Friday, July 13, 2012

The Tree of Wooden Clogs (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)
The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)
Palme d'Or Winner
Genre: Drama
Director: Ermanno Olmi
Starring: Luigi Ornaghi, Francesca Moriggi, Omar Brignoli, Giuseppe Brignoli
Language: Bergamasque
Duration: 186 min.
Rating: 8.4
Summary:
A year in the lives of a group of Lombard peasant families who live and work in a cascina during the late 19th century.
The Tree of Wooden Clogs is a film written, directed, photographed, and edited by Italian filmmaker Ermanno Olmi. It premiered at the 1978 Cannes Film Festival, winning the Palme d'Or and the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury.

Set in the late 1800s, within a farm estate in the Northern Italian region of Lombardy, this documentary-like film, cast entirely from local non-professionals, follows the lives and activity of four peasant families over the course of one year. These are simple yet difficult lives, where a large percentage of their crops must be handed over to an absentee landowner, in return for the privilege of living and working on his land. One family agrees reluctantly to send their promising young son to school, for it's a six kilometer walk each way, and it also means there's one less set of hands to help in the fields.

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

Olmi captures these lives in a series of vignettes, and it doesn't take long to be completely drawn into them. Using a handheld 16mm camera, there is a spontaneous feel to the film and it's remarkable how natural it looks. There are also no visible cinematic tricks like artificial lighting or stylized cinematography. The actors, the scenery, and even the sound (recorded directly, a rarity for Italian cinema of the time) and language (perhaps the only film entirely spoken in Bergamasque) all combine to make it seem like these are real people going about their regular routines and the camera just happens to be there.

There is very little plot, instead we follow each of the various characters in mostly mundane, yet somehow always engaging little moments. An old man teaches his young granddaughter the family secret of how to grow tomatoes ready for market before anyone else. The shy and adorably awkward courtship between a suitor from another village and a local girl of marrying age. A widow with six children to feed who prays for the health of her ailing cow. A teenage boy gets his first job at a nearby mill. All the while, we see the seasons gradually changing as each day passes. Each one of these threads are elegantly woven together with careful precision and rhythm, making the film's three hour running time seemingly pass by quicker than some films half its length.

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

It's a beautiful trip back in time but Olmi also has a social agenda. Hidden within the daily grind of survival are subtle jabs against the old ways which are not all so different from modern ways. There are glimpses of early revolutionary activity largely ignored by the peasants, also rumors and signs of clashes between the military and socialist protestors. The vast difference between the lives of the wealthy landowner and the poor peasants is also powerfully illustrated in an important sequence comparing how each group spends their leisure time.

The Tree of Wooden Clogs is a rare and unique authentic slice of life, nostalgic but never over-sentimental, and crafted with a delicate and personal touch. An overlooked gem, and the perfect companion to last year's equally wonderful The Four Times.
Bonjour Tristesse
The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

The Tree of Wooden Clogs • L'albero degil zoccoli (1978)

10 comments:

Christine said...

Looks interesting. And love its title!

Steven Flores said...

Oh, this looks great. I want see this.

d_4 said...

There's just 2 reasons why I'm giving this a chance.. the Palme D'Or, and your review. Nothing initially strikes me, you even say there's little plot. I definitely would've overlooked this had it not been for the engaging experience you make it out to be. I'll look forward to it.

365 moviesandsongs365 said...

I couldn't handle the slowness of Tree and Wooden Clogs and gave up, but I could imagine with your love for the filmmaking of Bela Tarr, this would be right up your street! Was Tarr inspired by this film by any chance?

Midnight_Review said...

Your blog really got me into world cinema- I always had an interest in it, but now I really know which ones to choose. I've been following you for ages now and thank you for sharing your views on these often forgotten cinematic gems. Really love your blog!

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Italian films always have the greatest titles.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

You should, I think you'd enjoy this one.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

No not much of a story at all. I'd say stay away if that's something you require from a film. However, its absolutely fascinating if you are the kind of person who likes people watching.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

I don't think so. Tarr is very precise and formalistic almost never using handheld shots, he's slow and raw but the images are always cinematic, every action or non action is deliberately done for the camera. While Olmi is spontaneous, scenes feel natural and less scripted, life is happening and his camera just happens to be there.

Bonjour Tristesse said...

Thank you and welcome Midnight! It's comments like yours that make me feel like what I'm doing here is worthwhile.

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