Life Is Beautiful

A touching story of an Italian book seller of Jewish ancestry who lives in his own little fairy tale. His creative and happy life would come to an abrupt halt when his entire family is deported to a concentration camp during World War II. While locked up he tries to convince his son that the whole thing is just a game.

Genre : ComedyDrama

Runtime : 116 mins

Release Date : 1997-12-20

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Reviews (2)

The first half of the screenplay is better than the second and in particular the weak ending which is very commercial Oscar material. However, there is Benigni, who is an old school visual comedian, and some of his antics are a delight. The period setting details are also well done.

<em>'Life Is Beautiful'</em> is certainly beautiful (in a sense), but is acutely haunting too. You can see where the film is heading from pretty much the get-go, though that only strengthens the grip that the film had on my mind. Evidently, it's an outstanding piece of filmmaking. I've, of cours...

Cast

Roberto Benigni

(Guido)

Nicoletta Braschi

(Dora)

Giorgio Cantarini

(Giosué)

Giustino Durano

(Zio)

Sergio Bini Bustric

(Ferruccio)

Marisa Paredes

(Dora's Mother)

Horst Buchholz

(Doctor Lessing)

Lidia Alfonsi

(Mrs. Guicciardini)

Giuliana Lojodice

(School Principal)

Amerigo Fontani

(Rodolfo)

Pietro De Silva

(Bartolomeo)

Francesco Guzzo

(Vittorino)

Raffaella Lebboroni

(Elena)

Claudio Alfonsi

(Rodolfo's Friend)

Gil Baroni

(Prefect)

Massimo Bianchi

(Man with Key)

Jürgen Bohn

(German Party Attendant)

Verena Buratti

(German Auxilliary)

Robert Camero

(German Executioner)

Ennio Consalvi

(General Graziosi)

Giancarlo Cosentino

(Waiter Ernesto)

Aaron Craig

(US Tank Driver)

Alfiero Falomi

(King)

Daniela Fedke

(German Auxiliary)

Antonio Fommei

(School Janitor)

Stefano Frangipani

(Card Player)

Ernst Frowein Holger

(German Sergeant)

Alessandra Grassi

(Teacher)

Hannes Hellmann

(German Corporal)

Wolfgang Hillinger

(German Major at Party)

Margarita Lucia Krauss

(Female Soldier at Children's Dinner)

Patrizia Lazzarini

(1st Lady at the Grand Hotel)

Maria Letizia

(2nd Lady at the Grand Hotel)

Concetta Lombardo

(Gigliola)

Maria Rita Macellari

(Regina)

Carlotta Mangione

(Eleonora)

Franco Mescolini

(Public Education Inspector)

Francesca Messinese

(Lady at the Opera)

Inger Lise Middelthon

(German Auxiliary)

Andrea Nardi

(Upholsterer)

Günther Pfanzelter

(German Soldier)

Cristiana Porchiella

(Spinster Teacher)

Antonio Prester

(Bruno)

Gina Rovere

(Dora's Maid)

Laura Susanne Ruedeberg