Italian Neorealism and Roberto Rossellini

Characteristics of Italian Neorealism

Bicycle Thieves (Vittorio De Sica, 1948)

By the end of this module, you will be able to:

• Identify Neorealism's relationship to documentary.
• Understand how World War II affected the style of neorealist films.
• Identify major figures in Italian Neorealism.

Characteristics of Italian Neorealism

Italian Neorealism – Benito Mussolini extended considerable aid to the film industry and founded a huge film studio called Cinecitta in 1937. Mussolini believed in the persuasive power of cinema, much as Lenin did during the period of early Soviet cinema. Following the downfall of the Fascists in Italy after WWII, Italian filmmakers were offered a new freedom. Neorealism means “a new realism” and is characterized by the use of nonprofessional actors and realistic dialogue. Neorealism also emphasizes the everyday struggles of common people and presents characters in relation to realistic social environments and political conditions. Film scholars David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson suggest Neorealism's stylistic and narrative devices influenced the emergence of an international modernist cinema that we will explore in the next Module. 

Characteristics of Neorealism include:

1)location shooting with postdubbing

2)a mixture of actors and non-actors

3)plots based on chance encounters, ellipses, open endings, and microactions of life

4)extreme mixtures of tone

All these strategies would be adopted and developed by filmmakers around the world over the next four decades.

In 1937 Mussolini founded Cinecitta film studio in Italy. 

He thought he'd use it for war pr like Lenin did in early Soviet cinema. 

After Mussolini fell the Italian filmmakers were free to film.

Neorealism means "a new realism"

It uses unprofessional actors and realistic dialogue.

Emphasizes the everyday struggles of people.

Presents characters "in relation to realistic social environments and political conditions"

From lecture notes: 

"Film scholars David Bordwell and Kristin Thompson suggest Neorealism's stylistic and narrative devices influenced the emergence of an international modernist cinema.

 Characteristics of Neorealism include:

• location shooting with postdubbing
• a mixture of actors and non-actors
• plots based on chance encounters, ellipses, open endings, and microactions of life
• extreme mixtures of tone"

These strategies would be adopted/developed around the world for the next four decades by filmmakers.

Roberto Rossellini

Roberto Rossellini began to work on Open City (1945) as the Nazis were evacuating Rome. An “open city” is one that is immune from attack because it has been declared demilitarized. Working conditions for Rossellini were rough: film stock was scarce, there was no money to construct sets, and actors were difficult to find. But Rossellini sacrificed polish for authenticity. He preferred laborers and peasants to professional actors. Open City contrasts the committed, unified struggle of the Italian people for freedom with the brutality of the Nazi invaders who used methods to enslave the weakest Italians, or force them to betray their fellows.

Mast & Kawin identify two formal styles of the film that support the film’s thematic contrast:

The natural, open, realistic, crisply lit texture of the scenes with the resistance figures

The cramped, artificial, shadowy texture of the scenes with the Nazis

Rossellini’s next film, Paisan (1946), further defined his commitment to Neorealism. Paisan is a collection of separate vignettes. Each of the film’s six sequences moves aggressively north with the Allied invasion and Nazi retreat. The film possesses a documentary structure, yet Rossellini concentrates on the human texture within each of the vignettes.

The counterpoint between human action and landscape would remain Rossellini’s dominant visual technique. Rossellini’s last film in his war trilogy is Germany Year Zero (1948). The film examines the destruction and unemployment of postwar Berlin. A 12-year-old boy named Edmund is the sole support of his family and by the end of the film, he kills himself by jumping off a building. The film tries to convey an objective tone but reveals a hope that German children will eventually return to love life in the opening voice-over. 

After Germany Year Zero, Rossellini directed Stromboli (1950) and Voyage to Italy (1954) starring his then wife Ingrid Bergman. Both films are close studies of morality and internal struggle. Like his films of the 1940s and 1950s, landscape and architecture are also important elements of his 1960s and 1970s films.

In the following clip, Nazis conduct a raid of a building where Don Pietro Pellegrini (Aldo Fabrizi) is hiding weapons. Upon seeing her lover Francesco arrested, Pina (Anna Magnani) breaks through the police and runs after the truck he has been placed in. Pina is shot dead in one of the most iconic scenes of the classic Neorealist period.

Rome: Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945):

Roberto Rossellini was working on Open City (1945) when the Nazi's were leaving Rome. 
An 'open city' is one declared demilitarized and immune from attack.

Working conditions were tough on Open City: little film, money, sets and actors. 

"The film :contrasts the committed, unified struggle of the Italian people for freedom with the brutality of the Nazi invaders" who enslaved the weakest Italians or had them betray friends. 

The text book: Mast & Kawin 

"Mast & Kawin identify two formal styles of the film that support the film’s thematic contrast:

• The natural, open, realistic, crisply lit texture of the scenes with the resistance figures

• The cramped, artificial, shadowy texture of the scenes with the Nazis"

Paisan (1946)
Collection of six vignettes. 
All moving north toward the Allied Invasion and Nazi retreat. 
Documentary-ish but with 'human texture'

"The counterpoint between human action and landscape would remain Rossellini’s dominant visual technique"

Germany Year Zero (1948)
Last of his war trilogy. 
Examines the destruction and unemployment of postwar Berlin. 
12 year old is sole support of family at end kills himself. 

Stromboli (1950) & Voyage to Italy (1954)
Featured his wife Ingrid Bergman. 
Films studied morality and internal struggle. 
Important landscape and architecture theme kept.

Rome: Open City (Roberto Rossellini, 1945):

Ana Magnani

Rossellini and Ana Magnani

Blog Essay on post-war and Open City - Click Here

Rome, Open City Trailer - Click Here

Blog Podcast Coffee with Aliens
1) Intro on Neorealism - As Beginning of Independent Film Click Here 
2) Information of the making of Rome Open City Click Here

Martin Scorsese on the Films of Roberto Rossellini Click Here