Martin Eden (2019 film)

Martin Eden is a 2019 Italian-French historical romance drama film directed by Pietro Marcello. The film is based on the novel of the same name by Jack London, in a Naples-set background, and follows an illiterate sailor's journey to establish himself as a writer in post-war Italy.

The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 76th Venice International Film Festival, where Luca Marinelli won the Volpi Cup for Best Actor.

Plot
After saving Arturo, a young scion of the industrial middle class, from a beating, the sailor Martin Eden is invited to the boy’s family home. Here he meets Elena, Arturo’s beautiful sister, and falls in love with her at first sight. The cultured and refined young woman becomes not only the object of Martin’s affections but also a symbol of the social status he aspires to achieve. At the cost of enormous efforts and overcoming the obstacles represented by his humble origin, Martin pursues the dream of becoming a writer and—under the influence of the elderly intellectual Russ Brissenden—becomes involved in socialist circles, bringing him into conflict with Elena and her bourgeois world.

Production
Principal photography for the film began in May 2018 in Naples, Italy.

Release
The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival on 2 September 2019. It was screened at the 2019 Toronto International Film Festival in the Platform Prize program, winning the section main prize on 12 September.

It was released in Italy by 01 Distribution on 4 September 2019. It was released in France by Shellac Distribution on 16 October 2019.

Box office
Martin Eden grossed $0 in North America and $3 million in other territories. Due to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, Kino Lorber had opted for a VOD release.

Critical response
On review aggregator Rotten Tomatoes, the film holds an approval rating of based on  reviews, with an average rating of. According to the website's critical consensus: "Martin Eden uses one man's quest for fulfillment as fuel for an ambitious—and often rewarding—look at a complex array of social and personal themes." On Metacritic, the film holds a rating of 75 out of 100, based on 22 critics, indicating "generally positive reviews."