragedy. Despite Nino’s efforts to fit in and obtain the acceptance of the Swiss people, he must embrace the notion that some goals are never accomplished.
Nino moved to
Switzerland, because he was not able to make a living wage in Italy. At the
beginning of the film, Nino is optimistic and relishes in the Swiss culture,
but the audience soon learns that Nino’s unrefined and Italian ways clash with
the sensibilities of the Swiss. Nino chain-smokes where smoking is prohibited.
He litters next to garbage cans, and he urinates in public. Even Nino’s eating
disrupts the peaceful music of the Swiss people. Nino eats a chocolate sandwich
during the opening, and the musicians playing music in the park stop while Nino
chews. They are appalled that he would chew bread in the park. Nino is allowed
to work in Switzerland, but he is not welcomed by the Swiss with open arms.
Instead, the Swiss often treat Nino like an uncultured and unwanted buffoon.
Despite the conflict of cultures, Nino remains proud to work and live in
Switzerland.
On the surface,
Switzerland appears to be a place where nothing can go wrong. It seems as
though everyone is highly sophisticated and morally superior. During the
opening of the film, the Swiss ride horses, listen to violins in the park, and
everything they do seems picturesque. At one point, a dog runs with two
children elegantly carrying a basket of flowers in its mouth. The image arouses
the notion that even the Swiss dogs are more sophisticated than Nino, the
stereotypical Italian (Candela). However, Nino quickly learns that Switzerland
is not perfect, and many of the Swiss people are highly flawed. Although Nino
attempts to have a relaxing day in the park, the discovery of a young girl’s
dead body quickly interrupts Nino’s respite. A priest quietly stands behind a
tree as Nino attempts to make sense of the situation. Although the Swiss police
arrest Nino for the murder of the girl, the priest eventually confesses to the
murder, and the police set Nino free. The crimes perpetrated against children
by priests are certainly not unique to Switzerland, and the audience gets the
impression that internal problems within the Catholic Church transcend borders
and denominations.
Meanwhile, prejudice
against Italians in Switzerland is also a prominent theme of the film. Nino’s
friend arrives to work late, because he was in a fight with Swiss people that
were talking poorly about Italians.
Although the Swiss find Nino and Italians in general to be crude and unrefined, Nino believes that the Swiss people treat him better than the northerners of Italy treated him. Additionally, one evening when speaking to a photo of his family, Nino proclaims that he could never make the type of money that he makes in Switzerland if he was still living in Italy. Nonetheless, despite many attempts, Nino never ceases being an Italian. In the beginning, Nino is a child trapped in a man’s body, but his failed attempts to relate with children on numerous occasions foreshadow the notion that Nino will eventually lose his innocence and have to grow up. In fact, Brusati signals Nino’s maturation throughout the film, as he grows more and more tired of the delusional optimism of signing Italians.
Although the Swiss find Nino and Italians in general to be crude and unrefined, Nino believes that the Swiss people treat him better than the northerners of Italy treated him. Additionally, one evening when speaking to a photo of his family, Nino proclaims that he could never make the type of money that he makes in Switzerland if he was still living in Italy. Nonetheless, despite many attempts, Nino never ceases being an Italian. In the beginning, Nino is a child trapped in a man’s body, but his failed attempts to relate with children on numerous occasions foreshadow the notion that Nino will eventually lose his innocence and have to grow up. In fact, Brusati signals Nino’s maturation throughout the film, as he grows more and more tired of the delusional optimism of signing Italians.
After the police
release Nino, he wanders the streets of Switzerland. While absorbed in thought,
Nino urinates on a wall in front of two Swiss people taking pictures. The two
Swiss people report the incident, and Nino ends up losing his work permit. Nino
gets on a train back to Italy, but he quickly decides that he will not go back
to Italy. He goes to his former neighbor Elena for a place to stay. She is not
fond of the idea, because she is already hiding her son Grigory from the Swiss
authorities. Elena and Grigory are political refugees. Eventually, Elena allows
Nino to stay at her home for a short period. Although Nino does not have a work
permit, he attempts to work for an Italian industrialist and at a chicken farm.
However, both jobs end in tragedy and folly. The Italian industrialist commits
suicide and loses Nino’s money. Shortly after, Nino gets an unsanctioned job
and place to live at a chicken farm. However, Nino realizes that life on a
chicken farm is exactly the type of life that caused Nino to leave Italy.
Instead of incessantly signing Italians, on the chicken farm Nino must endure
his companions clucking and acting like chickens. Much like Nino, the chicken
farmers are too naïve and “chicken” to face the reality of their situation. They
stare at the Swiss people with admiration as though the Swiss are gods and
goddesses, but they are not. They are simply people with different colored
hair.
Eventually, Nino
dyes his hair blonde in order to pass as a Swiss native. He looks somewhat ridiculous,
but others treat him with more respect. At first, it seems as though Nino is
happy to pretend as though he is from Switzerland. Nonetheless, his blonde
façade merely mirrors the discontent that he and other Italians mask with humor
and signing. During a televised soccer match at a pub, Nino attempts to blend
in and roots against the Italian team. Meanwhile, Nino realizes that he cannot
be an accomplice to the cruelty and prejudice toward Italians, and he begins
cheering for the Italian team proclaiming, “sono italiano” (“I am Italian”) to
all the patrons of the pub. He stares at himself in a mirror that hangs in the
pub. Although Nino thought that dying his hair would be the answer to his
problems, he despises his ridiculous and fake hair. He cannot stand to look at
his own reflection, and he smashes his head into the mirror shattering the
image he has of himself and the Swiss people. The patrons of the pub throw Nino
out of the pub onto the street, and shortly after the Swiss authorities force
Nino to leave Switzerland.
Nino embraces
Italian stereotypes as he walks with a Swiss escort to a train back to Italy.
He knows that resisting the Swiss’ prejudice toward Italians is futile. He
tears posters off the train station walls, blaming his Italian nature. He slaps
an older woman on the rear end, and he blames his hand. Before boarding the
train, Nino attempts to urinate in the open again, and his Swiss escort merely
tells him to stop, dismissing the action as something Italians must do all the
time. Once Nino boards the train, a loudspeaker begins calling his name, and
Elena walks by the train. Nino is surprised and excited to see Elena, and he
rushes back off the train to talk to her. This short exchange between Nino and
Elena captures the spirit and tone of the entire film. Nino’s hair is an
overtly noted symbol of both Nino’s character and the thematic devices used
throughout the film. When Elena comments on Nino’s half-blonde, half-brunette hair,
Nino explains that his hair inadvertently reflects who he is, “That’s me, neither
here nor there.” However, Elena does not believe him, and she refuses to
sympathize with Nino’s tragedy. Instead, she tells Nino that the problem is not
Italy or Switzerland, but rather that Nino must eventually choose to live and
embrace life. Elena informs Nino that she was able to get his work permit
reinstated, but Nino refuses the offer.
Regardless of
Elena’s attempts to cheer Nino up and persuade him to stay, Nino decides to
remain on the train back to Italy. As the train departs for Italy, the other
Italians on the train begin singing about the sun and the sea. Nino knows that
he needs more from life than just the sun and the sea.
As the other Italians sing and play the accordion, the train enters a tunnel into a black hole of frivolous indifference and delusional happiness. Nino pulls the emergency brake, gets off the train, and walks out of the tunnel back onto the Swiss landscape. In this moment, Nino demonstrates a sense of strength and determination. He ran away from his problems from Italy. Instead of running back to Italy from the problems he faced in Switzerland, Nino decides to face his troubles. He accepts that which he cannot change. Nino takes Elena’s advice, and he chooses to live.
As the other Italians sing and play the accordion, the train enters a tunnel into a black hole of frivolous indifference and delusional happiness. Nino pulls the emergency brake, gets off the train, and walks out of the tunnel back onto the Swiss landscape. In this moment, Nino demonstrates a sense of strength and determination. He ran away from his problems from Italy. Instead of running back to Italy from the problems he faced in Switzerland, Nino decides to face his troubles. He accepts that which he cannot change. Nino takes Elena’s advice, and he chooses to live.
Bread and Chocolate is not only a
wonderful comedy and social commentary, but also an exquisite example of filmmaking.
Brusati’s directing, the use of music, the performances, and the dynamic themes
of the film overshadow any minor imperfections, such as the camera going out of
focus. Regardless of any imperfections and flaws, the audience cannot help but
love the character of Nino, and he is truly an understated hero. The German
part of Switzerland depicted in the film was one of the most racist parts of
Europe during the time (Candela). However, in the end, Nino transcends the
Swiss’ racism. He refuses to let prejudice and rejection dominate his life, and
he continues to fight for his pursuit of a better life.
Works
Cited
Bread
and Chocolate. Dir. Franco Brusati. Perf. Nino Manfredi and Anna Karina. Henstooth
Video, 1994. DVD.
Candela, G. “Pane e cioccolata.” Arizona State University. G.
Homer Durham Language
and Literature
building, Tempe, AZ. 21 Oct. 2015. Lecture.