Cavalleria: Flying Away From Your Problems

If you are looking for something light and fun, skip Cavalleria. This isn't exactly a breezy afternoon watch. It is a slow, heavy Italian drama that feels like it wants to be a grand epic but settles for being a bit of a soap opera with better lighting.

Should you watch it? If you dig mid-century melodrama where men stare longingly into the distance and women look sad in fancy dresses, you’ll be fine. If you hate slow pacing or characters who handle heartbreak by doing something incredibly dangerous, you’ll probably be checking your watch every ten minutes. 🏇

The Horse Problem

The whole movie hinges on Umberto losing his girl to some rich Austrian officer. I get it, that stings. But then his horse dies in a competition and he just... quits riding forever? It’s a bit dramatic, honestly. He makes this face, puts the boots away, and suddenly he is an aviator.

The transition feels rushed, like he just picked up a pilot's license at the local corner store. One day he’s dealing with hay, the next he’s dealing with clouds and propellers. It’s a jump, but hey, it’s a movie.

Small Details That Stuck

• There is a scene in the stables that lingers for way too long. I think the director just really liked horses.
• Anna Magnani shows up and she is the only person on screen who seems to know what she is actually doing.
• The uniforms are way too clean for people who are supposed to be having these deep, existential crises.

Watching Amedeo Nazzari run around trying to outrun his sadness is almost hypnotic. He’s got that specific kind of intensity that makes you want to hand him a glass of water and tell him to sit down. You can almost feel the movie trying to convince you that becoming a pilot is a normal response to a bad breakup. It isn't, but let's go with it.

I couldn't help but think of the pacing in The Love Mart while watching this. Both films have that weird habit of slowing down right when things get interesting, just to show a bit more scenery or a lingering shot of a sad face.

The whole thing feels a bit like a relic, not in a bad way, but it definitely belongs to a different time. It doesn't quite reach the heights of The Legend of Provence, but it’s got enough grit to keep you watching if you’re already sitting on the couch.

Anyway, I liked the planes. They looked like they were held together by tape and prayers, which is way more interesting than the dialogue half the time. If you want a movie that doesn't try to explain itself, this is your pick.