Life Is Beautiful is an unusual combination of light-hearted humor and romance juxtaposed with the tragedy of the Holocaust. Though some have criticized this film for using comedy in a portrayal of the Holocaust and thereby possibly belittling the horrors that occurred, the message that the film ultimately seems to send is that, as the title proclaims, life truly can be beautiful. The film uses the dark and tragic times of a concentration camp to reveal the extent to which a loving father will go to protect his child from even emotion trauma.
In the first part of the movie when the audience is introduced to Guido, he uses his amusing antics and quick thinking to win the heart of Dora, whom he marries; in the second part, however, the audience sees how he uses these same characteristics when the stakes are incredibly higher. When Guido and his young son Joshua are forced to go to a concentration camp, Guido convinces Joshua that they are part of a game in which they must follow the rules in order to gain points and win. Even though Guido faces danger and exhausting work each day, he never lets his son see his fear and continually tries not only to keep his son from harm but also to keep his son’s spirits high. It appears that one of the main intentions of the director, co-writer and actor Roberto Benigni is to send a message of hope, suggesting that life can be beautiful even in the most horrific circumstances. He achieves this theme of hope through the film’s optimism, which surely is not meant to dismiss the tragedy of the Holocaust but instead uses a dark time in history as an unexpected place in which to search for beauty, shown through Guido’s love for his son. Though emotionally difficult to watch, Life Is Beautiful causes the viewer to reflect upon the beautiful aspects of life that one must seek despite the tragedies.
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