Although the naturally beautiful Italian
landscapes threaten to upstage a lot of the
work. Benigni is also particularly strong in the
film, although his screen time is brief and just at
the beginning and end.
“Pinocchio” was never my favorite as a child
and I’m probably not alone but there is an
obvious continuing appeal to the story and
its lessons. And although the world was not
lacking for “Pinocchio” adaptations, there are
still many more to come. Soon we’ll have a
Robert Zemeckis version with Tom Hanks on
Disney+ and a Guillermo del Toro stop-motion
animated one on Netflix with Ewan McGregor,
Tilda Swinton and Cate Blanchett. Before we’re
overwhelmed by such starry fare and accessible
fare, however, you might also make time for this
one too. It has the makings of a stealth classic.
“Pinocchio,” a Roadside Attractions release, is
rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of
America for “some disturbing images.” Running
time: 125 minutes. Three stars out of four.
MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material
may be inappropriate for children under 13.