MIT Lecture Series Committee

Rated PG
108 minutes

Il Postino (1994)

Chilean poet Pablo Neruda has been exiled from his native land and is now residing on one of Italy's small and charming islands. It is there that he meets Mario, a simple man with a simple mind, whom Pablo hires as his personal mailman. Although Pablo is initially cold towards Mario, the two eventually develop a friendship, with Pablo teaching the eager Mario the joys of poetry. When Mario falls for Beatrice, a sexy barmaid, Pablo even helps him win her heart, via poetic love letters. But later, after the postman and Beatrice wed, Pablo is allowed to return to Chile, and does. Mario is now left with many aspirations, but without the wherewithal to achieve them. Years later, the Italian, now bored with his life and wife, realizes that the man who changed his perspective on the world has forgotten all about him. Desperate, Mario makes an outrageous attempt to get Pablo's attention. But only time will tell if the poet will respond. [www.rottentomatoes.com]

Sponsored by MISTI.

Works on so many different levels--as a tribute to the power and beauty of poetry; as a tale of brotherhood; and as a charmingly quirky romance.
      -- Michael Dequina, Mr. Brown's Movies. Read this review.