Though Paolo and Vittorio Taviani's "Fiorile" is not quite up there with "The Night of the Shooting Stars," which made them a favorite of the international cinema set, their latest film makes for mildly diverting entertainment.
This episodic story of an ancient curse that seems to be passed down from generation to generation, "Fiorile" begins with a modern-day family's drive from their home in Paris to the rural area of Tuscany, Italy.
Luigi Benedetti wants to visit his ailing father, who has recently been released from an asylum. On the way, his wife, who is French, encourages him to tell the story of his family's tainted history to their two small children — before they hear of it elsewhere.
The name "Benedetti" means "the blessed," the father explains, but since the 18th century, some have referred to them as "Male-detti," which means "the cursed." It seems that during that time, an idealistic French lieutenant named Jean was sentenced to death in Tuscany because he lost a shipment of gold coins. The incident entwined Jean with the Benedetti family, ultimately leading to the "curse."
Ensuing generations, according to the stories related by Luigi during the trip, had the misfortune of falling under the curse, which ultimately leads to a concluding incident that involves Luigi's own family.
In some ways, this is almost an Italian take on the old anthological classic "Dead of Night," without the horror overtones. And as they did with "Night of the Shooting Stars," the Tavianis are more interested in developing their characters than driving the story elements. But the result is a film that is too long, too slow and not nearly as mesmerizing as the Tavianis seem to think. There is nothing inherently interesting here, as there was with "Night of the Shooting Stars," which had the plight of Tuscany villagers during World War II to build on.
Still, fans of "Night of the Shooting Stars" may be interested in a light entertainment with a similar low-key sensibility.
"Fiorile" is rated PG-13 for violence, sex, nudity and profanity.