The Postman Movie Review

The Postman wrapped on June 3, 1994. Its star, Massimo Troisi, long overdue for a heart transplant, was killed by a heart attack within 24 hours. When he died, very few American audiences knew who Troisi was, but within a year, the whole world had fallen in love with Mario, the self-effacing title character in Michael Radford's The Postman/II Postino. When exiled Chilean poet Pablo Neruda (1904-73, wonderfully portrayed by Phillipe Noiret) comes to stay on Isla Negra in 1952, Mario volunteers to be his postman. They become friends, and Mario asks Neruda if he will help him win Beatrice, the object of his desire (played by the absolutely gorgeous Maria Grazia Cucinotta). Troisi's beautifully sustained performance received a posthumous Academy Award nomination, and heartfelt tears from millions of moviegoers who were moved both by Mario and by the 41-year-old actor who sacrificed his life to play the role. Troisi can also be seen in 1983's Hotel Colonial, co-starring Robert Duvall, John Savage, and Rachel Ward. Just don't expect as perfectly realized a film as The Postman/II Postino. AKA: II Postino.

1994 (PG) 115m/C IT Massimo Troisi, Philippe Noiret, Maria Grazia Cucinotta, Linda Moretti, Renato Scarpa, Anna Buonaiuto, Mariana Rigillo; D: Michael Radford; W: Massimo Troisi, Michael Radford, Furio Scarpelli, Anna Pavignano, Giacomo Scarpelli; C: Franco Di Giacomo; M: Luis Bacalov. Academy Awards ‘95: Best Original Dramatic Score; British Academy Awards ‘95: Best Director (Radford), Best Foreign Film, Best Score; Broadcast Film Critics Association Awards ‘95: Best Foreign Film; Nominations: Academy Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Troisi), Best Adapted Screenplay, Best Director (Radford), Best Picture; British Academy Awards ‘95: Best Actor (Troisi), Best Adapted Screenplay; Cesar Awards ‘97: Best Foreign Film; Directors Guild of America Awards ‘95: Best Director (Radford); Screen Actors Guild Award ‘95: Best Actor (Troisi). VHS