Fernandel, o Don Camillo σε 11 σκιτσα του Giovanni Guareschi

Λογω τιμης, εντεκα ειναι τα σκιτσα στη Gallery VI, οπου εφτασα μετα απο ενα μαγευτικο διαδικτυακο ταξιδακι, υστερα απο την απογοητευση που πηρα επειδη δεν προβληθηκε η ταινια "Tu m'as sauvé la vie" στο καναλι της Βουλης, αλλα το ομωνυμο θεατρικο εργο.

Ο μεγαλος γαλλος κωμικος Φερναντελ, ενσαρκωσε τον ηρωα Δον Καμιλλο του ταλαντουχου ιταλου καρτουνιστα δημοσιογραφου Τζιοβαννι Γκουαρετσι. Λεπτομερειες για τη ζωη και τις ταινιες του βρισκονται σε αρκετες ιστοσελιδες, αλλα οχι σε τοσο πολλες οσες θα δικαιολογουσε η πλουσια παρουσια του στις οθονες της δεκαετιας του '50. Πρωτα πρωτα, βρηκα ενα φτωχουλι βιογραφικο στη wikipedia.org, μετα, βρηκα κατι εδω, εδω, και εδω, υστερα πετυχα τις σελιδες με τα σκιτσα του αξεχαστου Giovanni Guareschi, στο τελος βρεθηκα στη Gallery VI και εκανα παιχνιδι!

Fernandel, o Don Camillo
του Giovanni Guareschi

image #1 of 11 in Gallery VI

Here's the first of the nine illustrations from the 1950 German translation of The Little World of Don Camillo. In fact, it goes with the very first story in the book. Writes Frank Schmelzer, "a mysterious man attacks Don Camillo with a club. Of course it is Peppone."

Note the eggs in Don Camillo's basket.




image #2 of 11 in Gallery VI

This picture goes with the story known in English as "On the Trail." In it, Don Camillo is persuaded by Peppone's wife to go chasing after her husband, who has himself just rushed from the house (gun in hand) toward political trouble in the next village. Look carefully along the left edge of the drawing, half way down, and you'll see the figure of the Mayor, who has already thought better of his plan and is seated on the side of the road, thinking.




image #3 of 11 in Gallery VI

This picture appears to go with one of the stories that doesn't exist in English translation. As best I can make out from my Italian edition, the tale in question is called "Spedizione Punitiva," and it ends with Don Camillo in Peppone's garage, administering both absolution and a kick in the pants to the Mayor (not the first time that happens in these stories!). This time around, Peppone has earned the treatment by admitting to having participated in some political violence for which Don Camillo has already punished his accomplices (in a vigilante style deplored by the Lord...).



image #4 of 11 in Gallery VI

When conflicts with the local Reds lead to violence and extreme tension, Don Camillo is "exiled" by his bishop to Puntarossa, a sleepy mountain parish where he is not likely to be able to cause much trouble. Peppone and co. are determined to "rub it in" by forbidding the townspeople to gather and give their priest a proper send-off.
This picture of Don Camillo's lonely departure is extraordinary; GG manages to give us a real sense of the big priest's mood, even from the back


image #5 of 11 in Gallery VI

The Reds may be tightly enforcing a strike of the workers of La Grande farm, but Don Camillo is determined that the animals won't suffer for it. Here, he confronts Peppone in the night and "enlists" him as a fellow clandestine stablehand.


image #6 of 11 in Gallery VI

When Don Camillo turns down his demand to fly a political banner at the town's annual procession to the river, Peppone threatens everyone to stay away. The big priest, undeterred, goes alone ... (well, almost; note the dog walking behind him).


image #7 of 11 in Gallery VI

A very famous scene-- but not, alas, if you read the stories exclusively in English! In the untranslated "Quelli di citta," some Communists from the city invade the village and push Don Camillo a little too far with their taunts. He retaliates by lifting a huge table and tossing it in the midst of the trouble-makers, incapacitating 15 of them. Not surprisingly, this feat earns him a summons from the bishop, who can't believe that the big priest could possibly have acted alone. When Don Camillo insists that he did, the bishop makes him prove it.




image #8 of 11 in Gallery VI

Yet another story that never made it into English is "La Maestra Vecchia" ("The Old Schoolteacher"). Its formidable protagonist, the retired Signora Giuseppina, has taught everyone in the village (and his father); even Don Camillo wouldn't dream of crossing her. But her special target is former trouble-making student Peppone, whose error-ridden posters she boldly corrects in front of everyone (see below). She presents the Communist Mayor with an even bigger problem, however, when she asks on her deathbed to have the old monarchist flag displayed at her funeral...





image #9 of 11 in Gallery VI

In English, The Little World of Don Camillo ends with Don Camillo and Peppone painting the figures of the Christmas creche. But in the original Italian, there are another couple of paragraphs after that scene, describing the pensive Mayor's walk home along the bank of the placid Po River. Guareschi's evocative drawing (below) is the last thing in the book.









image #10 of 11 in Gallery VI

This picture appears to be a view, from the front, of Don Camillo going off for his "rest cure" (exile) to the sleepy mountain parish of Puntarossa (compare with image #4 in this Gallery, which shows him leaving from behind).







image #11 of 11 in Gallery VI

I'll confess right away: this has never been my favorite of GG's illustrations (and I'm not quite sure why), but I include it in an attempt to be as complete as I can. Among other things, it's the cover illustration for a Farrar, Strauss, & Young edition I have of Don Camillo and His Flock & Don Camillo Takes the Devil by the Tail (in one volume).








Κι αλλοι τοποι με εργα του φημισμενου δημοσιογραφου καρτουνιστα: The Little World of Giovanni Guareschi και "Don Camillo" Christmas pages


Ο καημενος ο Τζιοβαννι εφυγε απο τη ζωη το 1968, τρια χρονια πριν απο τον ενσαρκωτη του δημιουργηματος του. Πηγε πρωτος στον Παραδεισο του γελιου και της χαρας για να τον υποδεχτει, καθως φαινεται...





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ΣΗΜ.1. μη παραλειψετε να προσεξετε στο φοντο των ιστοσελιδων τα περιφημα σκιτσα με τα αγγελουδακια και τα διαβολακια!
ΣΗΜ.2. πατειστε πανω στις εικονες, αν θελετε να μεγαλωσουν.

ΣΗΜ.3. αν δεν ανοιγουν οι συνδεσμοι, διαλεξτε:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernandel
http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0021135/
http://www.fotopalmas.com/home.htm?http://www.fotopalmas.com/_indici/Fernandel.htm
http://www.kino.com/theatrical/th_results.php?search_type=actor&search=Fernandel
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doncamillo/fernandelcervi.htm
http://members.tripod.com/~welbourn/GalleryVI.htm
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/doncamillo/Christmas/
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Giovanni_Guareschi