Synopsis
During the Nazi occupation of Rome in 1944, the Resistance leader, Giorgio Manfredi, is chased by the Nazis as he seeks refuge and a way to escape.
Reflections
Review ★★★★★
Incredibly moving piece of history. I can see that this film must have had a lasting impact on post WWII Italian cinema.
Rosellini mastered in portraying the misery of the Italian people and resistance in the last days of the Roman occupation. There were so many impactful scenes throughout the movie - when Pina was shot by Nazis while running after Francesco. The last scene when the priest was shot and the altar boys whistled a Resistance tune. However, there was a scene of a German SS officer who voiced in front of the Italian commander his disdain of the German war effort and how they have destroyed countries and killed thousands over thousands of people. I personally found that piece unrealistic.
Rosellini mentioned in an interview that the movie was shot while Italy was still at war and under German occupation. They didn’t have a studio nor enough film to make the movie. Scrapes were used from photographers. For him it was also important to show a ‘realistic’ version of what had happened during the Nazi occupation - it was this movie that started Neorealism in Italian cinema.
Role of Religion
There are various scenes throughout the movie that pay homage to art (when Don Pietro holds Pina in here arms is a reference to Pietà by Michelangelo) or play tribute to religious iconography (Luigi tortured against the wall looks like a crucification).
Don Pietro recites Luke 23:34 when he was executed at the end:
“Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”