Emir Kusturica - Sjecas li se Dolly Bell AKA Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (1981)

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Local politicians in late 60s Sarajevo are concerned about youth delinquency and decide that Sarajevo's problem is that its local youth club does not have a band. Teenager Dino and his brothers are roped in to play in the band.

Dino meets Sonny who is just out of prison, who asks Dino to hide one of his prostitutes Dolly Bell. Dino keeps Dolly in their pigeon coop and starts to fall for her as his first love. When Sonny takes her back Dino rushes to her rescue only to learn a few harsh lessons.

One of the clever things about Dolly Bell is its satire. The film opens with out of touch politicians thinking that disaffected youth can be solved by creating a band and throughout the rather wishful thinking of scientific socialism is laid bare. Dino's father is interested that scientists believe that by "correcting" the rotation of the Earth much more people can be fed and refuses to bow to the weather when a family feast is ruined by rain. Similarly when Dino explains to Dolly about the road to Socialism, she asks where it is and he explains that it is the condition where everyone has what they need. She replies, "It must be nice there!"

The centre of the film is Dino becoming a man, learning that Sonny is not cool, becoming a performer and sharing real affection with Dolly Bell. There is a wonderful contrast in the scenes where the boys get a go with Dolly and where Dolly and Dino are together. Dino watches his brothers pump away at Dolly whilst her face is seen amongst the cracks in the wall of the coop and his heart is breaking. When the film concludes and again we see the town Dino lives in, he repeats the self help dictum, "Every day in every way I am getting a little bit better." This seems a little ironic given the circumstances Dino later finds himself in.

Kusturica's début feature is a quieter, less ebullient film than his later more confident pieces, but it perfectly captures a sense of time without resorting to parody. The themes of discovery and the sanguine nature of becoming an adult are well done and the straight style of the camera work and editing keeps the film very real.

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Saturday, May 8, 2010

Emir Kusturica - Sjecas li se Dolly Bell AKA Do You Remember Dolly Bell? (1981)

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