After the World War II, the former POW in Russia Bruno Baldi (Raf Vallone) returns to his village in Toscana with the local Andrea (Luigi Tosi) with the intention of revenging his brother Giulio that was betrayed by a villager and shot by a German firing squad. However neither his parents nor his friends reveal the name of the culprit to avoid another bloodbath in their village. During a religious party, the joiner and best friend Antonio (Alain Cuny) discloses to Bruno that he had killed a man twenty years ago in America and he has had trouble to live with that feeling for the rest of his life. Further, he also tells that he had betrayed his brother and was responsible for his death. Bruno throws his knife in the heart of Antonio; before dying, Antonio asks how Bruno could have believed that he could betray his brother and he confesses that he lied to protect the culprit. When the devastated Bruno arrives home with a stain of blood in his shirt, his mother asks if he had killed so-and-so, and tells that only tears may cleanse blood from his hands. Now Bruno seeks out the real culprit for the death of his brother.
"Il Cristo Proibito" is an unknown Italian anti-war masterpiece by director Curzio Malaparte. It is impressive how this fantastic film has only 44 votes in IMDb, indicating that a few worldwide viewers have had the chance to watch it. I have never read or heard anything about director Curzio Malaparte, and I have just read in IMDb that he made only this film. The heartbreaking and credible story of justice, revenge and rue shows the effects of the war in the poor population and the situation of Antonio slightly recalls "Crime and Punishment"; further, the story also gives a message pro-socialism in a religious environment. The cinematography in black and white is awesome, with the use of shadows and magnificent camera angles. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "O Cristo Proibido" ("The Forbidden Christ")
"Il Cristo Proibito" is an unknown Italian anti-war masterpiece by director Curzio Malaparte. It is impressive how this fantastic film has only 44 votes in IMDb, indicating that a few worldwide viewers have had the chance to watch it. I have never read or heard anything about director Curzio Malaparte, and I have just read in IMDb that he made only this film. The heartbreaking and credible story of justice, revenge and rue shows the effects of the war in the poor population and the situation of Antonio slightly recalls "Crime and Punishment"; further, the story also gives a message pro-socialism in a religious environment. The cinematography in black and white is awesome, with the use of shadows and magnificent camera angles. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "O Cristo Proibido" ("The Forbidden Christ")