The Sky Original biopic “Prima danza, poi pensa: Alla ricerca di Beckett” by James Marsh portrays the life of Samuel Beckett, the Irish playwright, writer, and poet known for masterpieces such as “Endgame,” “Happy Days,” and “Krapp’s Last Tape.” The film delves into Beckett’s dedication to literature and the universal sense of unease. It features Fionn O’Shea as the young Beckett and Gabriel Byrne as the mature writer, both capturing his complexity and devotion to writing.
The movie explores Beckett’s passion for poetry inherited from his mother, as well as the constant dissatisfaction instilled by her in the name of unattainable perfection. The film also depicts his encounter with James Joyce, involvement in the French Resistance, and his complex relationships with women, particularly Suzanne Deschevaux-Dumesnil and Barbara Bray. Marsh, known for his Oscar-winning documentary “Man on Wire” and “The Theory of Everything,” uses a black and white cinematography to internalize Beckett’s literary adventure.
The narrative emphasizes the significant role of women in Beckett’s life and their influence on his work, reflecting on guilt and emotional wounds. The film culminates in Beckett begrudgingly receiving the Nobel Prize, confronting his sincere and troublesome alter ego. Throughout the film, Joyce’s quote “It is not what we write, but how we write it” echoes, holding relevance beyond literature.