Bread and Tulips

Bread & Tulips

A movie by Silvio Soldini

With Licia Maglietta, Bruno Ganz

Helga says:

A well functioning housewife is left behind at a service area both by her family and the group they are travelling with. It takes a while before her husband realizes that the seat next to him is empty.

While the bus goes back to pick up Mum, she suddenly discovers that she is now a free woman and decides to do everything she ever dreamed of and catches a ride. She ends up for a brief spin in Venice without any money, where a depressed waiter (Bruno Ganz) invites her to sleep at his place, not without hastily hiding the rope he wanted to use to hang himself before letting her in. Somehow, Rosa becomes attached to this very sensitive and considerate waiter who keeps postponing his suicide day after day. Instead, he admires Rosa and is very attentive towards her, noticing every single thing she does.

In the meantime, the family starts missing Mum. The kitchen is a mess and the shirts need ironing. The husband hires a private investigator supposed to bring his wife back. Rosa is found and finally submits to her fate again. But once the kitchen is cleaned and the laundry has been ironed, nobody pays attention to her again. Then Bruno appears in his ramshackle truck, grabs the love of his life and they live happily ever after.

In Italy, this movie reaped in tons of awards.

In Germany, it is considered nothing more than a nice little film.

Of course I have to admit that it is a bit simple, but it is nonetheless a delightful movie. It has been compared to Amélie of Montmartre on various occasions, but it is much more realistic. This story could really happen.

I didn't perceive it as a nice fairy tale but as a solid request for abandoning certain behaviours and gender roles that are standing in the way of personal happiness. Maybe the film didn't get as much attention in Germany because it is the story of a housewife who is nothing but a housewife and therefore a completely insignificant person. I think that all stay-at-home wifes and mothers who only get attention if something is wrong should watch it. It will be soothing their souls. And who knows, perhaps some of them will get the message. But you don't have to be a housewife to do so; everyone can get something out of this film.

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Helga

Last changes: 12/04/04