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.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.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.
- Nominated for 1 Oscar
- 6 wins & 1 nomination total
Eduardo Passarelli
- Neighborhood Police Sergeant
- (as Passarelli)
Joop van Hulzen
- Captain Hartmann
- (as Van Hulzen)
Ákos Tolnay
- Austrian Deserter
- (as A. Tolnay)
Caterina Di Furia
- Woman in Street Scene
- (uncredited)
Laura Clara Giudice
- Bit Part
- (uncredited)
Turi Pandolfini
- Grandfather
- (uncredited)
Amalia Pellegrini
- Nannina
- (uncredited)
Storyline
Did you know
- TriviaRoberto Rossellini used real German POWs as extras for added realistic effect.
- GoofsWhen Marina opens the wardrobe door to put something into the wardrobe. In the next shot, all of a sudden, a garment is hanging on the door that was not there before.
- Quotes
Don Pietro: It's not hard to die well. The hard thing is to live well.
- ConnectionsEdited into Bellissimo: Immagini del cinema italiano (1985)
Featured review
The breakthrough of both Neo Realism and Anna Magnani
It is hard to overestimate the influence of "Rome, open city" on the history of film.
There is much debate if "Rome open city" is the first neo realist movie. Some are of the opinion that already "Ossessione" (1943, Luchino Visconti) complied with the characteristics of this movement, although one can also classify this movie (based on a novel by James M. Cain) as film noir. There is however little discussion about the fact that "Rome, open city" was the breakthrough of neo realism.
Prepared during war time, shot while the Second World War was still raging in parts of Italy this film bears all characteristics that would become the trade marks of neo realism: shot on location, mostly non professional actors and a real life story adjacant to a documentary. Unlike the Danish "dogma" movement decades later these choices were not entirely made out of free will, but largely inspired by the lack of infrastructure after the Second World War. "Rome, open city" is for example shot with film stock that is definitely second rate. This is of course not a trademark of neo realism, there simply was no film stock of better quality available.
Most of the actors were non professional, but there were a few exceptions. Anna Magnani was one of the exceptions and after "Rome, open city" she went on to become a big star that worked with great Italian directors like Fellini, Visconti and Pasolini. In "Rome, open city" she dies halfway, but her dying scene is realy heartbreaking. A few years later she would shine as a mother who would do anything to make her daughter a moviestar in "Bellissima" (1951, Luchino Visconti).
Anna Magnani is by far the most well known actress from "Rome, open city", but I would like to also call attention to some of the other actors.
Maria Michi is a beautiful girl working in a cabaret who is addicted to drugs (and luxuries) and so becomes dependend on the Nazi's. After "Rome, open city" Michi would also play in Rossellini's "Paisa" (1946) but after that her career came to a halt.
Even less impressive is the career of Harry Feist, who plays the evil German. In fact "Rome, open city" would remain his only film of importance. Remarkable to me was his physical likeness with Donald Sutherland in "Novecento" (1976, Bernardo Bertolucci), who also plays a Second World War villian in that movie.
After "Rome, open city", which is situated in occupied Italy, Rossellini made two other war movies. "Paisa" (1946) is about the liberation of Italy by the Americans, "Germania anno zero" (1948) is about Germany after the war.
"Rome, open city" is famous as the breakthrough of both neo realism and Anna Magnani, and rightly so. It is however not the best neo realist movie (nor the best movie of Anna Magnani, of whom I like the aformentioned "Bellissima" more). The film has some flaws, and these are not all attributable to the difficult circumstances under which it was produced. The monologue of the disillusioned German Captain Hartmann, openly criticizing the "Third Reich" with other German officers present, does not seem very realistic to me.
As a director Roberto Rossellini thus had his limitations. My favourite neo realist director was and remains Vittorio de Sica, with masterpieces such as "Bycicle thieves" (1948) and "Umberto D" (1952).
There is much debate if "Rome open city" is the first neo realist movie. Some are of the opinion that already "Ossessione" (1943, Luchino Visconti) complied with the characteristics of this movement, although one can also classify this movie (based on a novel by James M. Cain) as film noir. There is however little discussion about the fact that "Rome, open city" was the breakthrough of neo realism.
Prepared during war time, shot while the Second World War was still raging in parts of Italy this film bears all characteristics that would become the trade marks of neo realism: shot on location, mostly non professional actors and a real life story adjacant to a documentary. Unlike the Danish "dogma" movement decades later these choices were not entirely made out of free will, but largely inspired by the lack of infrastructure after the Second World War. "Rome, open city" is for example shot with film stock that is definitely second rate. This is of course not a trademark of neo realism, there simply was no film stock of better quality available.
Most of the actors were non professional, but there were a few exceptions. Anna Magnani was one of the exceptions and after "Rome, open city" she went on to become a big star that worked with great Italian directors like Fellini, Visconti and Pasolini. In "Rome, open city" she dies halfway, but her dying scene is realy heartbreaking. A few years later she would shine as a mother who would do anything to make her daughter a moviestar in "Bellissima" (1951, Luchino Visconti).
Anna Magnani is by far the most well known actress from "Rome, open city", but I would like to also call attention to some of the other actors.
Maria Michi is a beautiful girl working in a cabaret who is addicted to drugs (and luxuries) and so becomes dependend on the Nazi's. After "Rome, open city" Michi would also play in Rossellini's "Paisa" (1946) but after that her career came to a halt.
Even less impressive is the career of Harry Feist, who plays the evil German. In fact "Rome, open city" would remain his only film of importance. Remarkable to me was his physical likeness with Donald Sutherland in "Novecento" (1976, Bernardo Bertolucci), who also plays a Second World War villian in that movie.
After "Rome, open city", which is situated in occupied Italy, Rossellini made two other war movies. "Paisa" (1946) is about the liberation of Italy by the Americans, "Germania anno zero" (1948) is about Germany after the war.
"Rome, open city" is famous as the breakthrough of both neo realism and Anna Magnani, and rightly so. It is however not the best neo realist movie (nor the best movie of Anna Magnani, of whom I like the aformentioned "Bellissima" more). The film has some flaws, and these are not all attributable to the difficult circumstances under which it was produced. The monologue of the disillusioned German Captain Hartmann, openly criticizing the "Third Reich" with other German officers present, does not seem very realistic to me.
As a director Roberto Rossellini thus had his limitations. My favourite neo realist director was and remains Vittorio de Sica, with masterpieces such as "Bycicle thieves" (1948) and "Umberto D" (1952).
helpful•50
- frankde-jong
- Jan 16, 2022
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Details
- Release date
- Country of origin
- Languages
- Also known as
- Roma, ciudad abierta
- Filming locations
- Parrocchia di Sant'Elena, Via Casilina 205, Rome, Lazio, Italy(Don Pietro's church)
- Production company
- See more company credits at IMDbPro
Box office
- Gross worldwide
- $24,500
- Runtime1 hour 43 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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