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Film: Il Generale della Rovere
Year of production: 1959
UK Release date: 4th July 2011
Distributor: Arrow
Certificate: 12
Running time: 134 mins
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Starring: Vittorio De Sica, Hannes Messemer, Vittorio Caprioli, Nando Angelini, Herbert Fischer
Genre: Drama/War
Format: DVD
Country of Production: Italy/France
Language: Italian/Germany
Review by: Matthew Evans
Directed by Roberto Rossellini, one of Italy's most famous neorealist filmmakers, Il Generale della Rovere won the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival in 1959. Set during the Second World War, it seeks out and explores the darker aspects of human nature and many people's opportunist actions during times of war.
It is 1943 and Grimaldi (Vittorio De Sica), an apparent colonel in the Italian army, busies himself by swindling the residents of Genoa. Seeking out families whose loved ones have been imprisoned by the Nazis, Grimaldi promises to use his military contacts to ensure they are neither executed or deported to Germany and, in return, charges sizeable sums of money. However, when the Gestapo catch wind of his actions, he is promptly arrested and hauled before S.S. Colonel Mueller (Hannes Messemer).
But Grimaldi is in for a surprise. Instead of facing trial, which would most likely result in death by firing squad, Mueller makes him an intriguing offer: he may live if he agrees to impersonate the General della Rovere, a leader of the resistance who has, despite Mueller's orders to the contrary, been shot by the Nazis. Assuming the General's identity would land Grimaldi in a political jail for several years, where he would be forced to report back to Mueller with information, but it would save him from almost certain death.
Accepting Mueller's offer, Grimaldi assumes the identity of the General and finds himself charged with the task of identifying another resistance leader. However, as time passes, Grimaldi is torn between his debt to the Nazi colonel and the resistance fighters on which he is spying. Grimaldi's time in jail forces him to come to terms with his inability to declare allegiance to either side and eventually repent for his immoral actions during the war…
Described by Martin Scorsese as “the father of us all,” Roberto Rossellini can be credited with having a huge influence on future filmmakers; inspiring the likes of the French New Wave and even British social-realist films of the ‘60s. What's more, Il Generale della Rovere can be said to be one of Rossellini's most widely distributed films in the United States, aside from his war trilogy (Rome Open City; Paisan; and Germany Year Zero).
Whilst more formulaic than many of his other films, Il Generale offers a stark and often disturbing depiction of many people's seemingly nonchalant response to the atrocities committed by the Nazis. Grimaldi, a man whose moral judgement is somewhat shaky to say the least, embodies what many people have found so disturbing about the actions (or inaction) of those under Nazi occupation. Not only does Grimaldi turn a blind eye to the actions of the Nazis, but he's willing to befriend them, in order to extort his fellow Italians.
There is a scene nearing the end of the film where a man, locked in a cell, screams, “I didn't do anything!” However, when a fellow inmate responds, “Neither did we”, the man retorts, “But you're Jews.” The unwillingness of Italians to confront their unwanted Nazi guests is no better illustrated than in this scene. So long as their actions did not infringe on his liberties, the individual yelling, “I didn't do anything,” would happily stand by and let the Nazi's go about cleansing society of Jews. Many people were willing to accept distasteful ideology in return for a quite life.
Grimaldi straddled the line between both camps even more overtly. Whilst in conversation with fellow Italians, he confesses his dislike of their Nazi guests. Yet, when in conversation with Mueller, he expresses his support for the war. Furthermore, when arrested, he is more than prepared to give up the identities of resistance fighters, in return for a safe passage through the war.
Vittorio De Sica's performance as Grimaldi is captivating and has often been described as the best of his career. However, Hannes Messemer's superb portrayal of Mueller is one that is often overlooked. Just like Grimaldi, Mueller's commitment often wavers. His distaste for the use of torture and execution puts him at odds with many of his duties as a colonel. After ordering the torture of a prisoner, the news of the man's death seems to distress Mueller in a way one would not expect from a Nazi colonel. The captivating portrayal of both men, at odds with their conscience when faced with the chaos of war, is surely what makes Il Generale such a successful and intriguing film.
Whilst the film is more formulaic than some fans of Rossellini might prefer, there is much to be said for its cinematography. The manner in which the camera follows those on screen, often for extended periods of time, adds to our understanding of the characters. An example of this is Grimaldi's arrival at the Wehrmacht headquarters, where we follow him up the staircase, into a waiting room filled with townspeople and, finally, into the main office. This scene comes early in the film and, at this point, we are unaware of Grimaldi's activities. However, as we follow Grimaldi through the waiting room, we become acutely aware of his discomfort; he doesn't seem to fit in amongst the other townspeople.
Il Generale della Rovere may not be as gritty as some of Rossellini's other work but, whilst it retains a conventional structure, it does infuse this with Rossellini's trademark neorealism. Ultimately, the film's success lies with its two lead performances and their ability to convey the almost schizophrenic nature of those societies who found themselves under Nazi occupation. Il Generale offers an uncompromising insight into the immorality of some and the indecisiveness of others; both of which can be said to contribute to the atrocities that are committed during times of war.
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Film: Rome, Open City
Release date: 15th March 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 102 mins
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Starring: Aldo Fabrizi, Anna Magnani, Marcello Pagliero, Vito Annichiarico, Nando Bruno
Genre: Drama/War
Studio: Arrow
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
The first part of Rossellini’s Neorealist trilogy, Rome, Open City (originally titled Roma città aperta) was lauded internationally upon its release, scooping the 1946 Grand Prix at Cannes. A poignant tale of life in war-torn Rome, it saw a marked shift away from the all guns blazing derring-do of Hollywood productions towards a more naturalistic, authentic portrayal of life during wartime.
Giorgio Manfredi, an engineer for the Committee for National Liberation, has been denounced. Having escaped the soldiers sent to bring him in, he makes his way to the apartment of Francesco, a printer and fellow partisan who is preparing for his marriage to Pina, a widow who is pregnant with his child. Together, they enlist the help of Don Pietro, a local priest who is sympathetic to their cause, to deliver much needed funds to the soldiers in the Roman hills.
Meanwhile, the German occupying forces, led by Major Bergmann and his associate Ingrid, continue to hunt for Manfredi, aided by the corrupt police commissioner and Manfredi’s drug-addicted girlfriend, Marina.
On the day of Francesco and Pina’s wedding, the S.S. arrive to search their building; discovering the fugitives and arresting them, only for them to be freed by an ambush. With the net closing in, Manfredi and Don Pietro are captured once more and taken to Gestapo headquarters, where Major Bergmann awaits...
At the time of its release, Rome, Open City was a revelation. Whilst not being the first Neorealist film (that honour went to Visconti’s Ossessione, released three years earlier), it is certainly the film that brought the movement international acclaim. All the hallmarks that one would associate with Neorealism are present and correct, and are still effective and striking sixty years later. Having to make do with what little material was available to them, Rossellini and his crew (which included a young Federico Fellini) more than make up for this with their ingenuity and commitment to their project.
The use of natural light and location shooting, coupled with poor-quality film stock give proceedings a documentary feel, and in scenes depicting the day-to-day lives of the people of Rome, one could be forgiven for believing this to be the case. The camera watches Francesco and Pina reminisce about their first meeting, and follows them as they get into an argument with her sister about the noise; and the first time the audience is introduced to the “partisan priest” Don Pietro, he is refereeing a football match for local children. All of these give a sense of life that is intensely familiar and ordinary, without recourse to sensationalist, plot-driven dialogue.
Where this approach is most successful is when the screenwriters marry the trials of war to the pressures of everyday life, creating an authentic depiction of day-to-day living at the time. Aided in no small part by the location shooting, which emphasises the destitution and danger of war-time Rome, we watch as the bakery is raided by women desperate to feed their families, a police constable looking on, annoyed that he cannot join in; we sympathise with Francesco, fleeing from Gestapo officers rather than staying and rescuing his friends; and we feel for Marina as she defends her promiscuity as a means of earning enough money to keep going. Whilst some of these actions may be deplorable, we are not encouraged to judge: rather, Rossellini uses his camera to illuminate human nature and all the different forms it takes, presenting the audience with an all too realistic portrait of human life.
In sharp contrast to the naturalism of the above is the melodrama and sensationalism of the central plotline - that of Manfredi’s attempt to evade the Gestapo. It is a typical story of scheming Nazis and selfless patriots which breaks with the verismo of the rest of the film - Gestapo HQ is populated with broadly drawn thugs and calculating pantomime villains, Harry Fiest being the obvious culprit (his Major Bergmann is a very effective and scenery-chewing antagonist, yet is a one-dimensional stereotype of Nazism that would not rear its head again until Indiana Jones). In purely cinematic terms, this is not necessarily a bad thing; it is merely disappointing that the director has fallen back on such broad generalisation and caricature in his presentation of the central storyline when he has gone to such great lengths elsewhere to present the audience with a complex, accurate presentation of life in a style that eschews traditional Hollywood trappings.
However, this is a minor quibble about a film that has much to recommend it: from the forthrightness with which it looks at issues such as communism and faith, to the universally excellent performances. One of the key aesthetics of Neorealism is the use of non-professional actors. Save for Anna Magnani and Aldo Fabrizi, who were well-known comic actors of the day, and are both excellent cast against type, the cast was largely made up of amateurs, who acquit themselves well. Worthy of particular praise are Marcello Pagliero, whose quiet, dignified Manfredi is the perfect un-hero for the film and the times, and Maria Michi as his drug-addled girlfriend turned informant. Beyond these two, young Vito Annicchiarico is wonderful as Marcello, Pina’s revolutionary son who holds hope for the future – the final shot of the film, of the abandoned children marching toward Saint Peter’s, is wonderfully evocative and the perfect way to close the film.
Rome, Open City is a rousing story of life in the face of insurmountable odds, featuring wonderfully assured and clear direction from Rossellini, who coaxes believable, heart-warming and heart-breaking performances from his cast. It is a milestone in world cinema, not only for the DIY aesthetic it introduced to the world, but for the truth that shone out from the screen. A true masterpiece. RMK
When Gestapo agents raid an apartment where Manfredi (Marcello Pagliero), a prominent member of the underground, is hiding, they arrest the young man who gave him refuge. Manfredi manages to escape, then enlists the help of a parish priest, Don Pietro (Aldo Fabrizi), to make a clandestine delivery to other members of the movement. Eventually, Manfredi is betrayed, and he and the priest are quickly captured by the Germans; what follows is one of the most brutally disturbing war torture scenes ever recreated on screen.
With Open City, “Rossellini has created a testament to the strength of the human spirit in the face of horrible adversity, in a story that extols the heroism of defiant, ordinary people who strive to hold onto their humanity in the cold, chaotic world of WW II.”
Open City is all the more remarkable in that it was made immediately following the liberation of Rome, had been developed while Rossellini himself was in hiding, and was filmed in the locations where the true events that the story is based on, occurred.
The film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Screenplay; Fellini collaborated with Rossellini in the writing of the script.
Film: Rome, Open City
Release date: 15th March 2010
Certificate: 12
Running time: 102 mins
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Starring: Aldo Fabrizi, Anna Magnani, Marcello Pagliero
Genre: War/Drama
Studio: Arrow
Format: DVD
Country: Italy
