Fcontroversial opening film of Venice Film Festival 2023 to on air with Pierfrancesco Favino, Commander arrives on TV tonight at 9.40pm on Rai 1. It’s about of the reconstruction of an episode of war and humanity that occurred during the Second World Wartrue story of the soldier Salvatore Todaro. But controversial why?
Commander: the plot of the film tonight 20 May on Rai 1
Salvatore Todaro (Favino) is the captain of the submarine Cappellini of the Royal Navy. The Commander applies methods outside the norm: the bow is reinforced with steel, cannon shots are fired from the surface to face the enemy face to face and the crew is armed with daggersalways ready to fight hand to hand.
In October 1940, while Todaro was sailing in the Atlantic in the middle of the night, the submarine was bombed by a Belgian merchant shipthe Kabalo: Todaro counterattacks sinking the ship. With all the crew members ending up at sea, decide then to perform a heroic gesture: saving the soldiers (26) from certain death. To do so, however, he must sail underwater for three days, risking being seen by the enemy. Gambling for everything, Todaro manages to land in the bay of Santa Maria in the Azores and save everyone.
Pierfrancesco Favino in a scene from “Comandante” by Edoardo De angelis. (01 Distribution)
A war drama that sparked much controversy
Added to the 2023 Venice Film Festival line-up at the last minute – Challengers by Luca Gudagnino withdrew from the Competition due to the actors’ strike – Commander was immediately greeted with mixed feelings. If almost all the Italian press praised him, international critics panned it saving only Favino’s interpretation.
The director of the Festival, Alberto Barbera, presented the film at a press conference as a story of “ethics and human solidarity”underlining the value of rescue at sea. Precisely this point has sparked a strong debate: there are those who have read the film as a contemporary metaphor of the duty to help migrants in the Mediterranean, and those who accused him of “cleaning up” or romanticizing the fascist past Italian. Arguing that focusing on a humanitarian gesture by an officer of the Royal Navy risked soften the historical context of the regime.
Inspired by the true story of Salvatore Todaronet of controversies Commander And a decent war film: full of special effects and with an almost Hollywood-like production. The director Edoardo De Angelis it seems focus more on the humanitarian message rather than the drama cinematic. Resulting in poorly developed characterslimited voltage e lack of historical and psychological depth.
The cast of Commander: a great performance by Pierfrancesco Favino
However, the public and critics were united in praising Pierfrancesco Favino’s performance. In fact, almost everyone praised his stage presence and the ability to give humanity to Salvatore Todaro. Avoiding – according to the most positive judgments – transforming it into a purely rhetorical figure.
Without a doubt, the Roman actor offers a “physical” and intense performance, often acting with his body rather than with dialogues and building a tired, stubborn commander and deeply tied to his own moral code.
Magnetic and solid, Favino once again demonstrates all his class but his presence is so “dominant” that it crushes the remaining characters. So for the film a halfway result, “certified” by the defeat at the David di Donatello in 10 categories.
