Set in the early '50s, this bittersweet tale of the unlikely friendship between the
world-famous poet, Pablo Neruda, and Mario, an unworldly fisherman's son is a deceptively
simple film that sneaks up on you. Initially as unhurried and placid as a Mediterranean
holiday, the picture has an unexpected impact in its final fifteen minutes. The great
French actor, Philippe Noiret plays Neruda, exiled from Chile for his outspoken politics
and banished to a small island off the coast of Italy. Beloved Italian star Massimo
Troisi (who tragically died the morning after filming ended) plays Mario, Neruda's postman
who becomes his friend. English director Michael Radford ("White Mischief") brings an
outsider's intrigued eye to his Italian setting. But his ultimate focus is on the
collision of poet and peasant and how each truly affects the other.
Copyright 1994-2008 Film Scouts LLC
Created, produced, and published by Film Scouts LLC
Film Scouts® is a registered trademark of Film Scouts LLC
All rights reserved.
