The Tiger and the Snow
Encyclopedia
La tigre e la neve is a 2005 Italian
movie starring and directed by Roberto Benigni
.
The film is a romantic comedy set in contemporary Rome and in occupied Baghdad
during the Iraq War. The story, inspired by the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty
," features singer-songwriter Tom Waits
as himself in recurring dream sequences, and a surprise ending. The opening scene is a celebration of love, man's greatest strength, with an abundance of poetic references mentioned in the closing credits.
, March 2003. Attilio de Giovanni (Roberto Benigni
), a comical but talented literature
professor
and the divorced father of two teenage girls, is hopelessly in love with Vittoria (Nicoletta Braschi
, Benigni's wife in real life), a writer who is the subject of a recurring dream, featuring a surreal wedding ceremony with poetry verses in the background. Attilio's strenuous courtship is unsuccessful, yet he does not lose hope, despite the fact that Vittoria obviously does not share the same feelings.
Vittoria leaves to go to Iraq
to write the biography of the poet Fuad (Jean Reno
), a close friend of Attilio who is returning to his country after 18 years in exile in France
. Vittoria is wounded during the Iraq War and Attilio manages to reach Baghdad
with the intention of saving her life. He finds Vittoria in an Iraqi hospital lying in a coma
; like thousands of Iraqis, she is in danger of dying from lack of medicine
. Fuad directs Attilio to an old Iraqi pharmacist
, who suggests ancient treatments that keep her alive. Attilio locates scuba
gear (to provide oxygen) and even "a weapon of mass destruction" (a flyswatter).
Attilio then runs the risk of going to the Italian Red Cross HQ in Iraq, obtains medical supplies by posing as a doctor, then brings medicines back to Baghdad. The medical supplies enable Vittoria to make a complete recovery, but when Attilio goes to Fuad's house to tell him about this triumph over adversity, he finds that Fuad has hanged himself. Fuad had earlier had a short soliloquy on how "his eyes no longer...", but Attilio had not picked up on because he was frantically trying to make the glycerine mixture to save Vittoria. Just before Vittoria emerges from her coma, Attilio is captured by the U.S. Military and is mistaken for an Iraqi insurgent
.
In the final scenes it is revealed that Vittoria is Attilio's wife. They are obviously separated in this story, perhaps because of his tumultuous over-abundant energy and insane diversions, (along with earlier transgressions with another woman). Several times we see Attilio in awkward visits to Vittoria and their children, and obviously he is still hopelessly in love. (He proves this in the most extreme way- finding her and somehow managing to save her life in war-torn Iraq.)
In the final scene of the film, even though Attilio won't admit that he is the "wonderful stranger who saved her", Vittoria suddenly recognizes his familiar way of brushing her cheek in the same manner that "the stranger" had touched her when she was lying unconscious in the hospital, and the way her necklace (that he took from her in Iraq, for safekeeping) dangling from his neck touches her face.
: Attilio de Giovanni
Jean Reno
: Fuad
Nicoletta Braschi
: Vittoria
Emilia Fox
: Nancy
Giuseppe Battiston: Ermanno
Tom Waits
: himself
Andrea Renzi: Doctor Guazzelli
Gianfranco Varetto: attorney Scuotilancia
Chiara Pirri: Emilia
Anna Pirri: Rosa
is also alluded to, particularly Braschi's character, the Blue Fairy: at one point her husband asks her to wear a blue robe. Later on her husband straps a blue scuba mask to her eyes, remarking how beautiful the color blue contrasts her skin.
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
movie starring and directed by Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni
Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
.
The film is a romantic comedy set in contemporary Rome and in occupied Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
during the Iraq War. The story, inspired by the fairy tale "Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty
Sleeping Beauty by Charles Perrault or Little Briar Rose by the Brothers Grimm is a classic fairytale involving a beautiful princess, enchantment, and a handsome prince...
," features singer-songwriter Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
as himself in recurring dream sequences, and a surprise ending. The opening scene is a celebration of love, man's greatest strength, with an abundance of poetic references mentioned in the closing credits.
Plot
RomeRome
Rome is the capital of Italy and the country's largest and most populated city and comune, with over 2.7 million residents in . The city is located in the central-western portion of the Italian Peninsula, on the Tiber River within the Lazio region of Italy.Rome's history spans two and a half...
, March 2003. Attilio de Giovanni (Roberto Benigni
Roberto Benigni
Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
), a comical but talented literature
Literature
Literature is the art of written works, and is not bound to published sources...
professor
Professor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
and the divorced father of two teenage girls, is hopelessly in love with Vittoria (Nicoletta Braschi
Nicoletta Braschi
Nicoletta Braschi is an Italian actress and producer, best known for her work with her husband, actor and director Roberto Benigni....
, Benigni's wife in real life), a writer who is the subject of a recurring dream, featuring a surreal wedding ceremony with poetry verses in the background. Attilio's strenuous courtship is unsuccessful, yet he does not lose hope, despite the fact that Vittoria obviously does not share the same feelings.
Vittoria leaves to go to Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
to write the biography of the poet Fuad (Jean Reno
Jean Reno
Jean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
), a close friend of Attilio who is returning to his country after 18 years in exile in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. Vittoria is wounded during the Iraq War and Attilio manages to reach Baghdad
Baghdad
Baghdad is the capital of Iraq, as well as the coterminous Baghdad Governorate. The population of Baghdad in 2011 is approximately 7,216,040...
with the intention of saving her life. He finds Vittoria in an Iraqi hospital lying in a coma
Coma
In medicine, a coma is a state of unconsciousness, lasting more than 6 hours in which a person cannot be awakened, fails to respond normally to painful stimuli, light or sound, lacks a normal sleep-wake cycle and does not initiate voluntary actions. A person in a state of coma is described as...
; like thousands of Iraqis, she is in danger of dying from lack of medicine
Medicine
Medicine is the science and art of healing. It encompasses a variety of health care practices evolved to maintain and restore health by the prevention and treatment of illness....
. Fuad directs Attilio to an old Iraqi pharmacist
Pharmacist
Pharmacists are allied health professionals who practice in pharmacy, the field of health sciences focusing on safe and effective medication use...
, who suggests ancient treatments that keep her alive. Attilio locates scuba
Scuba set
A scuba set is an independent breathing set that provides a scuba diver with the breathing gas necessary to breathe underwater during scuba diving. It is much used for sport diving and some sorts of work diving....
gear (to provide oxygen) and even "a weapon of mass destruction" (a flyswatter).
Attilio then runs the risk of going to the Italian Red Cross HQ in Iraq, obtains medical supplies by posing as a doctor, then brings medicines back to Baghdad. The medical supplies enable Vittoria to make a complete recovery, but when Attilio goes to Fuad's house to tell him about this triumph over adversity, he finds that Fuad has hanged himself. Fuad had earlier had a short soliloquy on how "his eyes no longer...", but Attilio had not picked up on because he was frantically trying to make the glycerine mixture to save Vittoria. Just before Vittoria emerges from her coma, Attilio is captured by the U.S. Military and is mistaken for an Iraqi insurgent
Iraqi insurgency
The Iraqi Resistance is composed of a diverse mix of militias, foreign fighters, all-Iraqi units or mixtures opposing the United States-led multinational force in Iraq and the post-2003 Iraqi government...
.
In the final scenes it is revealed that Vittoria is Attilio's wife. They are obviously separated in this story, perhaps because of his tumultuous over-abundant energy and insane diversions, (along with earlier transgressions with another woman). Several times we see Attilio in awkward visits to Vittoria and their children, and obviously he is still hopelessly in love. (He proves this in the most extreme way- finding her and somehow managing to save her life in war-torn Iraq.)
In the final scene of the film, even though Attilio won't admit that he is the "wonderful stranger who saved her", Vittoria suddenly recognizes his familiar way of brushing her cheek in the same manner that "the stranger" had touched her when she was lying unconscious in the hospital, and the way her necklace (that he took from her in Iraq, for safekeeping) dangling from his neck touches her face.
Cast
Roberto BenigniRoberto Benigni
Roberto Remigio Benigni, Cavaliere di Gran Croce OMRI is an Italian actor, comedian, screenwriter and director of film, theatre and television.- Early years :...
: Attilio de Giovanni
Jean Reno
Jean Reno
Jean Reno is a French actor. Working in French, English, Spanish and Italian, he has appeared not only in numerous successful Hollywood productions such as The Pink Panther, Godzilla, The Da Vinci Code, Mission: Impossible, Ronin and Couples Retreat, but also in European productions such as the...
: Fuad
Nicoletta Braschi
Nicoletta Braschi
Nicoletta Braschi is an Italian actress and producer, best known for her work with her husband, actor and director Roberto Benigni....
: Vittoria
Emilia Fox
Emilia Fox
Emilia Rose Elizabeth Fox is an award-winning English actress, known for her role as Dr. Nikki Alexander on BBC crime drama Silent Witness, having joined the cast in 2004 following the departure of Amanda Burton. She also appears as Morgause in the BBC's Merlin beginning in the programme's second...
: Nancy
Giuseppe Battiston: Ermanno
Tom Waits
Tom Waits
Thomas Alan "Tom" Waits is an American singer-songwriter, composer, and actor. Waits has a distinctive voice, described by critic Daniel Durchholz as sounding "like it was soaked in a vat of bourbon, left hanging in the smokehouse for a few months, and then taken outside and run over with a car."...
: himself
Andrea Renzi: Doctor Guazzelli
Gianfranco Varetto: attorney Scuotilancia
Chiara Pirri: Emilia
Anna Pirri: Rosa
Connections to La Vita è bella
Several references to Life Is Beautiful are scattered throughout the film. First and foremost is the Benigni-Braschi pairing (in real life, husband and wife). However it is usual for the pair to co-star together. The first half of the film deals with Benigni's character courting Braschi's, and the second part has them separated by a war. Benigni is even taken prisoner at one point. Benigni's attempts at saving his wife are reminiscent of his scenes cheering up his son at the concentration camp. Benigni's movie PinocchioPinocchio (2002 film)
Pinocchio is a 2002 Italian live-action family film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni. The film is based on The Adventures of Pinocchio by Carlo Collodi with Benigni portraying Pinocchio. It was shot in Italy and Kalkara, Malta...
is also alluded to, particularly Braschi's character, the Blue Fairy: at one point her husband asks her to wear a blue robe. Later on her husband straps a blue scuba mask to her eyes, remarking how beautiful the color blue contrasts her skin.