‘Rome, Open City’ played a pivotal role in establishing Italian neorealist cinema as a genre. Emerging in the 1940s, Neorealism acted as a defiant counter culture to the popular ‘White Telephone’ film genre, promoted by the fascist regime. ‘White Telephone’ cinema arose as a form of propaganda, and was used as a means to pacify the pains of a war-torn nation, rather than address the current issues of the time. Here the sufferings of lower-class groups were overlooked, as Mussolini attempted to showcase the ideal upper-class reality that his dictatorship strived for, rather than the devastation that his leadership caused.
‘Rome, Open City’ emerged as an answer to the vacant space in Italian cinema.
Roberto Rossellini is respected as one of the fathers of this cinematic movement. Using hand-held cameras and scenes shot on location, it seems as if the director’s style of immediacy demonstrates the true state of Rome, following the ravages of the Second World War. Cast predominantly from the streets, the film’s ensemble lends an authenticity to the representation of war experiences, given that actors performing genuinely survived the horrors of this conflict.
Set in 1944 during the 9 month Nazi occupation of Rome, the plot follows two resistance fighters, as they struggle to escape the Nazi SS troops’ relentless pursuit. Their desperate struggle for freedom is fraught with grief, heartbreak and betrayal, underscoring the bitter sweet truth that any victory under a Nazi regime is only temporary. In the face of oppression, a recurring dilemma arises: is survival achievable through conformity or resistance?
With bursts of light comedy and brief glimpses of hope, it appears that the slight slips of humanity exaggerate and contrast the truly horrifying displays of cruelty and violence, representing real actions performed by Nazis. The commonplace brutality of war is demonstrated throughout, with scenes displaying a pregnant woman being murdered as she calls for her fiancé, a priest forced to observe a man being tortured and a group of school children witnessing their priest being executed. Here it seems that these tragic stories represent the unsatisfying end to the war, with no way to serve justice to those affected.
This timeless classic holds a place in history, standing as a testament to the resilience of the human spirit amidst the darkest chapters of history. Through the lens of neorealism, Roberto Rossellini masterfully portrays the harrowing realities of war and oppression, highlighting the struggles of the marginalised and the enduring quest for freedom.
ROME, OPEN CITY
Roma città aperta
Directed by Roberto Rossellini
Italy / 1945 / 103 mins / 12A / English subtitles / digital restoration
With Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi, Marcello Pagliero
Roberto Rossellini’s 1945 masterpiece won the Grand Prix (forerunner of the Palme d’Or) at the 1946 Cannes Film Festival. Now approaching its 80th anniversary, it returns to the big screen in selected cinemas UK-wide on 17 May 2024.
Rossellini and collaborators (including a young Federico Fellini who served as a co-writer) created a choral story of a city dominated by fear, violence, moral degradation and the raw courage of its inhabitants.
Shot on the streets and in a makeshift studio only six months after the liberation of Rome, when Germany still occupied Northern Italy, the film features a largely non-professional cast, except for Aldo Fabrizi and Anna Magnani with her memorable performance.
‘The most precious moment of film history’ Martin Scorsese
ROME, OPEN CITY will be on Extended Run at BFI Southbank as part of a major two-month season exploring Italian neorealism. CHASING THE REAL: ITALIAN NEOREALISM, presented in partnership with Cinecittà, runs throughout May and June and features 20 titles.
Review by Teodora Wollny
Teodora is a recent A-level graduate, having studied Art History, Drama, Philosophy and English Literature. Being both a performer and an avid writer, she enjoys attending a range of entertainment, including theatre performances and art exhibitions. Whilst currently on a gap year, she intends on pursuing Visual Art and Film studies.
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