A common thread running through Luca Guadagnino’s films—whether it's the sporty drama Challengers, the heartbreaking romance of Call Me By Your Name, or the solitary allure of Queer—is the sensuality that often weaves between men. One can trace this sensuality back in his debut directorial feature, The Protagonists, where Guadagnino tries to explore the complex dynamic between two teenage murderers.
‘In January 1994, two students from financially privileged backgrounds decided to commit the perfect crime. To kill someone unknown to them.'
The unknown victim, Egyptian chef Mohammed El-Sayed, was part of a real-life incident that sparked the curiosity of Guadagnino and the lead star, Tilda Swinton. They decided to make a documentary bout the crime—but with a twist, they film the entire process of the documentary itself. The film seems to be more interested in the process of filmmaking of criminal documentaries rather than the crime itself. By going meta, Guadagnino examines and mocks the voyeuristic nature of media and its fascination with murderers, who committed the crime as part of a fantasy to join the Special Air Service.
The mockumentary opens with an Italian film crew, led by Tilda Swinton, traveling from Rome to London to make this film about the two young murderers, referred as Happy and Billy. There is an interesting use of still images of the crew on the airport and the flight to showcase their travel, giving a sense of nostalgia. There’s a nostalgic use of still images depicting the crew’s journey, adding an extra layer of reflection. The crew interviews everyone from journalists to pathologists involved in the case, probing not only the murderers and the victim but also how the case affected their careers and lives. In doing so, the film examines how people find excitement in others' tragedies. Tilda also frequently breaks the fourth wall, showing her own fascination with the case.
As the crew immerses in the banalities of behind-the-scenes filmmaking, the seriousness of the crime feels distant. One scene has Tilda explaining the crime scene using miniatures, only for the absence of a bus model to derail the moment—highlighting the absurdity of film production. Another scene has actress Fabrizia Sacchi, playing Mohammed’s wife, Sue, arriving late to a trial scene, hinting at an affair with Andrew Tiernan, who plays Mohammed. These interruptions shift the focus from the crime to the awkward, often cliched realities of filmmaking.
In the second half, the film shifts as the documentary within the film begins to unfold, exploring the sensuality between the two murderers. Mohammed meets his wife for the first time contrasting with Billy and Happy’s eccentricities and obsessions. Billy, a loner obsessed with joining the SAS, and Happy, obsessed with Billy, form a complex dynamic. Happy's romantic obsession with Billy mirrors the fantasies of Hannibal Lecter and Clarice Starling, imagining himself as ‘real-life Clarice’ and Billy as ‘real-life Lecter’. Happy’s fantasies are shown with fickle splashes of body parts. The sexual tension rises as they both take a bath in the locker room while Mohammed makes love to his soon to be wife.
Soon, both of their obsessions come together to commit a heinous crime, as the journalist in the beginning says ‘I think it [the murder] was more about two people coming together. Two chemicals, which on their own are completely harmless but when you mix them together, they become something quite explosive’
Amidst the bizarre fantasies and obsessions, the filmmakers’ own obsession is also highlighted. The film becomes an act of self-criticism, with Guadagnino mocking his own art and the desire to understand this real-life incident. Facing the camera with a deadpan expression, Tilda reflects: 'These details about these murderers, we are so hungry for them, whether we are hungry for them to make them feel more exotic or more banal, I don’t know.' The film’s opening disclaimer—'the most violent crime is that which attracts the most morbid interest'—encapsulates the exploration of our fascination with the crime genre, suggesting that while a victim can be anyone, a murderer is rare and endlessly captivating.
The Protagonists is now streaming on MUBI as part of their annual retrospective, First Films First. Luca Guadagnino's highly anticipated Queer, starring Daniel Craig, will also be coming exclusively to MUBI soon.
We have partnered with MUBI to bring you one month of great cinema for free. You can watch The Protagnosts and much more, via this link.
Words Paridhi Badgotri
Date 08.01.2024