Martin Eden (2019 film)

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Martin Eden
Martin Eden (2019 film).jpg
International film poster
Directed by Pietro Marcello
Screenplay byMaurizio Braucci
Pietro Marcello
Based on Martin Eden
by Jack London
Produced byPietro Marcello
Beppe Caschetto
Thomas Ordonneau
Michael Weber
Viola Fügen
Starring Luca Marinelli
Carlo Cecchi
Jessica Cressy
Vincenzo Nemolato
Marco Leonardi
Denise Sardisco
Carmen Pommella
CinematographyAlessandro Abate
Franco Di Giacomo
Edited byAline Hervé
Fabrizio Federico
Music byMarco Messina
Sacha Ricci
Production
companies
Avventurosa
IBC Movie
Rai Cinema
Shellac Sud
The Match Factory
Distributed by 01 Distribution (Italy)
Shellac Distribution (France)
Kino Lorber (US)
Release dates
  • 2 September 2019 (2019-09-02)(Venice) [1]
  • 4 September 2019 (2019-09-04)(Italy)
  • 16 October 2019 (2019-10-16)(France)
Running time
129 minutes
CountriesItaly
France
LanguageItalian
Box office$3 million [2] [3]

Martin Eden is a 2019 Italian-French historical romance drama film directed by Pietro Marcello. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Jack London, in a Naples-set background, and follows an illiterate sailor's journey to establish himself as a writer in post-war Italy. [4] [5]

Contents

The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, where Luca Marinelli won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor. [6]

Plot

After saving Arturo, a young scion of the industrial middle class, from a beating, the sailor Martin Eden is invited to the boy’s family home. Here he meets Elena, Arturo’s beautiful sister, and falls in love with her at first sight. The cultured and refined young woman becomes not only the object of Martin’s affections but also a symbol of the social status he aspires to achieve. At the cost of enormous efforts and overcoming the obstacles represented by his humble origin, Martin pursues the dream of becoming a writer and—under the influence of the elderly intellectual Russ Brissenden—becomes involved in socialist circles, bringing him into conflict with Elena and her bourgeois world. [7]

Cast

Production

Principal photography for the film began in May 2018 in Naples, Italy. [8] [9]

Release

The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2019. [7] [10] [1] It was screened at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival in the Platform Prize program, [11] winning the section main prize on 12 September. [12]

It was released in Italy by 01 Distribution on 4 September 2019. [13] It was released in France by Shellac Distribution on 16 October 2019. [14]

Reception

Box office

Martin Eden grossed $0 in North America and $3 million in other territories. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Kino Lorber had opted for a VOD release. [2] [3]

Critical response

On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of 87% based on 108 reviews, with an average rating of 7.4/10. According to the website's critical consensus: "Martin Eden uses one man's quest for fulfillment as fuel for an ambitious—and often rewarding—look at a complex array of social and personal themes." [15] On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 75 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally positive reviews." [16]

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References

  1. 1 2 "Martin Eden". labiennale. 15 July 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  2. 1 2 "Martin Eden (2019) - Financial Information". The Numbers. Nash Information Services, LLC. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  3. 1 2 "Martin Eden (2019)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb . Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  4. Simran Hans (21 July 2021). "Martin Eden review – a stylish Italian take on Jack London's novel". The Guardian . Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  5. Guy Lodge (9 July 2021). "Martin Eden". Film of the Week . Retrieved 13 January 2023.
  6. Anderson, Ariston (7 September 2019). "Venice: Todd Phillips' 'Joker' Wins Golden Lion, Roman Polanski Wins Silver Lion". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  7. 1 2 "Venezia 76 Competition". labiennale.org. 25 July 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  8. Urbani, Ilaria (30 May 2018). "Set napoletano per "Martin Eden" da Jack London". La Repubblica (in Italian). Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  9. Saturnino, Francesca (28 March 2018). "Napoli nel cinema: tra David di Donatello e prossimi film, la città è il set cinematografico preferito del momento" (in Italian). espressonapoletano.it. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  10. Vivarelli, Nick (25 July 2019). "Joker, Ad Astra, The Laundromat, Marriage Story to Compete in Venice". Variety .
  11. Wilner, Norman (7 August 2019). "TIFF 2019: Platform lineup includes films by Julie Delpy, Sarah Gavron". Now . Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  12. Hipes, Patrick (12 September 2019). "Toronto Film Festival Jury Winners: 'Martin Eden', 'Murmur', 'How To Build A Girl'". Deadline Hollywood . Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  13. "Martin Eden, da mercoledì 4 settembre al cinema" (in Italian). mymovies.it. 16 May 2019. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  14. "Martin Eden". shellac-altern.org (in French). 8 March 2017. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
  15. "Martin Eden (2019)". Rotten Tomatoes . Fandango . Retrieved 30 November 2022.
  16. "Martin Eden". Metacritic . CBS Interactive . Retrieved 6 September 2022.