When Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio Was Set: True History and Timeline

Movie News

18 Feb, 2023

Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio is set in a specific historical era, combining fantasy and reality. We break down the actual history behind the movie.

Warning: this post contains spoilers for Guillermo del Toro’s Pinocchio

^ Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio tells a unique story, due in part to the film's setting and connection to real history. Award-winning director del Toro's adaptation of Carlo Collodi's 1883 novel tells a familiar story, intermingling fresh and dark elements that provide an update on a beloved tale. By adding historical characters and moments, Netflix's Pinocchio brought realism to its story, earning the film a Golden Globe and Oscar nomination for Best Animated Feature.

Stop motion may be hopeful and bright, but it explores a period of despair and the rise of fascism in Europe. Del Toro's Pinocchio is largely set in the interwar years. This time period is well known in history, although it has been less explored than the periods of World War I and World War II, both of which have been the subject of many films. Even though Pinocchio begins during World War I, it doesn't stop at that period.

The story of the stop-motion animation "Pinocchio" takes place over many years. The film begins during World War I, circa 1917/1918, in which Geppetto's son Carlo is killed by a rocket The church in their small village. While it's unclear how many years passed since then, the main story of Pinocchio takes place in the intervening years, most likely in the late 20s or early 30s. Del Toro's Pinocchio glosses over the events of World War II, choosing to end before the story ends. However, the animated musical follows Pinocchio years after World War II, offering a glimpse into the future for him and his loved ones.

Pinocchio's Timeline & World War History Explained

Pinocchio takes place primarily in the interwar period, so the history of the World Wars forms the backbone of its story. Benito Mussolini, then Prime Minister of Italy and leader of the National Fascist Party, created a dangerous and violent environment for Pinocchio. Pinocchio takes place during the reign of Mussolini in Italy, with the continuing rise of fascism, showing how the protagonist is forced to follow a father figure with a particular ideology, and the times of fear, tension, and pain that can arise during war.

Although the animated film could show the tensions brewing in the years between the world wars without including fascist leader Mussolini It was Guillermo del Toro's version of Pinocchio, because he was the Italian father figure at the time. Pinocchio is all about the relationship between father and son, but it has multiple layers. There is Geppetto's relationship with Pinocchio, which is juxtaposed with Podestà's relationship with his son Candlewick, and likewise, Podestà's relationship with Mussolini, a man he admires and wants to please.

Why Mussolini Is In GDT's Version Of Pinocchio

More importantly, Mussolini's presence in Pinocchio explores not only the extent of interwar fascism, but also the problems that arise when blindly and categorically following a leader or father figure. Mussolini exemplifies the worst-case scenario of living for the ideals and ideologies of others, and the effect of unthinking obedience on others, including supporting characters from Pinocchio and stop-motion animation. While previous versions of Pinocchio have centered on obedience, del Toro's Pinocchio suggests that disobedience is good too, especially when it comes to confronting fascism and separating yourself from your parents' expectations of life.

While Guillermo del Toro often incorporates real-world elements into his fantasy films, Pinocchio's take on Italian history is far from gimmick. Like Pan's Labyrinth, it involves During the same period, del Toro placed fantasy stories above and beyond themes of most animated films. Pinocchio is a story that has been told countless times, but Guillermo del Toro's Pinocchio has found a way to make it work in a different setting by exploring it in a different setting than other adaptations of Pinocchio. resonance at the level. The result was a powerful retelling and a timeless message, which earned del Toro and his team widespread acclaim, including Golden Globe and Oscar nominations for Best Animated Feature.