The Children's Train is actually made in Italian language named IL Treno Dei Bambini, We have watched a lot of films about the Second World War, but this one, which was directed by Cristina Comencini, adds a new dimension to all of them that we might not be aware of. It portrays the narrative of a mother and son in a way that it will touch your heart.
Storyline
In this emotional historical drama from 1946, children from northern Italy who are still dealing with the atrocities of the war are given to decent families to stay in southern Italy for a few days in order to help them forget the trauma and discover a new purpose in life. For the first time in history, it has been named Train of Happiness which was started by the Italian Communist Party.
Even though the film is about hundreds of children from that era, it focuses on a youngster named Amerigo who lives in poverty throughout his life and whose mother can hardly afford to buy food for the day. Antonietta had to make a tough choice for her son’s best future, but Amerigo’s heart did not accept this situation lightly, as any child does when he leaves his mother.
Upon reaching South Italy, Amerigo meets Derna, whose face is similar to that of her family and their children. In the beginning it is quite difficult for Amerigo to adjust to this new environment but now he always remembers his mother. Amerigo eventually gets used to everyone and has the chance to play the violin, which makes him extremely happy. At the same time, Derna, who had before wished to avoid Amerigo, develops an emotional bond with him.
Because there is an agreement that all these children will go back to Naples after the winter is over, Amerigo also have to go back to Naples. But when he returns to Naples, he finds himself back in the same struggle, his mother Antonietta forces him to do some work again so that he can somehow survive. In such a challenging environment, Amerigo remembers Derna and his mind gets caught in a different dilemma. This entire film is the story of this dilemma of Amerigo.
Conclusion
The film may seem quite slow to you but it gives a lot of relief when you watch it calmly, in which you get to see the excellent performance of Christian Cervone, Christian Cervone‘s screen presence remains throughout the film. Barbara Ronchi, who plays the role of Derna, also connects in emotional scenes, although she gets very little screentime in the film, but even in that little time, she makes a lot of impact. Serena Rossi is as beautiful as she looks and she plays this role perfectly. A good effort has been made in the film to depict the horrors of the Second World War, which is clearly visible on the sets and costumes of the film. Released on Netflix, the film does not disappoint you at all and connects you emotionally.
Positive
- Plot
- Emotional Connect
- Mother Son connection
- Unexplored chapter from Second World War.
Negative
- Slowness
- No twist
- Not exploring reason behind Train of Happiness.
Ratings:- 6/10