Well, after being left totally indifferent by Gli Indifferenti I had to read another
book by one of Italy’s most famous writers. And after all I did love so many of
the movies taken from his works (La
Ciociara, Il Conformista and Ieri,
Oggi, Domani).
1934 is undeniably
interesting, but I still didn’t find it that great a read. While a good
literary device, the trick that is played on Lucio makes me suffer (I always empathize
too much in these cases!) and I also found it rather improbable. Not to mention
the fact that the many scenes of a sexual nature to me read mostly like the
unfulfilled desires of a 75-year old man.
I also could have done with fewer philosophical passages on
the meaning of life and love and more on the nature of Fascism. Also, I find it
interesting that Moravia considers the year 1934 to be the 7th of
the Fascist stronghold on power, since most historians would make this start
either in 1922 with the March on Rome or in 1926 with the “Leggi Fascistissime”,
but maybe he referred to the Grand Council of Fascism becoming the Italian
constitutional body in 1928. Pedantic, I know, but probably this is as close to
a deep academic point I made in the last two years…
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