European Star Persona: Mastroianni - Term Paper Example

European Star Persona Essay - Mastroianni Introduction One often says that a star is born. The birth of a star implies all the efforts he has given to climb this ladder of success. The level of input given by an actor determines his chances of becoming a star. According to Cukor stardom is also, a way of glamorizing a person’s past. It means that once a person has become a star his early life is a source of interest to his fans and followers. One would find Cukor showing the early life of Esther Blodgett in a film within a film. This filmmaker believes in the humanization of the star and is empathic to the star’s personal life. This is perhaps showing an aspect of stardom. (Herwitz, 1996, p. 346) There are a number of pre-requisites to be a star persona. The character that he plays must be familiar enabling the actor to reach out to his audiences and spectators. The character should be well defined. In other words, a relation of empathy and sympathy between the character and the spectator should develop for the success of the character as well as the actor playing the character. This sentiment of association is necessary for the metamorphosis of an actor to a star. From the perspective of the psychoanalytical study, identification of a person is determined by the ego. Ego is the self- manifestation. This sense of ego is shaped by the bodily presence of a person. There must be a unification of the body and the traits of a person. Therefore, the protagonist of a film must ensure his bodily presence in order to evoke a spectator’s affirmative response. (Burnett, 1991, p 16) In keeping with this concept of stardom and star theory, we will discuss the star persona of Marcello Mastroianni. Star persona is the reflection of the spectators’ desired emotion and the image of Mastroianni appeals to their thoughts and feelings. In order to understand the stardom of Mastroianni it is important to understand that the essence of his stardom is revealed through his performance on the screen or acting. In the world of cinema, a star is essentially an actor and an actor needs to absorb the traits of different characters in order to illustrate the thoughts and feelings of the character through his performance but this requires training. (Goldstein, 2009, p.7) According to Grotowski, an actor needs to achieve the integration of removing the masks and therefore integrity of physical and psychological responses with complete responsibility. Gordon (206) therefore presents Grotowski’s views saying, “an organism-channel through which the energies circulate, the energies transform, the subtle is touched “ (Gordon, 2006, p. 307) Hagen emphasizes that external beauty is not a must and says that an actor is supposed to “hold up a mirror to the society” (Hagen, 1973, p.15). This is essentially representational performance. This even conforms to Grotowski’s concept about the creation of organism-channel instead of the organism mass. Keeping in tune with this, Reich observes, “stars represent typical ways of behaving, feeling and thinking in contemporary society, ways that have been socially, culturally and historically constructed”( Reich, 2004, p.17). A star is essentially looked upon as a commodity, which can be “marketed, distributed, and sold in the greater economy, promoting both the film and his or her career” (Reich, 2004, p.17). Mastroianni perfectly fits into all the above categories defined. He made a movie in Hollywood only at the end of his career but the multiplicity of his roles played on the screen and the global stage makes him a “bankable name” which has been used to promote or publicize his films. He therefore represented “a particular construction of Italian masculinity for a national and international audience” (Reich, 2004, p.17). To promote a star there should be media of publicity. It was opined by Stephen Gundle that the Italian film production house, Cinecitta was almost equivalent to Hollywood studios in terms of publicity. However, the fall of fascist order ruined the film fraternity of Italy. Further, the Catholic mores prohibited open circulation of stardom. The flexibility of the gender was not allowed.  In this ambience the career of Mastroianni made a brilliant take off without any godfather in the film industry. Sheer talent helped him to achieve his goal. Mastroianni initially joined the church group to support his family and performed the university theatre in Rome. Stephen Gundle opined that then the status of Italy as a unified nation state and its simultaneous fragmentation on political and economic basis contributed to stardom. They became ‘shared national cultural symbols’. Mastroianni embodied the dark, Mediterranean eroticism of a Latin lover and this was a boost to his star persona. It was said that male stars like Mastroianni used to hypnotize their male counterparts. They appeared on stage more like a character with the virtues and vices of a man. They were not presented as larger than life character like their female counterparts. (Reich, 2004, pp 19-23) The movie that gave Mastroianni the exquisite flavor of stardom was Federico Fellini’s “La Dolce Vita”, one of the widely watched European of the 1960s. The title of the movie is the Italian expression for ‘sweet life’. The movie gave Mastroianni a mass exposure and he reached to his people as the incarnation of a sensual lover. The character, which he played in this movie, was that of journalist covering news of film stars, religious activities and the pompous lifestyle of the upper-class society. The film itself presented the glamorous sides of the film fraternity. He was the passive man in search of happiness and love that were denied to him. He resorts to love making and affairs. Thus, he appealed to his spectators as a modern lover with his own private set of morality not defined by the norms of the society. This morality was influenced by the booming Italian economy. These factors shaped the star persona of Mastroianni. His was not hesitant to expose his imperfections and was to be involved in self-parody. These enhanced the charm within him. As Fellini suggested, ‘a man every woman would want’. (Landy, 2000, p. 332) In the movie La Dolce Vita (the sweet life) Matroianni plays the role of an emotionally unstable man who is misled and essentially a child within the physical structure of a man. He thrives for the sake of sensation and escapes commitment. As commented by his fiancée Emma (enacted by Yvonne Furneaux), he was cared to live in a commitment. The movie begins with a symbolic opening scene where a helicopter is found to travel across different objects, which depict the change in time. The subtitled in English helps in understanding the film better. Marcello is a journalist (played by Mastroianni) who tries to flirt with some girls wearing bikini on a rooftop. One finds him getting close with different women despite the fact that it hurts his girlfriend who even attempts to commit suicide only to be taken by Marcello to the hospital on time. In one of the scenes (if the movie could be divided into episodes, this would be the last half of the third episode in a night sequence) we find Marcello and his girlfriend Emma argue over this issue where the former calls her selfish and the later calls him an escapist who is scared of any steady relationship. Marcello shouts at Emma and says that she is asking him to live like a spineless worm and that he does not need her maternal love. There is an innocence in him despite his whims which makes him invite Emma back into the car once and then throw her out it the very next moment and drive away alone. A black and white movie does not give much scope for trying variety of costumes. Marcello dressed in a dark suit gives the impression of a polished gentleman but the way he throws his dialogues and his expression in response to Emma’s accusation and declaration of love shows him to be apparently insensitive. It is difficult to imagine that this very man had rushed her to the hospital when she took an overdose of sleeping pills. He reveals a very unconventional way of thinking which captured the pulse of the revolution, which the economy of Italy underwent at that time. Mastroianni journeys through the glamour and wealth, which the economy enjoyed after the Second World War. Italy recovered from the war as a prosperous nation with new ideals. Here Marcello caries out representative acting. Another scene shot with Slyvia (enacted by Anita Ekberg) is a sensual one. The scene takes place in a night sequence of a second episode where they travel the city and enjoys the bath at the Trevi Fountain. Marcello watched in amazement at Sylvia to whom he is apparently attracted to bathes in the falls using sensuous gestures. Marcello looks at her in silent admiration, awe and with a curiosity to know her more. Resonating this feelings he asks her “Who are you, Sylvia?” There is not much physical intimacy in the scene but the sensuous movements of beautiful Sylvia along with Marcello’s response to her presence simply keeps the grip on the audience’s mind. Sylvia wears a sensuous dark gown while Marcello is dressed in dark suit as they both stand in the water. The role of a handsome lover was played by Mastroianni in the movie Il bell’ Antonio directed by Mauro Bolognini in the year 1960. This Casanova was adored by the girls of his time and he was the perfect lover for them. The mishap happened when he was alleged to be impotent. This shortcoming made the character even more appealing. (Hochkofler, 2006, pp 50-53) In the movie ll Bell’Antonio (1960) Mastroianni plays the role of Antonio Magnano who is blessed with attractive personality, which draws women towards him, but his sexual impotence fails to satisfy the relation. Problems arise when his parents asks him to get married to the beautiful Barbara Puglisi (enacted by Claudia Cardinale). Though he initially denies he agrees when he see her picture and also falls in love with her. Gradually after they get married, though Barbara is attracted to him, she observes his inability to carry their intimacies to completion and finally deserts him. On the grounds of failure to value the will of God their marriage is annulled at the Church and Barbara is married off to a Duke. In one of the scenes when Antonio and Barbara are together in bed, we find Mastroianni perfectly illustrating the character of Antonio by portraying his problem of holding back although making it evident that the attraction is there. He has a confused expression on his face though it radiates his attraction for her. Claudia plays the role of an observer yet welcoming his advances with an inviting smile but he shies off after every advance, which to some extent surprises her. Both are dressed in white the scene begins as Mastroianni enters the door and takes off his dark coat. His beautiful wife lies on the bed, ready for him in a white satin nightdress. There is sensuality subdued by a note of hesitation ideally depicted by both the characters. The wedding scene depicts a perfect couple happily married and surrounded by their families and friends. The bride is dressed in white wedding gown while the groom is in a dark suit with a rose pinned to his right chest. The bride Barbara is happy and all smiling with goes with the depiction of Antonio as the impression of a perfect lover, which made women like him initially. Even Antonio is smiling but the smile turned up at a corner shows a slight hint of doubt since he is aware of his problems. The bride is spontaneous and looks satisfied. The groom is also happy to have been married to his love but doubtful regarding his ability to satisfy a woman in bed. However flowers are showered on them as they move towards the car. Mastroianni therefore successfully illustrates the mindset of a man who knows his secret that might destroy his marriage and yet cannot step back owing to his reputation and also his attraction to the bride. Max Weber coined the term ‘charisma’ and Richard Dyer has used it while explaining the star phenomenon. Charisma in Dyer’s interpretation deals with the power to appeal and create a mesmerizing appeal on others. The twentieth century western world was in flux after the Second World and there were contradictions in the cultural field. At this point, the stars became a symbol of mass representation. This led to the development of the emotional bond between the star and his spectators. (Cledhill, 1991, pp 57-59) To understand the star theory of Dyer, we must resort to the traditional approach to star study. The traditional approach stated that star study was biographical in nature. It also deals with the onscreen presence of the star and the important events taking place in the political, cultural field. However, the modern version of theory as developed by Dyer has been placed in a different ground. The star has become an image, a phantom. The image is the mask and in his stage, actions there are oblique references to the systems operating in the society. (Pomerance, 2005, p 10) To keep in a nutshell,’…the star identity, by its very definition, enunciates a constant tension between normalcy and extraordinariness, between authenticity and fabrication”. (Boyarin, Itzkovitz and Pellegrine, 2003, p 246) Richard Dyer in exploring the concept of the star theory has also made a reference to the character of Guido played by Mastroianni. The charismatic presence of Mastroianni in dark suit has a sensational appeal. (Dyer, 1997, p 138) Mastrioanni’s eventful career shows that the star system is a way of creating and promoting movie stars. The publicity houses choose promising dynamic young men and impart to them personae, often altering their backgrounds. A new identity is given to the young individual. The star system is a world of glitz and glamour. It is more concerned with the image. In star system, acting is a secondary concern. Stardom is like an institution where the stars are expected to follow certain behavioral codes in public. Women should be of sweet disposition and will be well dressed and with make-up in public. Men should behave like a gentleman. In the late 1890s the actors felt embarrassed to reveal their identity in the mass media as films still was considered to a part of the pantomime. The producers also apprehended that their mass recognition would make them demanding. The star system began with the producer, Carl Laemmle. However, with the emergence of the studio system and other means of mass media the star system has faltered. It does not mean that the star theory has completely vanished from the film fraternity. The power of stardom is now being used in marketing field to promote commodities. The star image is always extensive. The star phenomenon is responsible for increasing the level of entertainment. A star like Mastrioanni is seen as a capital value for moneymaking. The star theory is ever evolving and ever changing and it fits into the society depicting the trend of the contemporary film fraternity.  Works Cited Boyarin, D. Itzkovitz, D. and A. Pellegrine, (2003) Queer Theory and the Jewish Question, place, Columbia University Press Burnett, R. (1991), Explorations in Film Theory: Selected Essays from Cine- Tracts, place, Indiana University Press Cledhill, C. (1991), Stardom: Industry of Desire, London: Routledge Dyer, R. (1997), White, Place, London: Routledge Goldstein, T., R. (2009). Psychological Perspectives on Acting, Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity, and the Arts, Vol. 3, No. 1, pp. 6-9. Gordon, R. (2006). The Purpose of Playing, University of Michigan Press Hagen, U. (2008). Respect for Acting. New Jersey, USA: John Wiley and Sons. Herwitz, D. (1996), Making Theory/Constructing Art: On the Authority of the Avant- Garde, Chicago, University of Chicago Press. Hochkofler, M. (2006), Marcello Mastroianni-Il gioco del Cinema, place, Gremese Editore Il Bell’ Antonio 1960, motion picture, Arco Film, Italy. Landy, M. (2000), Italian Film, London, Cambridge University Press La Dolce Vita, 1960, motion picture, Riama Film, Italy. Pomerance, M. (2005), Johnny Depp Starts Here, place, Rutgers University Press Reich, J. (2004), Beyond the Latin Lover: Marcello Mastroianni, Masculinity, and Italian Cinema, place, Indiana University Press Read More