Pinocchio (2019)

"I've been thinking to make with my hands, by myself, a wooden puppet."

Director

Matteo Garrone

Cast

Federico Ielapi - Pinocchio

Roberto Benigni - Geppetto

Alida Baldari Calabria - Fata Turchina bambina (Little Blue Fairy)

Marine Vacth - Fata Turchina (Blue Fairy)

Gigi Proietti - Mangiafuoco

Rocco Papaleo - Gatto (Cat)

Massimo Ceccherini - Volpe (Fox)

I haven't seen many film adaptations of Italian writer Carlo Collodi's famous story Pinocchio. 

As my wife will attest to, Pinocchio remains my favorite Disney film, followed by either Alice in Wonderland or The Adventures of Ichabod and Mr. Toad - I haven't made my mind up yet.

But despite my fondness for this story, and pretty much all things Italian, it's no revelation to say that Pinocchio as told by Walt Disney is a thin version of Collodi's story written in 1883. Anyone who read the book knows there's a lot to this tale, and a ton of characters audiences aren't introduced to in Disney's classic film. 

I admit a bit of a bias with this story as I have a love for things Italian thanks to the heritage I was born with from my mother's side. 

When the trailer for a new film adaptation of Pinocchio was released, I had the impression right away that it's a faithful adaptation to the story, or as close to it as a movie can be.

The story ought to be familiar to most audiences considering millions have seen some adaptation of Pinocchio at some point in their lives, or read the book, or both.

Geppetto (Roberto Benigni), a poor woodcarver who lives in a modest Italian village, struggles to earn a living in his craft. 

A travelling puppet theater comes through town, and Geppetto is curious to see the detailed wooden marionette caricatures to be featured. Catching a glimpse of these puppets inspires him to create one of his own to sell for money. 

He visits a local carpenter who, unbeknownst to Geppetto, has acquired a solid piece of wood that moves on its own as though something or someone is inside trying to come out. 

Out of fear of this mysterious log, the carpenter gives it to Geppetto as a gift. 

Geppetto starts working on it right away. After carving out the head of his soon-to-be puppet, he sees the wood move. 

So, he carves out eyes, ears, and a mouth, and tests his creation to see if it can speak, which it does.

Excited, he runs out of his home happily declaring to all who can hear him that he has a son.  

Once he finishes his new puppet, giving it the name Pinocchio, he tries to teach him to walk.

But while doing so, Pinocchio runs away.

Geppetto can't run as fast, but still ventures out to find him. 

Pinocchio returns home before Geppetto comes back.

While waiting for his dad, Pinocchio makes himself comfortable in front of the fire. 

Federico Ielapi (left) and Alida Baldari Calabria in Pinocchio.

A house cricket (Davide Marotta), who has lived inside the house for a hundred years, instructs the puppet that children who don't listen to their parents will only go down a road to disaster.

Of course, this advice irritates Pinocchio. He tells the cricket to be quiet, and throws a hammer at him, striking the cricket in the face.

When Pinocchio sits back down in front of the fire, he puts his feet close to the flames and falls asleep.

Geppetto returns but can't get inside because the door is locked. His knocking wakes Pinocchio up. But Pinocchio can't walk because he left his feet in the fire too long and burned them off. 

So, Geppetto climbs through a window and fashions him with some new feet. 

The next day, he sends the wooden boy to school. 

When Geppetto leaves him behind, Pinocchio sneaks out and heads for the travelling puppet theater.

During the show, the marionettes on stage see him - a brother puppet - in the crowd and invite him on stage to embrace him.

The puppet master and theater director, Mangiafuoco, walks on stage infuriated the performance was interrupted. He takes Pinocchio and locks him up with the caravan. By the end of the day when Geppetto goes to take Pinocchio home from school, the caravan has already left town.

It doesn't take long before Geppetto figures out his son went to the puppet show and was taken by those involved in the production. So, he keeps travelling until he can be reunited again with his son.

During his journey to find his father, Pinocchio encounters a large array of characters such as a Blue Fairy who lives with a grandmotherly snail, a thieving cat and fox, a disobedient child named Lucignolo who takes him to the land of toys, and a giant dog fish. 

There's crucial lessons for the puppet to learn in his pursuit to become a real boy. The journey to that goal comes with the realization that decisions have consequences, and being real means fulfilling responsibilities.  

Pinocchio is an entertaining and well structured telling of the classic story.

Through uniquely antiquated style prosthetic wooden puppet make-up and a unique old-style atmosphere, the movie maintains a sophisticated whimsical nature in its setting and imagery. 

The animal characters, and classic style marionette puppets look like they popped off the illustrations of artists like J.J. Grandville or the Mother Goose pictures of Blanche Fisher Wright. 

More make-up is used than CGI. Most impressive is Maria Pia Timo's portrayal and appearance as the snail. Her approachable, grandmotherly appearance all while dragging a large shell on her back, slithering along the hard floors leaving a trail behind her which visitors consistently slip on as visitors, is clever and unforgettable. 

However, colors are faded and dusty throughout the picture. Nothing stands out in the atmosphere outside of the special effects, characters, and antique look. 

Italy is a vibrant and lively country, or so I imagine as I've never had the honor of visiting. The aspect of poverty and the poor is overdone with the film's near colorless settings. It's unfortunate. 

Even the Blue Fairy wears faded blue clothing and her hair is barely an icy blue color. 

The actors are energetic, enthusiastic and truly engaged in their roles.

By now, more that 130 years after the story was written, everyone over the age of 10 should know that

Roberto Benigni as Geppetto.

Pinocchio's goal in the story is to become a real boy. In this adaptation, he mentions his wish to the Blue Fairy, but the story focuses more on the necessity for Pinocchio to understand the idea of responsibility, how to carry out responsibilities, and that actions have consequences are as much a part of being real as flesh and blood is over his pursuit. 

The film isn't preachy nor beating its lessons over the heads of its audience. 

Still, it's a film that will surely insight questions among young children. My son and daughter asked me several questions, most of which began with "why", as we watched Pinocchio together. One scene in particular that had their attention depicts Pinocchio's school teacher (played by Enzo Vetrano) whip student's hands with a rod when they answer mathematical questions incorrectly. There's a lot for young minds to take in.

The movie is also the final film appearance of actor Gigi Proietti who portrays Mangiafuoco. The character is referred to as "Stromboli" in the Disney adaptation. 

And it's worth pointing out that Benigni stars as Pinocchio in the 2002 film Pinocchio, which Benigni directed. Now, he plays Geppetto. 

I haven't read the book in years, so I don't recall how the movie deviates from the story. And frankly, I don't care. I'm of the opinion a movie doesn't need to follow the book so closely as long as it respects the source material. Disney strayed far from Collodi's original tale, and still manages to be one of the best films in history. 

Pinocchio flows smoothly, with hardly a dull moment. Even though I know the story, I didn't find myself bored at any moment. 

This adaptation seems like it's made with care and respect for Collodi's vision especially as it comes from the country that gave the world the author and his puppet.