In the midst of 1939, Hitler’s Nazism, which began in Germany, spread its threat beyond national borders. His false ideology soon led to the slaughter of countless innocent people. Yet even amid such cruelty, beauty managed to blossom. Guido, the protagonist of Life is Beautiful, is not wealthy or distinguished, but he is a man of extraordinary wit and a pure heart. He meets Dora, the love of his life, and together they have a son, Joshue. On Joshue's fifth birthday, soldiers suddenly burst in and load Guido and his child onto a train bound for an unknown destination. Dora, learning of this too late, follows them. At the concentration camp, Guido reassures his son that everything is part of a special birthday game. The world's greatest lie begins, saying, “A real tank will be given to the person who wins 1,000 points first.”

Guido’s Lies 1

"What day is it? Today is your birthday. You said you wanted to travel. This was planned for a month. I can't tell you. You have to see it with your own eyes." Even in the gloomy surroundings, Guido calms Joshue by pretending that they are simply playing a game. The child waits with expectation, believing his father’s words.

Guido’s Lies 2

“The first person to get 1,000 points wins. The prize is a real tank.” The camp -supposed to be an exciting game- turns out to be a place of horror and cruelty. The sleeping areas are narrow and hard, food is scarce, and the Nazis force prisoners to work until they collapse. However, to ease Joshue's anxiety, Guido humorously reinterprets the soldiers’ harsh rules as if they were playful instructions for the contest.

Guido’s Lies 3

Finally, Guido lies to save Joshue, right before his death. "Joshue. It's a very fun game. You hide in it and wait quietly. You can't make a sound, you can't move. When the game ends, we earn 1000 points and are the winners. Then you’ll get a real tank as a gift." After finishing these words, Guido walks away, smiling more brightly than ever. He laughs aloud that nobody could even imagine that he was about to die. After all, parents’ love is truly great. The father, Guido, who walked toward death with a smile for the sake of his son, clearly shows how deep and unconditional that love was. During the three times of lies, or the whole time he has been lying, Guido would have hoped: May little Joshue not notice the harshness of the world too soon. May he remain as a little boy who enjoys playing games and toy tanks, rather than being scared and fearful of death.