Rob Marshall: Nine

Nine 

Director: Rob Marshall

Writers: Michael Tolkin, Anthony Minghella, Arthur Kopit, Maury Yeston and Mario Fratti

Cast:

Daniel Day-Lewis         …            Guido Contini 

Sandro Dori                    …           Studio Superintendent

Nicole Kidman              …           Claudia

Marion Cotillard          …            Luisa Contini

Penelope Cruz.            …            Carla

Judi Dench                     …           Lilli

Sophia Loren                …           Mamma

Kate Hudson                 …            Stephanie

Fergie                             …            Saraghina

I'm just a storyteller, and the cinema happens to be my medium. I like it because it recreates life in movement, enlarges it, enhances it, distills it. For me, it's far closer to the miraculous creation of life than, say, a painting or music or even literature. It's not just an art form; it's actually a new form of life, with its own rhythms, cadences, perspectives and transparencies. It's my way of telling a story. 

-Federico Fellini 

             GUIDO
            You kill your film several times,
            mostly by talking about it. A film is
            a dream. You kill it writing it down,
            you kill it with a camera; the film
            might come to life for a moment or two
            when your actors breathe life back
            into it - but then it dies again,
            buried in film cans. Mysteriously,
            sometimes, in the editing room, a
            miracle happens when you place one
            image next to another so that when,
            finally, an audience sits in the dark,
            if you're lucky -- very lucky - and
            sometimes I've been lucky - the dream
            flickers back to life again. That's
            why I'm secretive.

                         REPORTER (O.S.)
            So what's your favorite pasta?

                         GUIDO
            Finally, a serious question.

Guido in Nine is our Federico Fellini. He is both tormented and enamored by women. There are many in this film that get to him. Contini enters Cinecitta Film Studios in Rome 1965. Claudia enters in, one of his muses and many others. The sets are pretty incredible in this film. Everyone hounds Contini for solutions to the problems of filmmaking. He is stressed and busy. Lilli tells him a director's job is just to say yes or no to everything. The Italian scenery is quite picturesque. A banker called Fausto hounds Contini over a plan and budget for the film.

Guido Contini sings he wants everything arranged for him. Earlier at the press conference is a reporter who asks if he has anything left to say. I am sure this is a fear and reality many film directors have. At the hotel he wants his wife, Luisa to be with him. In his room Carla calls and sings all sorts of sexual innuendo she wants to do to him raising his heart beat worrying his doctors. 

Carla arrives by train wearing red like temptation itself and is Contini's mistress. "Penelope Cruz's character, Carla Albanese, is based on Giovannini, the long-time mistress of director Federico Fellini." -IMDB.com After sex Guido puts the crucifix in the nightstand perhaps out of guilt. Contini is suffering from writer's block and being distracted by a bunch of women doesn't help. 

Guido Contini talks to a priest and is asked if he is a Catholic. Guido says not as much as would like to be. The priest says to try harder. The priest asks do people need to see so much sex in Contini's films. It's not necessary. He tells Contini, imagination is God's garden. Don't let the Devil play in it. He tells Contini, "Teach our Italian women to be wives, not whores."

Later the producer tries to calm people at dinner because Contini, the director, doesn't have a script yet. This Segways to Luisa singing about Guido having dreams about some romantic theme. She sings he can't distinguish what's his work and what's his home. She sings she is his number one fan. This is sad because Guido loves her when it is convenient for him and is frequently cheating on her in one form or another. 

When Carla comes Luisa leaves angrily at Guido. She is angry at his lies and cheating. 

Stephanie sees Guido at the bar and says she's seen his movies like a million time. This starts the song and dance scene. He meets her at her hotel room with the key he is given. He leaves instead and goes to his wife. Getting a phone call Guido is called to Carla's room who makes herself sick by taking 5 or 6 pills. The doctor says this is a sordid business with movie people concerning having a mistress. 

Claudia wants a script for the movie as everyone else. She reveals he doesn't know how to love and that he has a wife who loves him. 

Luisa in a dance and song shows her inner desire to get back at Guido by being provocative with other men. She thinks he is just an appetite and greedy. She is upset the ways he flirts with the ladies on his film set. Luisa says it's hopeless. Their marriage is over. 

Guido tells his film crew there is no movie. Luisa is later shown with another man after being split from Guido two years later. He meets with Lilli and tells her the only movie he could do now is about a man trying to win back his wife. He begins working on his next film called "Nine."

Final Thoughts:

All in all Nine is a good movie and a fun one at that. The only thing is the film lacks a depth that the film 8 1/2 has which it is based on. The sets aregreat and the singing too.  

Works Cited:

www.imdb.com

https://www.imsdb.com/scripts/Nine.html