Humor
is a Sin
Is humor evil? Can it manipulate
people to do certain things that they would not normally do? In the movie, O Nome da Rosa (The Name of the Rose), it
displays how one’s insanity can create a domino effect on other people
surrounding them. The setting makes
you feel as if you were in the valleys of Italy during the 14th
century, trying to solve a bunch of murder/suicides. Directed by Jean-Jacques
Annaud, this murder-mystery piece won two BAFTA Film awards. Based off of
Umberto Eco’s novel, which has the same name, this movie was perfect for Annaud
given that the plot is serious yet mystifying. His works consists of other
intriguing movies such as Seven Years in
Tibet.
The protagonists throughout the
movie are William of Baskerville (Sean Connery) and his assistant, Adso de Melk
(Christian Slater). The twosome start
out on a voyage to a monastery in a grim valley to solve a series of deaths
which they are intrigued by. This gives a great similarity to the
murder-solving duo of the famous Sherlock Holmes and Dr. Watson but 14th
century edition. Different clues and experimenting lead William and Adso to
determine whether or not certain deaths were suicide or homicides. In order to
keep track of the plot, you will find yourself struggling to pay attention
because there are many “boring” parts of the movie but something always grabs
you back into the thick of things.
As the film goes on, it appears that
an old, senile monk, Jorge de Burgos (Feodor Chaliapin), runs
the show at the monastery, becoming the antagonist. He truly believes humor and
self-thinking is a sin, just imagine that? Not being able to show any emotion
to other people whether it is love or happiness, it can truly make a person go insane.
By storing many old books that were about personal freedom involved with
self-thinking, nobody had a sense of their own thoughts. Besides the crazy
monk, William and Adso’s determination to solve these deaths will have the
audience well interested from time to time.
Sean Connery’s acting will have the
audience visualize each death as if they were in his shoes. Imagine being a monk
from a couple centuries ago, trying to solve mysteries without the technology
we have today, it is pretty incredible. Connery’s great acting leads us to feel
as if the audience can time travel back to many centuries ago. Christian
Slater’s part as Adso, plays a pivotal role in this film. As a young friar, the
only romantic part of this film is involved with him. He becomes physically and
sexually attracted to a peasant girl for the first time in his life. This is
important for many viewers of this film that like romance because there is
really not much of it in this movie. He helps William solves the deaths through
interrogation of different people within the monastery. Learning from his elder
teacher, Adso becomes very mature at a young age which many people can relate
to.
Adso is also the narrator throughout
the movie. He becomes in love with the peasant woman, thus leaving him with a
difficult decision towards the end of the film. Would you leave with your
master and go on to learn more things about something you are interested in or
stay with the person you love? He specifically describes his decision through
this quote, stating that he does not regret what he had done. “I have never
regretted my decision, for I learned from my master much that was wise and good
and true. When at last we parted company, he presented me with his eyeglasses.
I was still young - he said - but someday they would serve me well. And in
fact, I'm wearing them now on my nose as I write these lines. Then he embraced
me fondly - like a father - and sent me on my way. I never saw him again, and
know not what became of him, but I pray always that God received his soul, and
forgave the many little vanities to which he was driven by his intellectual
pride. And yet, now that I am an old, old man, I must confess that of all the
faces that appear to me out of the past, the one I see most clearly is that of
the girl of whom I've never ceased to dream these many long years. She was the
only earthly love in my life, yet.”(The
Name of the Rose). As many movies have ended with a quote about love, it
seems this film is no different. Romance in movies, tells us that love usually
never ends, even when we are old.
The
Name of the Rose will make the audience feel as if they are at a funeral or
service of a lost one. Given that the setting is very dark and religion is a
constant throughout the film, you will feel as if you are one of the friars in
the monastery. The point at which will save your sanity from boredom is William
and Adso’s intellectual murder-solving techniques and finding out the reason
for the deaths. Through trial and error, like many situations in life, the duo
find the reason for all of the murders. They simply solve most of the murders
by tracing the steps of the victims. As the film remains dark and dreary, the
romance between Adso and the peasant girl will shed some light to the setting.
It will morally leave an imprint on your mind to believe that love truly never
ends, regardless if you choose your ambitions over a person you have fallen
for. In summary, this movie is hard to watch at first, but if the audience pays
attention, they will be well interested throughout.
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