Originally Uccellacci e Uccellini, The Hawks and the Sparrows was adapted by director Pier Paolo Pasolini from his own novel. Italian comedian Toto plays a dual role, as "himself" and 12th century monk Brother Ciccillo. In modern times, Toto and his son Ninetto Davoli come across a talking crow who insists upon asking them where they're going. The answer, it turns out, is eight centuries into the past, where Toto and Davoli become monks, employed by Francis of Assisi to convert the birds of the
world to Christianity. Unfortunately, every sparrow that they win over to God is devoured by a hawk. Back in the present, Toto and Davoli face a similar situation when their landlord threatens them with eviction. After various and sundry misadventures, the two human protagonists, growing weary of the philosophical crow's loquaciousness, eat the bird and move on, prepared to face whatever life brings them without the "help" of their feathered friend. The symbolism in The Hawks and the Sparrows is so obvious as to be funny, which was Pasolini's intention all along. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi
The genial, humorous and compassionate way in which these generalizations are conveyed, with the wonderful Italian clown, Toto, and Ninetto Davoli playing the father and son, is so lively and fascinating, so primitive and droll.
Pier Paolo Pasolini's The Hawks and the Sparrows is a whimsical fantasy about Christianity and Marxism; the question is left open as to whether Pasolini believes in either, or neither.
The allegorical messages of the film are made quite clear, and Hawks and the Sparrows does not suffer from the overbearing self-conscious pretension that renders much of Pasolini's work inaccessible to most moviegoers.
Read the synopsis for this film. Sound good to you? Of course it does, and it is! Religion vs. Marxism, told by a clown and a young boy. I was going to say how very passolini it is but actually, I don't think he's ever been as funny. It's a typically sly satire as you'd expect but it's got a whole lot of heart, Toto
was perfect casting. It's got a talking Marxist crow in it!!!
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