MONDO
CANDIDO
Candido
is a gentle and innocent young man who is raised in a household
of a minor noble family in Westphalia during the medieval age.
Thought his youth he is educated by Dr. Pangloss, who is a teacher
of metaphysics and philosophy. Pangloss believes that
this is the best of all possible worlds and that any apparent
folly, misery and strife are actually all parts of a greater
good we mere mortals cannot perceive. Live is joyful for Candido
until he falls in love with the Baron's daughter Cunegonda and
is caught with his head under her skirt. Outraged, the Baron
immediately kicks Candido out of the castle into the world.
With this Garden of Eden like expulsion his wanderings and troubles
begin.
Time
has no meaning now as Candido travels the world searching for
his lost love Cunegonda. Guided by his mentor Pangloss who is
steadfast in his philosophical good cheer, in the face of more
and more fantastic misfortune. Candido strives to stay optimistic
as unbelievable horrors unfold. He finds his lost love only
to discover she has been raped hundreds of times and seems to
delight in the memories. Still trying to be optimistic he continues
his journeys and discovers the world is full of brutality, war,
slavery and sickness. Just as Candido’s optimism is about to
expire he is given the chance to speak to the God-like deity
called Dervishu. Candido asks why there is so much evil in the
world. A thunderous voice responds simply telling Candido to
shut up!
The
film is based on the pessimistic novel Candide by Voltaire.
Voltaire a 16th century author was furious that learned members
of a "civilized" society could claim that the apparent senseless
violence and mayhem wrought by disasters, war, disease, man's
cruelty, etc. was actually only a part of some 'greater good'.
After all, God (being perfect) could not 'logically' have created
anything but the 'best of all possible' universes.
From
the directing team of Gualtiero Jacopetti and Franco Prosperi
who presented the horrors of the world in the documentaries
MONDO CANE (1962) and AFRICA ADDIO (1966) and the evils of slavery
with GOODBYE UNCLE TOM.(1971). Seemingly the two were still
not satisfied as they turned to the pessimistic work of Voltaire,
whom must have been a mentor to the duo. Now freed from the
constraints of history or the documentary format the two were
free to create an entire world of horrors using their past cinematic
experiences to color their newest artwork. It is a fitting finally
for the nihilistic and cynical team of Jacopetti and Prosperi.
An explosive and very pessimistic last word that is so absurd
that it penetrates the consciousness at a very fundamental level.
Starring
Christopher Brown, Jacques Herlin, Michelle Miller, Jose Quaglio,
Richard Domphe.
Music by Riz Ortolani.
(1975-Italy)
Full Screen. In Italian with English subtitles.
“How
impressive, unique pictures appear from a bubbling kettle again
and again. A live thunderstorm. A huge firework of occurring.”
Il Messaggero - Rome
