Rome, Open City [DVD] [1945]

Rossellini Invents Italian Neo-Realism On the Screen
"Rome: Open City," (1945), black and white, 100 minutes long, presents us with a classic of Italian cinema. In it, we can see Robert Rossellini, long since admitted to the pantheon of great Italian directors, invent Italian neo-realism on the screen; he had to, as, at the time he was working, Italy was nearly destroyed by World War II bombing, there was very little infrastructure left, and it was hard to get film, filmmaking equipment, food, clothing - and everything else. Thus, in his most important, most influential film, the director worked with natural light and sound.

This unsettling war drama packs a lot into its brief running time. It is set in Rome, 1944, the waning days of World War II. The Germans are on the run, but still occupy the war-battered city that has been declared "Open" by parties to the war. It's anybody's for the taking. Its residents, largely old men, women and children endure a harrowing struggle with curfews, food shortages, joblessness,...

Powerful piece of history!
In 1944 Italy, a resistance fighter, Paghero, is fleeing the gestapo on the last days of the German occupation. When the pregnant woman who gives him shelter is shot, he ends up hiding out with another woman of questionable reputation and is ultimately betrayed.

Rome, Open City, is one of the very first important films to come out of Europe after the war, and was filmed in a way that suggested a documentary. The impact of this film is overwhelming, as are the performances. If you've never seen this movie before, you are missing out on a great experience.



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