FILM SCREENINGS

Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man

1981. Italy. Directed by Bernardo Bertolucci. With Ugo Tognazzi, Anouk Aimée, Laura Morante. Made toward the end of the kidnapping and terror campaign of Italy’s Red Brigades, Tragedy of a Ridiculous Man examines the moral dilemmas raised by a ransom payoff in an already fractured family. When their son is seemingly abducted for ransom by a terror cell, a self-made business magnate and his stylish French wife adopt two completely divergent viewpoints. The suspense derives from guessing who is double-dealing whom and which dubious alliance will outlast cold self-interest the longest. In Italian; English subtitles. 116 min.