History as Myth and Myth as History in Bertolucci's 1900

HISTORY AS MYTH AND MYTH AS HISTORY IN BERTOLUCCrS 1900 By Andrew Horton Andrew Horton teaches in the Department ofEnglish at the University ofNew Orleans. The possibilities ofblending myth and history in film are limitless. Not only does the filmmaker have the immediacy offilm to create a strong emotional reaction in his audience, but he also has the possibility of recreating historical events in accurate detail, of filming fictional stories against real events, or ofpresenting true stories that seem so unusual that they appear to be closer to myth than to history. (1) Socially-conditioned myths concern the deepest truths and illusions we have about ourselves as members of a particular society. As presented through a "historical" perspective, such myths become even more significant. Filmmakers who blend history and myth are both blessed and cursed in this respect. As suggested, film by nature can reach the audience directly on a mythic level. Furthermore, ifthe filmmaker is working with known historical or social events/situations, the reality ofhis "fiction" will be further heightened. But along with such blessings, comes the curse or temptation to manipulate history to fit the filmmaker's own purposes. The danger is that of didacticism in its mild forms, fanaticism and propaganda ifcarried to extremes. The successful blending ofmyth and history would avoid such simplistic reduction. Georg Lukacs has aptly explained in his study ofthe historical novel that a historical work should not simply be a retelling of an event (like many Hollywood historical epics) or a politically didactic essay (the Nazi historical-costume dramas, for instance), rather the true historical work is one that depicts "the poetic awakening ofthe people who figured in those events." (2) Lukacs' observation has several important implications. First, a historical-mythical sense can best be conveyed through attention to the many small details and minor characters who figured in a particular event rather than through a focus on the main figures supposedly responsible for the course ofevents. He speaks, for instance, of Tolstoy's ability to capture the development of the times in War and Peace through his multitude of "minor" figures as opposed to Napoleon and the well-known Russian generals. And secondly, such a work, whether fiction or film, must depict the "poetic awakening" ofthe characters and so, finally, the audience. Awakening is clear enough: in order for history to be history, someone must begin to see patterns, shapes, directions that events have, are, and will develop. But what about "poetic"? In the sense that Lukacs uses the term throughout his study, we can easily substitute "mythic." The point is that one must not only be aware ofevents as events, but also of their wider personal and social significance at the deepest human level. What needs, desires, frustrations, hopes are being expressed through these historical moments? This is the poetic dimension that Lukacs speaks of, the "mythic" in our terms. The unfolding ofhistory therefore is the record ofthe expression of social myths that could not be suppressed. Bernardo Bertolucci in 1900 reflects both the advantages and pitfalls ofblending history and myth in film. A Marxist, Bertolucci is concerned in his film with showing the development ofthe past that has led to the present. More specifically, he attempts an epic and personal view oftwentieth century Italian history embracing the rise offascist forces, land reform, World War 11 and its aftermath. But, as we shall see, he has chosen to do so in terms of familiar cinematic genres such as the historical spectacle film, the gothic romance, and the populist social dramas of the 1930s. The socially conditioned myths that Bertolucci evokes concern both Italian history and cinema itself. There are five levels of myth in 1900: that ofpopular cinema, Italian history/society, individual archetype, Italian cultural mythology, and nature. All fuse together in 1 900 into an operatic-epic vision of Italian history in the twentieth century. According to Bertolucci, "Reality is full ofpassion, mystery, and politics," (3) and his remark is an accurate summary ofhis accomplishment as a filmmaker, especially in 1 900. Before the Revolution ( 1 964), Partner ( 1968), The Conformist ( 1 970), and 1900 each mingle stories of strong passions and sexuality with plots involving political themes...