Good Morning, Night

The film "Good Morning, Night" (2003) is an Italian dramatic thriller directed by Marco Bellocchio. The movie's title comes from a poem by Emily Dickinson; Bellochio is known for using literary works as an inspiration for his movies, achieving artful and profound results.

The plot is based on the historical events of the kidnapping and eventual murder of former Italian Prime Minister Aldo Moro by the Red Brigades in 1978. But instead of being a straightforward retelling of this historical episode, the film takes a more thoughtful and meditative stance. It delves into the minds of the kidnappers and explores the ideological, moral, and emotional churning they go through during the period in which they hold Moro captive.

Maya Sansa plays the lead role of Chiara, the only female in the group of four left-wing terrorists responsible for capturing Aldo Moro, played by Roberto Herlitzka. Sansa renders a remarkable performance, portraying a character caught up in a violent struggle but constantly dealing with her own doubts and humanity. Chiara's struggle is not only with the outside world and its politics but also with herself, with her beliefs, her conflicts, and her innermost fears.

Her male comrades, including Luigi Lo Cascio, are equally compelling, convincingly portraying the emotional and psychological angst of the young extremists. Their portrayals capture the paradox of these characters—they are both perpetrators of violence and hostages to their ideological beliefs. Every character has a distinctive personality trait that complements this ensemble cast, contributing to the movie's tension and narrative progression.

Roberto Herlitzka as Aldo Moro is another highlight of this film. His performance as the captive politician reflects the dignity, fear, and hope of a victim who is unaware of his impending fate.

"Good Morning, Night" unfolds in the claustrophobic apartment where Moro is held captive. The camera work is highly effective in capturing the building tension and the sense of impending disaster not just on a personal level but on a societal one as well. The cinematography beautifully contrasts between the grim, grey interiors of the hideout and the sudden, surprising bursts of the outside world in its regular operations, emphasizing the disturbing dichotomy that exists between the world inside and outside the apartment.

Director Bellocchio's creative choices don't stop at realistic suspense; they penetrate deeper into the human psyche. He brilliantly intermixes dream sequences with the developing plotline. These imaginative fragments offer glimpses into Chiara's subconscious and start to blur the harsh reality of the situation with her personal interpretation of it. The narrative's dreamlike quality gives the film a unique edge, weaving a complex web of intellectual and emotional reflexivity that invariably holds the viewers' attention.

Apart from being a political thriller, "Good Morning, Night" remarkably embeds cultural references within its filmography. Juxtaposition of scenes with television broadcasts of the Eurovision Song Contest, football games, and Pope John Paul II’s first visit to Italy since his election is both surreal and strikingly poignant. They subtly underline how ordinary life and its associated joys, sorrows, and trivialities continued while a grim drama unfolded hidden away from public sight.

"Good Morning, Night" is both a suspenseful drama and a contemplation on the complex layers of human nature. It explores not just the external world of politics and radical ideology but also the internal world of doubt, fear, resolution, and human frailness. It's a film that doesn't shy away from presenting a painful period of Italian history but does so while posing vital questions on morality, conviction, and the human capacity for violence and compassion. It beautifully juxtaposes the banality of everyday life with the extraordinary circumstances the characters find themselves in, thereby drawing in viewers and leaving a lasting impression.