The music of this film is by Goffredo Petrassi, and it is immediately reminiscent of Albinoni's famous Adagio and must have been inspired by that, because it expresses exactly the same mood of infinite sadness. Albinoni's Adagio would actually have fitted the film better, it's almost like you hear it all through from beginning to end, and it would have suited this film better than it did Orson Welles' "The Process". It is probably more or less a true story of two brothers, Marcello Mastroianni being the elder one, who is the only one who ever gets close to his weak constantly ailing minor brother, Jacques Perrin, and their acting is wholly convincing all the way. Like Albinoni's Adagio it is an infinitely sad family story, a tragedy constantly increasing in melancholy and sadness, and the death of Jacques Perrin is constantly prolonged and made into an infinity of sorrow. Yet there is no sentimentality but only deep, sincere and extremely genuine humanity all the way - I believe there is a story like this in every family, but most families don't speak about it, and most stories like this never become known and never find expression. The cinematography is admirable, and everything in the film breathes profound human truth. Not everyone likes sustained and prolonged tragedies like this, but this is at least very well made.
Review of Family Diary
