I found Titta’s entrapment within the façade of the Swiss hotel in Le conseguenze dell’amore the most intriguing to watch. The protagonist’s atypical story was what interested me the most and I liked the overall style of the film with its quality, crispness, and modernity. Perhaps it could be attributed more to Titta’s character than anything else, but the film felt very clean. Even when Titta was wrapping the band around his arm prior to injecting heroin, the rolled-up sleeve, made bed, and soft lighting caused the situation to appear very aseptic. There was a sense of order and dryness within the shots, which was most likely a product of Titta’s reserved nature and lack of fluffy dialogue. His quietness enhanced the suspense and mystery of his predicament.
The other Mafia films that we have viewed associate and represent the criminal organization with bloodshed, closed doors, and low lighting. However, this film displayed the Mafia’s influence in a different form, one that masqueraded around in a well-kept hotel within an oblivious city. The use of isolated sounds and repetition of certain scenes, such as the removal of the car hood in the garage, flipping of bills by the money counters, and rolling suitcase on the ground reinforced the film’s auditory crispness. The hotel’s bar and table setup near the big glass window were distinct points of return. The film lacked the warm familial element that is integral to other Mafia movies, but that absence was refreshing in my opinion. The setting of Titta’s interrogation was amusing because it looked as though the criminals had wandered into some sort of pharmaceutical conference by accident.
Titta’s family and freedom were traded in for a comfortable, if mundane, jail cell due to one unfortunate event, and I felt a great sympathy for him. Nothing appeared to be gory or overdone like the death of Sonny in The Godfather. Even though only the sounds of the crane lowering, chains clinking, and cement squelching as the body entered it were heard over the score during Titta’s murder, his death still appeared dignified. Titta’s solemn and silent rebellion contributed to the power of its display. The scene of his only friend perched on the cold lines in the frigid landscape was also beautiful and the individual shots of the sky, wires, and snow enhanced the chilling feeling.
The overall story of the film was unique because it focused on an “invisible” white collar businessman, far from stereotypical Sicilian roots. The dullness of Titta’s daily life made the slightest changes to his routine seem exciting, even though the viewer had to wait patiently for the film to progress.
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