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20 of 21 people found the following review helpful:
3.0 out of 5 stars
A Canadian/Italian Soap Opera Has Its Moments!, February 9, 2007
THE LIVES OF THE SAINTS began as three novels by Nino Ricci and became a television miniseries for Canadian TV with a screenplay by Malcolm MacRury under the direction of Jerry Ciccoritti. It is a sweeping epic that covers Italy, Canada, Alaska and other parts of the US over a number of years in a non-linear fashion that weakens the plot progress. But despite the sudsy aspects of the three-hour plus DVD, there are moments of tenderness and memorable acting that deserve attention.
The story opens in Italy where Vittorio Innocente as a child (Flavio Pacilli and as a teen by Joseph Marrese) observes his mother Cristina (Sabrina Ferilli) in the stables, bitten by a snake but obviously having just had a consignation with a soldier with blue eyes. Vittorio seeks solace from his maiden teacher aunt Therese (a luminous Sophia Loren) who consoles him, protects Christina when she becomes visibly pregnant (her husband Mario - Nick Mancuso - has been absent...), and helps him understand life through the lives of the saints by means of stories in a book she gives him. Vittorio and his mother depart for Canada 'to join Mario', but on the ship Christina dies giving birth to her daughter Rita, an infant protected by the ship's nurse (Valeria Benedetti Michelangeli). Vittorio is eventually separated from Rita and as an immigrant in America he separates himself from his Italian background, becoming a teacher in the Artic (Vittorio is now played with gusto by the talented and hunky Fabrizio Filippo, well known to American audiences from his work on Queer as Folk). Rita (Jessica Paré) is adopted and lives in Canada where she studies art and is stalked by Mario. Vittorio responds to Theresa's calls to protect Rita, the two fall in love, and the complications of the lives of this disseminated immigrant family intertwine in a manner of old-fashioned movies.
The saving grace of this rather saccharine and too long epic is the pleasure of watching Sophia Loren who still commands the screen. It also gives notice of new faces to watch - the gorgeous Sabrina Ferilli and the handsome Fabrizio Filippo. These three are reason enough to watch the movie. It is a long song of familial love/hate relationships, adoration of the simpler past as exemplified by Aunt Therese, and the plight of Italian (and all) immigrants. The photography of the varying locales is lovely and the music matches the changing times and the story. LIVES OF THE SAINTS is another example of how audiences from different countries gain access to 'foreign' TV miniseries. Grady Harp, February 07
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
The Lives of the Saints, May 12, 2007
It's great Italian story by great aitalian actress Sopia Loren and talented too, a woman of passionate love of life and family. She dominates the picture as well she should because it is her talent as an actress and her incredible personality that brought her to this point in her career. Her dramatic turns and use of Italian gestures turn this into a joyous romp for both her and the audience.
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11 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Deep emotions with great acting., March 24, 2005
This review is from: Lives of the Saints (DVD)
I have been a great fan of marvelous Sophia Loren since I saw her in Vittorio De Sicas film "Il Viaggio", I was at seventheen years old, and sat in a dark cinema three times. So;-I don't even try to be objektivy, but I'l write what I really feel. This TV-miniserie called "Lives of the saints" has done with very high level of artistic cinematic solutions; cinematography, colours which emphazise when worm mediterrainian landscape of soul-or cold of Canadian new-comers life, where somethin seems to be missing, specially at their past. Every little details has put on together to move characters with their own profiles- and stil holding story at balance, and focused to the drama of humans life. As a most shining diamond on this warm and powerfull story, is Theresa-playing by perhaps one of the most greatest moviegoddes ever-Sophia Loren. Her performance doesn't need any over-acting or aggressive-attitude; what is so usually to her younger golleges. Her outstanding beauty mixed with her talented expres big feelings by minimalism way looks almost phoetry! Thanks of good direction, every other supporting actors gives their best too.
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