Splendor (1989 film)


Splendor is a 1989 Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola.

Plot

Jordan runs a struggling cinema called Splendor in a small town in Italy. Low ticket sales mean that the cinema is no longer a viable business, and Jordan reflects on his experiences running Splendor, from his arrival in the town as a child with his father. He meets French showgirl Chantal at one of her performances, and she comes to work for him as an usher. Cinephile Luigi repeatedly attends screenings of Il Sorpasso in order to see Chantal, with whom he is besotted, and after a brief fling he begins working for Jordan as the projectionist. Attendance at the cinema decreases with the rise of television and Jordan considers bringing in strippers to try and solve his financial problems. Throughout, we see clips of the films shown at the cinema: Metropolis, It’s a Wonderful Life, La Grande Guerra, Amarcord, amongst others.

Cast