New Showbiz

You are here:
The Story of a Poor Young Man

The Story of a Poor Young Man

1995

Director

Ettore Scola

Runtime

111 minutes

Average Rating

No ratings yet

Synopsis

Two neighbors, young Vincenzo and old Mr. Bartoloni, are utterly unhappy. On the one hand Vincenzo must lead a miserable and frustrating life as he cannot find any regular job, despite his Arts degree. On the other hand, Mr. Bartoloni is fed up with his despotic wife: the woman who used to be a beautiful artist is now a fat and shabby drunkard. The two men meet on a particularly sad night and, during an outburst Mr. Bartoloni asks Vincenzo to help him to get rid of his wife by simulating an accident with the promise of a considerable amount of money. At night Vincenzo can't sleep: Mr. Bartoloni wasn't joking and he is in a desperate need for money...

Where to Watch

Diversity & Representation

Overall Score

4.0/10

Fair

Category Breakdown

LGBTQ+ Representation

Limited

The film lacks LGBTQ+ characters or themes. The central conflict remains rooted in a traditional, dysfunctional heteronormative marriage.

Gender Representation

Fair

Mrs. Bartoloni subverts feminine archetypes by appearing as a shabby drunkard. However, the plot centers on a male-driven conspiracy, keeping women as objects of male agency.

Racial & Ethnic Diversity

Limited

The narrative focuses on a localized, homogeneous Italian setting. There is no evidence of a multi-ethnic cast or racial intersectionality.

Religious & Cultural Diversity

Good

The film offers a strong socioeconomic critique. It deconstructs the 'ideal family' by framing domesticity as a source of entrapment and misery.

Disability Representation

Limited

Characters experience psychological distress and existential unhappiness. However, these are framed as socioeconomic conditions rather than specific depictions of disability.

Strengths

  • Subverts traditional feminine archetypes through the unidealized depiction of Mrs. Bartoloni.
  • Provides a sharp socioeconomic critique of the failure of social institutions.
  • Explores complex moral ambiguity and the deconstruction of the traditional family unit.

Areas for Improvement

  • Lacks representation of LGBTQ+ identities or non-cisnormative themes.
  • Maintains a patriarchal power dynamic where women are objects of male agency.
  • Focuses on a homogeneous setting with little racial or ethnic diversity.

AI Analysis

Ettore Scola’s drama prioritizes class struggle and moral ambiguity over demographic variety. The film functions as a bleak character study of social stagnation rather than a vehicle for identity-based representation. The narrative architecture is largely traditional, focusing on a male-driven plot and a homogeneous social environment. While it avoids many cinematic tropes regarding 'ideal' femininity, it lacks intersectional depth. Ultimately, the film's strength lies in its critique of social institutions and the breakdown of the family unit, though it offers little in the way of diverse identity representation.

How are these scores produced? →

Rate this Movie

No rating selected
Use arrow keys to select a rating from 1 to 5 stars
Optional text review, maximum 2000 characters
Tip: Wrap spoilers with ||double pipes|| to hide them
0/2000 characters
You must be signed in to submit a rating

Reviews

No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!

Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.