Mostly Martha (Bella Martha) is a wonderful German movie that Mary and I watched again this weekend (thank you Netflix!). In recent years there have been a growing number of movies made that could be classified as “food and love” romances and Mostly Martha fits into that category. They are the kind of movies that make you want to go into your kitchen and prepare an amazing meal.
Martha (Martina Gedeck ) is the chef at a very posh restaurant. Her life both inside and outside of the kitchen is lived with an obsession for perfection, a fact that frequently finds her at odds with her employer and argumentative with customers who have complaints about their food. Food is Martha’s life, a fact shown humorously in her discussions during employer-ordered therapy. Martha’s ordered, and frankly lonely, existence begins to become unraveled when she becomes ward of her recently orphaned niece Lina (Maxime Foerste). Longing for someone to cook for, Martha finds herself with a house guest who refuses to eat. Martha continues to make the effort to bond with her niece but finds her to be quiet, morose, and stubborn…..traits not uncommon in Martha herself. Adding to the unraveling is the addition of a loud, up-beat Italian chef (Sergio Castellitto) into Martha’s kitchen, an addition not welcomed by Martha. In Martha’s attempts to share both her kitchen and her home we see the beginnings of Martha’s willingness to share her life.
The casting in this film is excellent. Being a German film I have not seen any of the actors/actresses before. Having seen them in these roles I couldn’t imagine anyone else stepping in. Martina Gedeck is beautiful in a very natural, non-made-up manner and she conveys the aloneness of her character so well. As she begins to interact with other characters and we see her open up this feels very natural, not forced. Sergio Castellitto is marvelous as Martha’s opposite in both mood and manner. He is a very lovable character that you like instantly.
The music in this movie is also excellent. I was very disappointed to find out that they did not have a soundtrack for this film. There are several instances in the film where solo piano music, or piano and saxaphone music, play over the sound of the film and the music in those instances is beautiful. The music during the melancholic moments of the film reminds me of some of my favorite piano music found on the album December. This film also features one of my favorite songs, Via Con Me, by Paolo Conte. The first time I heard this song was on the French Kiss soundtrack. Though there is no soundtrack someone on Amazon.com kindly made a list of the albums where the various songs can be found.
It would be a misnomer to call this movie a romantic comedy as that term frequently conjurs images of the standard, formulaic American version of a romantic comedy. There are many humorous moments in this film but they aren’t laugh-out-loud funny, they are touching comical moments that help us to better know the characters. Like many foreign movies, the pacing of this movie is not the same as similar American movies. Saying this movie is slow brings up connotations that the movie is boring when in fact it is just the opposite. In reading another review I came across this statement which I think sums up the pacing of this film, “a story like this requires patience. Patience and the love for good food are two of the requirements this film asks of us”. I agree. Like a good meal this movie is meant to be savored. I love movies in which food and food preparation play such a central part of the relationship between characters. Watching this movie over a lovingly prepared meal with good friends and a bottle of good wine would be the perfect way to experience it.
If you’re interested, the trailer can be viewed here.
The more you talk about Netflix the more I think I need to check into it. I can’t see my local Blockbuster carrying this film and it sounds interesting. Thanks for the review.
Actually the first time I saw it I rented it from Blockbuster so they probably do have it in their foreign films section. I’ve heard that the Blockbuster online program is also pretty good and you also get 2 free in-store rentals a month. We have friends who use Blockbuster. I’m sold on Netflix right now and will probably stick with it. Pretty great selection and a quick turn around time here in KC.
Cool sounding flick. I’ll have to netflix it. Here’s another great food movie.
Ahh, Netflix versus Blockbuster…
*cough* shameless plug!
That looks great. I really like Stanley Tucci. I’ve added it to my queue. Thanks Rob.
There are several of these movies that I haven’t seen and have always wanted to so I added Like Water for Chocolate and Eat, Drink, Man, Woman to my queue as well.
This is a wonderful film. It makes me want to spend more time with family and friends and move to Italy or at least eat outdoors once in awhile. 🙂
Babette’s feast is extremely good as well (can’t ever remember how to do links, so you get the rough thing: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0092603/)
This is another I haven’t seen but have always wondered about. Thanks, I’ll have to check this one out as well!
I want to watch something violent.
What’s wrong, Hon? Is all the pretty, pretty, princess stuff getting to you?
Julie, now the pony song (from Jessica’s little pony) is going through my head. Thank you so much!
I’m a pretty pony, clipty-clop, clipty clop, such a pretty pony…
I had to share, so I wouldn’t be the only one suffering.
Great, now that will be in my head all day! ‘His Banner Over Me Is Love’ has been in my head all morning.
See Rob at Electrolund for that one!
Hehe! Memes. There’s good memes and there’s BAD memes. 🙂
Poor James…come on over and we’ll watch the Punisher…..while dining on a menu designed by Martha Stewart with matching table wear and linen napkins.
Great timing on this review! This movie has been on my mind this week but I couldn’t remember the title. I watched it a couple times on the Bravo channel before DirecTV dropped it from their lineup, alas I’m now reduced to just the Sundance channel for foreign films. I was seduced by the characters…its a quiet film that has stayed with me (except for the title).
Glad I could help…I’ve had the same memory lapses many times. I can’t weep too much for you, unlike your sister and her million television channels I don’t have Bravo or the Sundance channel! I have to get foreign films the old fashioned way…on DVD! 🙂
So, Suzanne, how’s your German? Did you need the subtitles? Nick and I have discussed and compared my grasp of Spanish (and her little bit better handle on German) on several occasions. If only those actors would to keep all their verbs in the infinitive form, I to follow along much better.
Mary, it’s the strangest thing. Sometimes I will dream completely in German and in the context of the dream that makes sense. When I’m asleep I have no trouble finding words so clearly somewhere in my primitive brain I remember the language. Upon awakening after a night of dreaming in German I often continue to think in that language until I turn on the news (the only civilized way to start the day) and remember that I’m American, then I revert back to English. Having said that, when I’m awake I check out the subtitles, though that may have more to do with my compulsion to read anything and everything available to me.
I’m an uncivilized barbarian. And I RIPPED MY PANTS!
As Rob’s interpreter I point you here.
Thanks Carl. I thought I would be forced to request a sub-titled version of Rob’s post for those of us unschooled in “huh?”
You are most welcome Nick, anything I can do to help my fellow bloggers!
Hi i was wondering how much you would charge to set your blog graphics up on my web logs for me, because i truly like the look of your web logs but i don’t know how to make such a sweet theme.