NoShame has released many, many great Italian films that fans have clamored for. Not a single major genre remains untouched by them. Over the last years they released a slew of cult films, as well as lost works by prominent directors. With Boccaccio ’70 we were given unreleased Fellini; with Story of a Love Affair we were given Antonioni’s feature debut. It seems that they have come full circle near the end of 2005 by releasing Partner, a little acknowledged film from the early career of Bernardo Bertolucci.

You don’t need to be familiar with Italian cinema to recognize Bertolucci’s name, but you could easily be forgiven for not being aware of who he is. For the most part, for someone who received international critical acclaim Bertolucci has remained close to Italy when making his films. Most Americans are probably most aware of him from the Academy Award winning The Last Emperor or the nominated Last Tango In Paris. Recent minor but well received films like Little Buddha or The Dreamers. Partner, however, couldn’t be any more different than the rest.

Partner is about a young revolutionary and educator who is, naturally, against the actions in Vietnam. Already emotionally disturbed, he attempts to kill himself in a public urinal but instead meets his doppelganger, Giacobbe, who is more militant and a less reserved individual. (Conversations with 'himself' here really help show off actor Pierre Clémenti’s talents.) Ultimately a few people are murdered, or not, and a revolution is staged and goes uncompleted, or not…

As you might expect, Bertolucci’s third feature film is above all an art film. The narrative is non-existent, the plot is extremely thin. It follows no logical path and is largely a mess of ideals and visualized ideas. There is, of course, nothing wrong with this, but it is important to know going in that you aren’t getting the dramatic punch of The Conformist. If you are the type that gets antsy during Blow-Up or can’t stand loose logic, you are best advised not to bother.

In 2005, Partner has lost most of its relevance to modern day audiences and exists more as an historical piece. I can’t say much for the time and social situation that this film takes place in. My ignorance to that era is vast. So what I found most interesting about Partner was the directorial technique. There are a few stunning compositions considering what must have been a small budget. There is an opening scene that foreshadows Giocobbe’s arrival by showing Pierre as a hunch back, and an interesting scene as the camera moves around a Molotov cocktail. But for all the beautiful shots, there aren’t enough to save the obvious lack of a screenplay.

The second feature in this package is a beast of a different color (or in this case, black and white) which says much of the same. Film critic Edoardo Bruno’s only venture into filmmaking was, like Partner, influenced jointly by the French New Wave and Italian Neo Realism. I think it is obvious why it was his only work. His Day of Glory, despite being an official selection at the Berlin Film Festival, is definitely crafted by an amateur. While Partner at least delivers its themes with a sense of wit, Glory delivers a near style-free presentation of pretentiousness. There isn’t a whole lot going for the film, and its inclusion as a second feature is only a result of the intro being comprised of rushes from Partner. It might be worth watching once, but whereas Partner suffers from dry spots, Glory is just a chore. A really drawn out chore.

Presentation
Partner is presented in 2.35:1 anamorphic widescreen and looks really good. There are scenes that stand out more than others, but I think this has more to due with the colors being used and less with the film stock. The audio is also as audible and clear as one could hope for. Extremely good work by NoShame on the remastering of this release. His Day Of Glory has an 1.33:1 Academy Ratio presentation which is watchable, but is a very soft black & white which looks more a result of cost than style. The audio is quite clear though, which is nice. It isn’t comparable to other NoShame releases, or even the main feature, but it serves its purpose. The audio on both films is Italian Mono and the optional English subtitles seem accurate and match well.

Extras
Partner - Dreams from the Other Side (37:46) - The meatiest extra on the set, this is a great interview with director Bertolucci. He makes mention of almost all of his films at least once, but concentrates on his earlier works. Bertolucci talks at great length about how he updated a Dostoyevsky short story as the basis for this film. He also talks about casting and how this was one of the first Italian films that was not dubbed. Really cool stuff here, and Bertolucci fans will definitely need to hear this.

To Edit a Partner (18:19) - This is also a great interview with film editor Roberto Perpignani about not only his editing of this film, but also his background with Bertolucci and the industry as a whole. Short and bittersweet; this is what all interviews with off-the-radar film heroes should be like.

Lost & Found (8:42) - This is a soundless screen test featuring actor Pierre Clementi. Some seemingly random outtakes are included as well.

Poster and Still Gallery - (0:44) - A series of nine various stills and posters pass by with the soundtrack playing in the background.

His Day Of Glory - Back to Glory (35:26) - This is an interesting piece. Edoardo talks about his movie and does not shut up. Thirty-five minutes and not a second of dead air. A good portion is devoted to talking about casting, and he talks about his magazine. He also donates a chunk of time to discussing his relationship with Bertolucci and the opening sequence. What he avoids is why he didn’t make any more films after this one, despite being an official selection of the 1969 Berlin Film Festival. I would have liked to hear more about that.

Bits of Glory (Silent) (12:12) - Soundless screen tests featuring actors Lou Castel and Laura Troschel

Poster and Still Gallery (4:59) - A series of 60 various stills and posters pass by with the soundtrack playing in the background. Pretty lengthy considering the obscurity of the film.

NoShame’s mandatory booklet is, as usual, interesting reading which sheds more light on the Nouvelle Vague movement in Italy and the politics of the time. I was impressed by the well-written notes on the main feature, and Edoardo’s notes on His Day of Glory. are an enjoyable read because it covers facts, enthusiasm, and nostalgia with impeccable balance. There is also a nice piece covering Bertolucci’s career. I’ve yet to be unimpressed with these booklets. They aren’t second to Criterion anymore; they are just as good.

Fin
On the extra features both directors mention how it is difficult to discuss these films without taking into account when they were made and the political climate. They don’t state it, but I believe they both realize that these true time capsules have rendered themselves obsolete. Their purpose exists in Italy 1968-1969 and, as an outsider and too young to experience that time with appropriate context, I admit that much of the message is probably lost on me. Partner is more interesting if not as its own film than how it exists in Bertolucci’s vast career. Bruno, however, never did anything following his film, which makes it even more difficult to place value upon. However, NoShame should be commended for releasing both of these long forgotten films, and releasing them with the care needed for the people who are interested in this era of history.