Film Review: Rome, Open City (Roma città aperta, 1945)
First World War has established and the Second World War has confirmed hegemony of Hollywood over all other cinema industries of the world. However, the end of Second World War also marked something of the rebirth of Italian film industry which would in next few decades not only give Hollywood a run for its money, but also briefly challenge its supremacy. This achievement is even more impressive, considering sorry state of the war-ravaged Italy, which affected production of Rome, Open City, 1945 war drama directed by Roberto Rossellini, film often seen as the first great international triumph of Italian cinema and the very first work of Italian neorealist film movement.
“Open city” from in the title refers to the formal status of Rome which Italian government, in accordance with Geneva Conventions, declared not to be defended militarily in August 1943, hoping to spare the population and cultural artefacts from Allied bombings. Few weeks later Italy formally surrendered to Allies, which resulted in Nazi Germany promptly occupying large sections of its former ally, including the capital, which would remain under German rule for next nine months. The plot takes place in early 1944 and begins when Luigi Ferraris (played by Marcello Pagliero), one of the leading members of Communist resistance, barely avoids being arrested by SS troops sent by Gestapo Major Bergmann (played by Harry Feist). He takes shelter in the home of Francesco (played by Francesco Grandjaquet), another resistance member who is about to marry his girlfriend, pregnant widow Pinna (played by Anna Magnani). The couple is going to be formally wed by Don Pietro Pellegrini (played by Aldo Fabrizzi), parish priest who also helps resistance. Unlike Pina, who is devout Catholic and completely dedicated to her young son Marcello (played by Vito Annichiarico), Pina’s sister Lauretta (played by Carla Rovere) prefers good life, which is provided by her career as entertainer in cabaret frequented by German and fascist Italian officers. Lauretta’s friend and colleague Marina (played by Maria Michi) happens to be Luigi’s lover, which would be used by Marina’s friend Ingrid (played by Giovanna Gialetti), ruthless female Gestapo operative.
There are various accounts when and how Rome, Open City originated and some claim that the work on the script began while Rome was still under occupation. In any case, actual preparations for productions began shortly after Allied troops liberated the city, which allowed Rossellini and three other writers – Sergio Amidei, Federico Fellini and Alberto Consiglio – to write the script. The production began in January 1945, while the war was still going and continued till June 1945, few weeks after the war’s end. Conditions under which Rossellini and the rest of the crew worked were extremely difficult. Many of the features of Neorealist films – use of locations instead of studio sets, non-professional actors, depictions of poverty – were brought by necessity rather by Rosssellini’s deliberate artistic decision. The biggest issue, apart from finances, was the lack of proper film stock, a problem partly alleviated by Rod E. Geiger, US Army Signal Corps soldier who supported Rome, Open City by borrowing supplies at his disposals and thus becoming de facto producer of the film.
Although the disclaimer at the beginning states that the characters and events in the film are fictitious, historians can easily recognised at least some characters being based on real personality. Pina and her fate match the fate of real life woman named Teresa Gullace, while the character of Don Pietro is modelled on Catholic priest Don Giuseppe Morosini. Made while the war was still going on, Rome, Open City can be seen as propaganda piece, in many ways representing views of Italian anti-fascist government. Almost Italian characters are represented as victims of fascism or patriots; Allied troops that liberated the country are hardly mentioned and the resistance to occupiers gathers people belonging to various factions, with Catholics and Communists, despite their deep ideological differences, finding ways to work together against common foe. This is underlined near the finale when Luigi and Don Pietro are joined in martyrdom. Rome, Open City, again in line with official line that preached policy of national reconcilliation in post-war years, hardly shows Italian fascists and pins blame for all atrocities on Germans, represented by evil and sadistic Bergmann, obviously modelled on Herbert Kappler, infamous real life chief of Gestapo in occupied Rome. German characters are not only shown as uncaring, sadistic and arrogant in their racist attitudes towards their former allies, but also as depraved. This is most explicit in the character of Ingrid, brilliantly played by Giovanna Galetti, who is portrayed as androgynous and whose relationship with Marina might be interpreted as lesbian. This established Italian cinema trope that connects fascism with sexual perversion, and which would find its most extreme expression in 1970s films like Bertolucci’s 1900 or Salon Kitty. This scene, references to Marina’s drug use and even the brief semi-comical scene showing Don Pietro’s displeasure with statue of nude woman being displayed near statue of Catholic saint represent content which was impossible to find in Hollywood films at the time, still constrained by heavy censorship of Hays Code.
Rossellini has, considering all limitations of production, done a very good job with Rome, Open City, although the film looks rough at the edges. That could be attributed to different film stocks, occasional use of handheld camera that affect coherence of style, but the biggest flaw is uninspired music score by Rossellini’s brother Renzo Rossellini. On the other hand, there is almost nothing bad to say about acting. Aldo Fabrizzi, one of the most formidable character actors of Italian cinema, delivers powerful performance in role of Don Pietro. Anna Magnani, one of the grand divas of 20th Century Italian cinema, plays the most iconic role of her career, despite her character disappearing in the middle of the film.
Rome, Open City had its premiere few months after the end of war. Italian public didn’t like it, which is somewhat understandable, because viewers didn’t want to be further reminded of poverty, devastation and other war-related misery and instead preferred escapist entertainment. Film fared much better in America, thanks to Geiger, who brought it to New York where it won hearts and minds of critics and later got nomination for Oscar for Best Screenplay. Its triumph became complete next year when Rossellini won Grand Prix at the first Cannes Film Festival. Rossellini later made two films in the same style - Paisan and Germany, Year Zero - that would, together with Rome, Open City form so-called “Neorealist trilogy”. Soon many Italian film makers began to mimic his style and themes, making Neorealism fashionable together with Italian cinema.
RATING: 7/10 (+++)
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