Peoples

Totallyunawares,Saverio,ateacherandMario,ajanitorofthesameschoolinwhichtheybothwork,travelbackintimeandfindthemselvesincentralItalyattheendofthe15thcentury.TheycarrywiththemanunresolvedsquabbleconcerningSaverio’ssister,creatingalotoftensionbetweenthetwo,whichwillincreaseintheplot.Fromthismomentontheywillhavetocometogripswiththegrotesquesituationtheyfindthemselvesin,tryingto"hitchalift"backtothefutureinamostoutlandishway,usingandmisusingtheirforesightoftheeventstakingplaceroundthattime,andgenerallymakingfoolsofthemselvesintheeyesof"normal"renaissancefolks.TheirmeetingwithLeonardodaVinciishysterical,whentheybecomemoreandmoreconvincedthatthegeniusisinrealityamoron.AnothercharactertheymeetisSavonarolatheheretic,whoenjoinsthemtorepent,beforeheistakentothestake,elicitingsomebreezycommentfromthem.Ifitweren’tforaweirdkindofhomesickness,theywouldquiteenjoylivinginthisperiod,fullofdaringfashionsandtantalisingdamsels.Thecoupleshowsgreatchemistryandisfunnyineveryrespect.Thepsychologyoftheircharactersiscomplexandcredible-foroncecomicalroleswithadepth.Basically,Saverioisanembitteredpetit-bourgeoisforeverattractedandrejectedbywomen,enviousofMario,aneasy-goingproletarianeverywomanfallsinlovewith.Saverioisscheming,meanandvindictiveasmuchasMarioisnaive,generousandforgiving.Whatamatchoftalents:RobertoBenigniandMassimoTroisiatthepeakofcombinedcreativity.Toobadtheywillnevercomebacktogetherforanotherjointventure.Ormaybeitisbetterthisway:masterpiecesofthislevelcannotbeimprovedon,atbesttheycanbeimitated.ForthisreasonNoncirestachepiangerewillshinelikeageminthecrownofthebestItalianmoviesofalltimes.Sadlynotmanypeopleseemtohaveseenit,noteveninItaly,wheretheviewersdonotneedsubtitlestoenjoythehilariousjugglingofthetwoactorswiththelanguage,buttheirbodylanguagecanbeuniversallyappreciated.Ifyoumissityouwillhavetorepent!

Abitofcolorforonce,allthebettertoseetheredflagswith,nottomentiontheobviousaerialfilefootageofWarsaw.ThestoryconcernsJozefMalesa,themasonorbricklayerofthetitle.Hewasoncethedarlingoftheparty,thesonoftwooldpartyactivists,aworkerofheroicreputation,hisowncommitmenttoTheMovementunquestioned.Hewaschosentobedestinedforgreatthings,speciallyeducatedandpushedforwardtopositionsofresponsibilityintheParty.Eventuallyhedecides,becau搜索引擎优化ftheethicalpressureswhichhefeelsfromtheobstructionismofthebureaucracyfromabove,heaskstoreturntobeasimplebricklayer.HeisdisturbedwiththewaythePartydealswithpeople,especiallytheirlackofdirectcontact.Hethinksworkersknowbetterthantheleadershipmanytimesbutthat’snotthewaypowerflows.Heisuncomfortablewiththecompromisestohisidealism.HeremainscommittedtosocialjusticeandjoinshisfriendsfortheMayDayrallywherehiscomfortandconfidenceinhisplaceinsocietycausehimtodefertonoman,certainlynoratfacedmeninovercoatswithredarmbands.Hisgreatpleasureinlifemoreoverislayingbrick.Hefindstheworksatisfyingandfulfillingwhichiswhyhewassuchanobviouslysuperiorworkerinthefirstplace.

David,nowanoldman,isstillkingofIsrael.Amonghissons,theambitiousAdonijahandthecleverSolomon.Thetwoyoungmenarefiercerivals,sincebothareprospectiveheirstothethroneandonlyonecanbesuccessful.Duringahuntingexpedition,AdonijahchallengeshisyoungerbrotherSolomontoachariotrace.WhileSolomon,thoughbrave,stillretainsamodicumofcaution,thedaredevilAdonijahiseagertowinatallcosts-andlosescontrolofhischariot.SolomontakestheseriouslyinjuredAdonijahbacktoJerusalem.OnthewaytheretheymeettheattractiveAbishag,whodespiteheryouthisversedintheu搜索引擎优化fhealingherbs.Sheactuallysucceedsinhelpingtheprince.AdonijahfallsinlovewithAbishag-butBathshebaarrangesthingssothatsheworksforDavid,hopingthatheryouth,herbeautyandherhealingpowerswillsoothetheoldking’ssuffering.SeveralmembersoftheinfluentialpriesthoodandalsotherespectedarmygeneralJoab,whoservedDavidloyallyformanyyears,supportAdonijah’sclaimtothethrone-eventhoughDavidhasstillnotmadeanydecisionwithregardtoapotentialsuccessor.Thebattle-experiencedJoabregardsSolomonasanindecisiveweakling,underwhoseleadershipthekingdomwouldsoonfallapart.WhentheprophetNathanfindsoutaboutAdonijah’sconspiracyheinformsBathshebaandSolomon,whourgeDavidtotakeimmediateaction.AndsoitcomestopassthatpreparationstoanointthefuturekingofIsraelaremadebothattheSpringofEnrogel,whereAdonijahandhismenareencamped,aswellasinJerusalem.ThefestiveprocessionforAdonijahhasalreadybeenassembledandthepeopleenticedwithdeliciousdelicaciestocheerhimon,whenthenewsofSolomon’scoronationreachesEnrogel.ThepeoplepromptlyacknowledgethewillofKingDavidandstreamofftoJerusalemintheirhordestogreetSolomon,theirfutureruler.Adonijahremainsbehindwithahandfulofloyalfollowers.Herealizesthathehaslost-forthetimebeing.Humblyheplaceshislifeinhisbrother’shands.Adonijahisforgivenononecondition:thathealwaysremainsloyaltohisbrotherSolomon.ThegreatKingDavidisdead,andhissonSolomonhassucceededhimastherightfulrulerofIsrael.AdonijahnowhasarequesttomakeofBathsheba:hewantstomarryAbishag.Solomonhearsaboutthisseeminglyinnocentwish,andrecognizesitasarenewedployonbehalfofhisbrothertoreclaimthethrone-Adonijah’smarriagetothelastwomantoshareKingDavid’sbedwouldstrengthenhispoliticalpositionconsiderably.Solomonknowsthathehastoactquicklyanddecisivelyifheistosecurehisownpower.HehashisbrotherAdonijahandthelatter’sclosestassociateJoabexecuted.Afterthisradicaldecision,Solomonwithdrawstopresentsacrifices.InadreamtheLordappearstohimandgrantshimthefulfillmentofawish,whateveritmaybe.Solomonmerelyasksforwisdom-inordertobecomeagoodrulerandjudge.WarwithEgyptislooming.Toarmhiskingdomagainsttheterritorialambitionsofitspowerfulneighbors,Solomonnotonlyintroducesseveralreformsbutalsodecidestomarrythedaughterofthepharaoh.TheEgyptianprincessdoesnotremainSolomon’sonlywife,however:astimegoesbythekingmarriesnumerousnoblewomenfrommanydifferentcountriesforpoliticalandeconomicreasons.Inthiswayhepreservespeaceforhispeople,andcreatesgreatprosperity.ByallowingthewomentocontinuepracticingtheirdomesticcustomsandreligiousritualsinJerusalemaswell,hecomesintoregularconflictwiththepriesthood,whoseetheforeignreligionsasendangeringIsrael’ssolecovenantwiththeLord.ThewisdomgrantedtoSolomonbyGodbecomesfullyevidentwhenthekingsitsinjudgment.Onedaytwoharlotseachclaimtobemotherofthesamebaby.Solomon’sdecisionseemsutterlycruel:hesaysthatthechildshouldbecutintwosothateachwomanreceiveshalf.Solomoncannowdeterminewhotherealmotherisfromherreaction:shewillnotallowherchildtobeharmed.Solomonhandsthechildbacktoitstruemotheramidcheersofapproval.OneofthemostimportanttaskshandeddowntoSolomonbyhisfatherDavidisbuildingthegreatTempletohousetheArkoftheCovenant.Ithastobelargerandmoremagnificentthanallothertemplesintheworld,andSolomonnowsetsaboutfulfillinghisfather’swish.HeplacesJeroboaminchargeoftheIsraeliteworkersaschiefoverseer.Sevenyearslater,theworkiscompleted.Theexpensiveconstructionmaterialshavebeenbroughtfromfar-offlands,andthepeopleofIsraelhavepaidexceedinglyhightaxeswithoutcomplaintinordertofinancetheconstructionwork.TheArkoftheCovenantcannowfinallybetakentotheTempleinatriumphantprocession.Aftersomanyyearsofwandering,theIsraelites’mostsacredpossessionnowhasafixedhomeofitsown.PeoplestreamtoJerusalemfromacrosstheentirecountrytocelebratethegreatday.Abishag,nowmarried,comestooandbringsherfamily.Solomonhasdecidedtomingleamongthepeopleindisguise,andheandAbishagareoverjoyedwhentheyaccidentallymeetagainaftersomanyyears.TheTemplemakesJerusalemanditskingfamousthroughouttheworld.Eventhedark-skinnedQueenofShebasetsoffwithalargeretinuetovisitthewiseandcultivatedSolomonandadmirehismagnificentcity.Theadmirationturnsouttobemutual:Solomon,captivatedbyherbeauty,fallsdeeplyinlovewithher.Thetwoofthemhaveachild,Menelik,butonedaytheQueenofShebadecidestoleave.ShedoesnotwantMeneliktobedeprivedoftheregaldignityawaitinghiminhishomecountry.Solomonstaysbehind,withaheavyheart.Thekinghasnowachievedeverythinghesethishearton,butwiththepassingoftheyearsthewiseSolomongraduallybecomesamelancholy,skepticaloldmanwhoregularlyquestionshisveryexistence.Materialthingsseemtorepresenttheonlyrealityforhim.Healsorefusestoadoptanykindofsteadypolicy,especiallyinreligiousmatters.Withhisforeignwives,Solomonsacrificestoforeigngods,andthisincursthewrathofthepriesthood.TheloyalJeroboamappealstohisking’sconscience,buttonoavail.DuringoneofSolomon’ssortiesindisguiseamonghispeople,asimplefarmerremindshimofthefirstoftheTenCommandmentsrevealedbytheLordtoMoses:"Youshallhavenoothergodsbeforeme."Atanotherdecisivemoment,GodHimselfspeakstoSolomonandannouncesthepunishmentforhissinfulness:thekingdomwillcollapseafterSolomon’sdeath.Thekinghasgrownoldandweary.HehaslosttouchwiththepeopleofIsrael,whoaresufferingfromheavytaxationandforcedlabor.Solomonhastreatedhislong-standingcompanionJeroboam,towhomheentrustedtheadministrationofthenortherntribes,withmurderousangereversinceaprophetpredictedthedivisionofthekingdomtohim.Thekingnolongerhasthestrengthtochangethings-hejustleavesthemastheyare.Theconsequencesofthisbecomeclearshortlyafterhisdeath.Solomon’ssonandsuccessorRehoboamtreatsthecountry’sleaderswitharrogance,andprovokesthedivisionofthekingdomintotwoparts:theonlytribestillloyaltohimisthatofJudah,whilealltheothersuniteunderJeroboam.Theprophecyhasbeenfulfilled.ThekingdomthatSolomonreceivedfromhisfatherDavid,andinvestedwithsuchmightandmagnificence,isnowdivided.

Elie,ayoungwomanfromthecity,hascometoaremoteNorthAtlanticisland.Itsthespringthaw,andsheisheretoconvalesceandgettoknowthecommunity.Theannualsealhuntisinfullswing,andEliefeelsbothdrawntoandrepelledbythemenengagedinit.Inthisisolatedworld,peopleslivesanddeathsareshapedbythebruteforcesofnature.Eliespresencearousescuriosityandmistrust.Maria,thevillagematriarchanddenmother,seekstouncoverthesecretreasonbehingEliesvisit.Wolvesexplorestheprofoundneedforbelonging.

WeFeedPeoplespotlightsrenownedchefJoséAndrésandhisnonprofitWorldCentralKitchen’sincrediblemissionandevolutionover12yearsfrombeingascrappygroupofgrassrootsvolunteerstobecomingoneofthemosthighlyregardedhumanitarianaidorganizationsinthedisasterreliefsector.

Inhernewdocumentary,OekeHoogendijk(TheNewRijksmuseum)delvesintotheworldoftheoldmasters.MyRembrandt,inherownwords,hasbecomean'epicartthriller',inwhichthefilmmakergivesafascinatinginsightintowhatmakestheworkoftheDutchmastersospecialandwhyhisarttouchespeoplesodeeply.