Saw this in 2000 at a special Italian consulate screening in LA at which Tornatore spoke afterwards (and before a directors cut of Cinema Paradiso). After reading so many critical reviews I just wanted to note that Tornatore describes this film not as a "coming of age" picture (that in essence is what Paradiso is) but rather an allegory of Italy's foray into war and fascism as seen through the eyes of an innocent (in this case Tornatore himself). Malena represents all that Italy was and is to him, both beautiful, easily misled, and misunderstood, and the climatic scene in which she is beaten down is in essence what happened to the country post Mussolini and WWII. Watch it again with this concept in mind and your view of the film will dramatically alter.
Review of Malena
