Acclaimed as “Europe’s first post-war masterpiece” on the DVD cover, I was curious to see whether this neorealist classic would live up to my expectations. And after having only watched Journey to Italy, it’s clear that I didn’t have a strong Rossellini foundation upon which to judge this movie– so this was going to be the one which would decide once and for all if I was a fan of R.R. And the verdict is: it was worth watching. The film took a while to engage me but once it did it was intriguing. It was a good taste of neorealism and I am particularly attracted to the dynamics of acting involved, where the whole ensemble proved as important together, rather than one main “star” performer. This is also seen in the way Pina, the widowed mother we meet at the beginning, is shockingly killed half-way into the film. Thus, we are left without the ‘protagonist’ but only then do we see the importance of the priest and the other cast members − and I use the term “cast” loosely, as it was a very natural, unscripted type of impression. The film really brings home the hard truth of death, which can happen to anyone − something largely ignored in Hollywood films and the classic films at the time.
On the topic of time, the film was made at the end of the war and got me thinking about how films were made at times of national emergency and danger. There would be plenty of risks involved when filming. Nevertheless, I think the film gave me a good experience of an Italian film that is unlike most movies I have watched and it deserves the legacy it has. I didn’t know what to expect with Italian neorealism − it almost seemed like an oxymoron. Aren’t Italians the culture known for their dramatic, over-the-top, theatrical hand gestures, expressions and just their vivid tone of voice? In this film the individuals seemed toned down a lot of the time, well in comparison with the Italians I know. (Also, on the note, I have to admit I was confused when I first saw the Gestapo, as he spoke Italian I wasn’t sure who’s side he was on initially. It’s funny how that’s often not the case in Hollywood films, where everyone usually speaks the native language of the film and so you can just sense the evil of “the other side”.) However, I saw the true “Italianism” shine through in animated scenes of anger throughout the movie and it sort of made it more believable I suppose.
The dialogue was actually quite poignant. (Though it annoyed me that not every line was subtitled). There were more light-hearted moments, sort of a light and shade film, such as when the priest is with the paralysed man and the audience realises he hit the man over the head to shut him up. And there were the usual themes such as love vs. money, with Pina’s luxury-loving sister declaring she loved no one. Also, since I watched the version mastered from the 35mm archive print, I have to say the film kept its newsreel-footage quality, as well as some interesting camera work. In particular, the scene with the priest and the boy hastily walking up the stairs away from the advancing Germans, with the camera becoming very shaky and almost spinning around as we view them from below − it really added to the tension. Another different aspect was the music which just cut off in certain scenes, instead of fading away. Overall, it was clearly a film with many appealing elements that combined to give a glimpse into what life may have been like for these people of Italy in World War II.
3.5/5
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