Product Details

• Actors: Claudio Bigagli, Galatea Ranzi, Michael Vartan, Lino Capolicchio, Constanze Engelbrecht
• Directors: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani
• Writers: Paolo Taviani, Vittorio Taviani, Sandro Petraglia
• Producers: Anna Rita Appolloni, Claudio Amram, Grazia Volpi
• Format: Color, NTSC
• Language: French, Italian
• Rated: PG-13 (Parental Guidance Suggested)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: New Line Home Video
• VHS Release Date: March 26, 1996
• Run Time: 118 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.5 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303995764
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #304,505 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

From The New Yorker

A family saga that, according to the filmmakers, Paolo and Vittorio Taviani, is based on legends they heard while they were growing up in Tuscany. The picture, spanning two hundred years, tells the story of the Benedettis (who are sometimes referred to by the locals as the Maledettis). The Benedettis begin as peasants and become wealthy landowners, but their prosperity and power derive from an original sin, committed in the seventeen-nineties, for which future generations have never received full absolution. The screenplay, by the Tavianis and Sandro Petraglia, is constructed as a series of historical tales framed by a contemporary story in which members of the three surviving generations of the Benedettis illustrate, in various ways, the consequences of their blighted family history. The Tavianis mean to follow the course of bad blood as it surges through time, and to make us feel its awful, unstoppable momentum. Although the movie is elegantly made and has moments of great beauty, it somehow falls short of delivering the tremendous emotional impact that it promises. The three legends we're told about the family aren't extraordinary in themselves, and the thematic structure-the whole saga comes down to a parable about love versus greed-is disappointingly banal. With Michael Vartan, Galatea Ranzi, Claudio Bigagli, and Renato Carpentieri. In Italian. -Terrence Rafferty
Copyright © 2006 The New Yorker

Product Description

While on a road trip to visit his ailing father, a man tells his two children their family history and how the family came to seem cursed.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 15 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Llovetrain, January 9, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Fiorile [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Fiorile provides a very entertaining and thought provoking story for any viewer whether he be a casual movie goer wanting to be entertained, or a critic looking for a different perspective on human nature and the way he interacts with the rest of society.

Fiolrile follows several generations of a family cursed because of the greedy deeds of some of its early members. But are the following generations truly cursed by a superior being, or are they simply living out their lives equal to their perceived "cursed" potential? In a broader sense, do individuals live lives according to their perceived value and therefore fulfill expectations for good or for bad, or are individuals limited by their potential no matter how hard they try to break a mold that others have cast for them?

17 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars brilliant..., June 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Fiorile [VHS] (VHS Tape)

Fiorile was a captivating film showing the enchanting scenery of Italy. The plot is complex and wil demand you to submit your entire attention to follow. The dialogue between the actors is poetic and beautiful. The film journeys from the Napoleanic era to present times showing the tragedies that plague a family. A film worth seeing repeatedly...

3 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Another classic Italian film, November 27, 2008

By 

AM "AM" (Titusville, NJ USA) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Fiorile (DVD)

Acting and story brilliantly done. Very interesting plot, captures your attention and keeps you focused throughout the story. Highly recommended. Too bad American film industry cannot even come close to making good films anymore.