HBO's "The Inventors' Specials", which premiered last year, opened with biographies on Albert Einstein, Leonardo da Vinci, and now Galileo Galilei (although he has endured for 400 years being instantly recognizable by his first name -- wonder if Madonna will enjoy the same notoriety). The specials are written for children, ages seven and up. Consequently, they are given to some slapstick humor; something I detest but recognize many others enjoy, especially children. Being somewhat of a Galileo aficionado I was hoping the film would be accurate -- and basically it was.
The year is 1600 -- the location, Rome. It is the time of the Inquisition. For centuries, people believed that the Earth was the center of the universe, with the sun, moon, and stars revolving around it. To say otherwise was heresy, and in the 1600's, heresy was a crime worthy of death. The film opens with Giordano Bruno (Guido Cerasuolo), being declared a heretic by the Catholic Church. Bruno has taught that the sun is actually the center of the universe, not the Earth as has been taught for centuries. When he refuses to recant his beliefs, he is put to death.
Five years later, Galileo Galilei (Michael Moriarty) is giving a lecture at the University of Padova. Galileo astounds the class with his theory of a star that is fading in its brightness because it is moving away from the earth. The idea that stars are not fixed in the heavens is insanity to Signore Colombe (Louis Del Grande), also a teacher at the University. He interrupts the class to spout the old declarations of Aristotle, refusing to embrace Galileo and his new science. He pronounces Galileo's words as heresy... then promptly falls on his ass.
While reading his way across campus, Galileo is accosted by his brother, Michaelangelo (Tony Nardi). The younger Galilei, a struggling musician and composer, often comes to his more famous and successful sibling, looking for money, food and lodging. As Galileo unsuccessfully tries to ditch his brother, he is also being stalked by the tutor of young Prince Cosimo De'Medici (Kenny Vadas), both of whom had attended the lecture. When the Prince insults Galileo's theories, the older man's ire is raised and he proclaims the boy "an annoying insect", just in time for the boy's mother, The Grand Duchess Christine (Anna Migliariai) to witness. Unapologetic, Galileo wanders off with his brother on his heels, congratulating him on insulting the most powerful family in Florence.
Since his humiliation suffered at the hands of Galileo during the lecture, Colombe, with the assistance of his Sidekick (Gianni Campi), has made a vow to ruin Galileo, to have him decreed a heretic. Colombe and The Sidekick balance a ladder against Galileo's rooftop and eavesdrop as Galileo discusses his discoveries regarding the new star to his friend, Friar Sarpi (Damir Andrei). Sarpi warns his friend to be careful about lecturing on such unpopular theories, should Galileo's information get back to the Roman Catholic Church, it could be disastrous. Colombe is overjoyed at the thought, after all, no one makes a fool out of him and gets away with it -- and then, the ladder tips backwards and Colombe promptly falls on his ass.
As Galileo, Sarpi and Michaelangelo prepare for a rooftop supper, Galileo is served with a subpoena. His sister's husband claims he is behind on dowry payments and should he step foot in Florence, he shall be arrested. For all his genius and notoriety, Galileo earns very little money as a teacher. For him, necessity truly was the mother of invention. Throughout his life, Galileo invented dozens and dozens of devices, many of which are still being used today. Although this is not actually depicted in the film, there is a nod to it as Galileo, in reaction to the subpoena, realizes he will have to invent something worthwhile, something people will actually purchase. Sarpi promises to pray to the new star for an answer to Galileo's financial difficulties.
That prayer is answered, to Galileo's consternation, due to Sarpi's intervention. Galileo has been summoned to the home of The Grand Duchess Christine of Tuscany, she wishes him to tutor her young son and heir, Prince Cosimo. Galileo is repelled at the notion of teaching a boy to whom he considers to have "the intelligence of a newt" and "the attitude of a sultan". Sarpi reminds him that The Grand Duchess has the power to make Galileo's legal problems evaporate.
And so the lessons begin... poorly. Young Cosimo's faith in Aristotle saddles him with the mind of a blind acceptor, prohibiting him from questioning that which is around him. Cosimo believes that a metal ball will swing faster on a pendulum than one made of cork, due to its difference in weight. Galileo releases the two pendulums and of course, they travel at the same speed, on the same plane. Galileo implores the boy to trust his own eyes, something the young Prince cannot seem to do.
Consequently, Galileo decides to repeat one of his most famous experiments for the benefit of his pupil: large and small objects, do not fall at different speeds, as Aristotle maintained, but at the same speed. To illustrate, he takes Cosimo to the top of a tower and drops a cannonball and a much smaller ball over the wall. Cosimo is astonished to witness the balls strike the earth together.
Later in the evening, Cosimo indirectly strikes Galileo with the inspiration for another invention -- the telescope. With the help of a glass blower and the Prince, Galileo works furiously to complete his project; not solely for the benefit of science, but also as a way to earn a few dollars. His invention not only procures him a substantial pay raise and a guarantee of lifetime employment at the University, but also furthers the wrath of Colombe.
Cosimo takes Galileo's advice and attempts his own experiment. Dropping a gavel and a feather onto a table, he sees that the mallet hits well before the feather floats down to the surface. He rushes to confront Galileo, who is gazing through his newest telescope, which is 30x more powerful than his previous one. Cosimo peeks through and is amazed to be seeing the moon. Galileo has now uncovered conclusive proof that the moon is not made up of a smooth celestial ball, rather it consists of hills, mountains and valleys, just like the earth. Even this information was considered dangerous in its day; to believe that the moon could somehow be consistent with the earth was heresy. By studying the galaxy through his telescope, it was also apparent to Galileo that the Earth *did* move, that the sun was the center of the universe, not the other way around. When Cosimo demonstrates his experiment regarding the gavel and the feather, Galileo is impressed. A new bond between teacher and student is formed. Galileo beseeches Cosimo to never lose his sense of wonder. Life is filled with mysteries, question everything: why do birds fly, where did the earth come from, how did the stars appear?
Back at the University, as Galileo prepares a demonstration for his students, Colombe interrupts his class yet again. He accuses Galileo of implanting crystals into the lenses of his telescope to make it appear as though there are more stars and moons than are truly there. He then challenges Galileo to a duel involving Aristotle's Principles of Floatation. When Galileo refuses, declaring it a waste of his precious time, Cosimo is up to the challenge. He will defend Galileo's theories against Colombe.
A crowd gathers in the town square where the exhibitions will take place. Colombe affirms that shape alone determines whether or not an object will float. He proves his theory by dropping a small box and sphere into a water trough... they float. Next he tosses a huge chunk of ebony in the water, naturally it sinks; because, says Colombe, it is neither narrow, thin nor round. Cosimo holds that the ebony will sink, no matter the size due to it being denser than water. He takes a piece of ice, the same size as the ebony and places into the water. Since ice is less dense than water, it floats. And Cosimo wins the contest. Oh yeah, Colombe promptly falls on his ass, (this time in the water) and vows to bring Rome down on Galileo's head.
Colombe once again climbs a ladder to Galileo's roof and eavesdrops on his conversation with Friar Sarpi. Galileo informs his friend that with his telescope, he has confirmed that Copernicus' theorem of a sun-centered solar system is correct and that the only celestial body orbiting the earth is the moon. By picking up where Copernicus left off, Galileo remarks that he is "standing on the shoulders of a giant". Sarpi reminds Galileo that Copernicus waited until he was on his deathbed before publishing his theories, so great was his fear of the Inquisition. Galileo acknowledges the admonition and asks Sarpi to read his manuscript when it's completed. And as Galileo bids goodnight to Sarpi, Colombe fumbles on the ladder while getting down from the roof and promptly falls on his... well, you know. Colombe greets Sarpi on his way home and threatens to enlighten the Cardinal in Rome about Galileo's heresy. He reminds Sarpi that the last person charged with heresy, Giordano Bruno, was burned at the stake.
Colombe wants to get his hands on that manuscript and decides that Michaelangelo, Galileo's brother is the link who can be broken. He appeals to Michaelangelo's vanity by expressing a desire to not only publish some of the musician's songs, but also his famous brother's manuscript. While Michaelangelo hasn't a clue as to the contents of the manuscript, he's anxious to prove to his brother that he's not just a taker -- what better way than by acting as Galileo's agent and earning him some much needed funds. He delivers Galileo's book to Colombe.
During dinner, Michaelangelo proudly serves Galileo a pouch filled with gems, his commission for selling the book. Galileo is furious with his brother but settles quickly when he realizes that it was bound to happen sooner or later. A courier arrives with a summons, Galileo is to leave immediately for Rome to meet with Cardinal Barbarini (Michael Copeland). Cosimo is staggered to learn that Galileo plans to tell the Cardinal whatever he wants to hear. Cosimo believes the book is filled with truths worth fighting for... Galileo responds that life is short enough as it is, he has no intention of becoming a martyr and ending his life any sooner.
Galileo meets with the Cardinal who declares Galileo at war with Rome. He warns Galileo to keep his "wild and unorthodox" discoveries to himself. He tosses Galileo's manuscript on the desk and proclaims it heresy and further bans all of Galileo's writings.
Back in Padova, Cosimo offers an apology to Galileo which is quickly accepted, they are back to being teacher and student. Galileo has solved Cosimo's problem of the feather and the gavel: wind resistance is what stops the feather from hitting the ground at the same moment as the gavel, if there was no air there would be no wind resistance, therefore they would hit the ground at the same time. Galileo intends to prove his hypothesis, although offhand he doesn't yet know of a way to remove air.
In 1633, Galileo was tried, convicted and condemned for the sin of heresy, just like Bruno and Copurnicus before him. Given the chance to save his life, he was forced to publicly condemn his entire life's work: his teachings, writings, and theories. Pope Urban VIII (Cardinal Barbarini) ordered him to say he was wrong about the sun-centered universe and then placed him under house arrest for the remaining nine years of his life.
In 1969, man stepped on the same moon that Galileo had spent hundreds of hours studying and charting. Centuries had passed when the opportunity finally arose to test Galileo's theory regarding the feather and the gavel. An astronaut stood on the surface of the moon, holding a feather in one hand and a hammer in the other -- in an environment which lacked air. The astronaut dropped both objects and just as Galileo wrote nearly 400 years earlier, they hit the ground at the same time; to which the astronaut exclaimed: "How about that, Mr. Galileo was correct!"
Galileo's life is a fascinating example of how religious scriptures interfered with the progression of science and ideas. During his lifetime, the Bible was taken literally, Galileo was imprisoned for being a free thinker, disgraced as a heretic and a traitor.
There is an intriguing irony in Michael Moriarty's portrayal of Galileo. Moriarty has achieved prominence for more than his art; a man who walks away from a starring role on a television series due to inner principles (and not a higher paycheck) is one to be reckoned with seriously. When the actor voiced his opinions on censorship, government interference in private citizen's lives, and Attorney General Janet Reno, he was greeted with a pernicious backlash which eventually drove him from his own country.
In Galileo's time, however, Moriarty would have been faced with the desperation and humiliation of recanting his beliefs and/or dying for them. There is a poignant moment in the film when the young Prince Cosimo chastises Galileo for not fighting the Roman Inquisition, for not defending his theories, which they both know to be correct. Galileo responds that he will tell them what they want to hear, yet continue to believe what his experiments and his own eyes teach him -- they may control his words but they cannot control his mind. Moriarty portrayed Galileo with a sublime blend of ego, humor and obsession. Even when the scenes surrounding him disintegrated into The 3 Stooges style of slap shtick comedy, Galileo's dignity was never compromised.
I was than less pleased with the portrayals of Colombe and his Sidekick. Whether they were intentionally cast as Laurel and Hardy lookalikes, the execution of their delivery style appeared extremely over-the-top for this production. An argument could be made that this humor was necessary to hold the interest of the younger audience. I have to disagree: children can easily relate to the association between Galileo and the young Cosimo, which worked on all levels. There is a compelling moment towards the end of the film where Galileo and Cosimo confess their desires to live each others' lives -- certainly all of us, at one time or another have indulged in these same feelings.
Perhaps Colombe's depiction bothered me so much because I felt it undermined the seriousness of what Galileo's enemies truly did to him. The scene recounting Galileo's renouncement of all he had discovered, taught, and wrote was grievous, and Moriarty played it beautifully. I couldn't help being a little disappointed that the script didn't allow him to add the four words which Galileo uttered at the end of his confession regarding the earth: "and yet it moves!"
Thanks dl! I know I enjoyed Galileo! [dw]
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