Is she a siren or a myth?
Tale
Parthenope is a woman who takes the name of her city. In Greek mythology, Parthenope is the siren who committed suicide after failing to charm Odysseus.
In the film, Parthenope is the incarnation of the city of Naples
Her body was carried away by the flood to where Castel dell’Ovo is today and it is for this reason that she gave the name Naples to the city that later became Neapolis. HeatWritten by Peter GregsonPlayed by Peter Gregson, Warren Zielinski, Magdalena Filipczak, Laurie Anderson, Ashok Klouda.
At first I was upset and sure I wouldn’t go through with it, but then the scene with the aging star caught my attention
After her derogatory speech about her “former” fellow citizen and despite seeing his bald head, Parthenope listens to his “advice” and touches his face with great pity. At that moment, I realized that the film is not about the beauty of a mythical mermaid, but about the beauty she sees in people beyond appearances.
No, Parthenope displays her superpower throughout her life and there are many examples: when she reads John Cheever, alcoholic, depressed, a miracle; when she passionately kisses the disfigured drama teacher
Moreover, this does not happen once she has lost her youth, as her teacher suggests – if that were the case, he would not have been able to impress her with his sulking at the exam either. And because she is a personification of Naples, the human imperfections she sees through are linked to the history of the city – to ignorance and misery, to patriarchal oppression, to superficial religiosity and superstition, to violence.
Still 8 out of 10 for the slight feeling of pretension
All this is shown in the most brutal and horrific scenes, but in Parthenope, those who embody them find understanding and acceptance and become miracles. One cannot be arrogant when one advocates the adhesion of all souls.