The film is of particular interest for two reasons: firstly, it is a film about the Italian Risorgimento, and yet a fairly a-typical one among those made during Fascism; secondly, it is a fairly intriguing early film by soon to be Neorealist master Vittorio de Sica, the author of such masterpieces as Shoeshine and Rome Open City.
2 Reviews
Risorgimental love.
ItalianGerry24 December 2004
Warning: Spoilers
This early film by Vittorio De Sica, who would later gain enormous world-wide fame for "Shoe Shine," "The Bicycle Thief," "Umberto D" and many other films is a relatively minor film but, nevertheless, a truly pleasing one.
It is about two girls attending a boarding school in 19th Century Italy during the time of Garibaldi's movement to take Sicily and southern Italy from the control of the despotic King of Naples and unite it with the Kingdom of Piedmont of the north, thus creating a unified Italy. This was the movement know as the "Risorgimento" or re-awakening of Italy.
One day, a wounded "garibaldino," or soldier of Giuseppe Garibaldi, is found at the boarding school. He is Franco, played by Leonardo Cortese. Mariella (Maria Mercader), who had known him previously and is in love with him, and her friend Catarinetta (Carla del Poggio) take the risk, with the help of patriot grounds keeper Fausto Guerzoni, of harboring the injured man.
When the conservative nuns who run the school find out this man is a Garibaldi soldier, they are shocked. "Garibaldi, that bandit!" And they make the sign of the cross in choral unison.
The troops of the Neapolitan king come to the school for a search. Franco is found. Some skirmishes occur. One of the girls is able to reach the troops of Garibaldi for help, that is, Nino Bixio, a rebel leader, played in a cameo role by director Vittorio De Sica.
Eventually Franco, who had been taken prisoner, is saved but volunteers to rejoin his comrades in the liberation of Italy.
The whole story is told through a framing device of the two girls many years later as old women. We find out that Franco had died during the course of the struggle and that Mariella had lost her true love forever.
The film exudes a kind of wistful and bittersweet quality, is nicely acted, well-staged, and skillfully performed. It really should be better known.
It is about two girls attending a boarding school in 19th Century Italy during the time of Garibaldi's movement to take Sicily and southern Italy from the control of the despotic King of Naples and unite it with the Kingdom of Piedmont of the north, thus creating a unified Italy. This was the movement know as the "Risorgimento" or re-awakening of Italy.
One day, a wounded "garibaldino," or soldier of Giuseppe Garibaldi, is found at the boarding school. He is Franco, played by Leonardo Cortese. Mariella (Maria Mercader), who had known him previously and is in love with him, and her friend Catarinetta (Carla del Poggio) take the risk, with the help of patriot grounds keeper Fausto Guerzoni, of harboring the injured man.
When the conservative nuns who run the school find out this man is a Garibaldi soldier, they are shocked. "Garibaldi, that bandit!" And they make the sign of the cross in choral unison.
The troops of the Neapolitan king come to the school for a search. Franco is found. Some skirmishes occur. One of the girls is able to reach the troops of Garibaldi for help, that is, Nino Bixio, a rebel leader, played in a cameo role by director Vittorio De Sica.
Eventually Franco, who had been taken prisoner, is saved but volunteers to rejoin his comrades in the liberation of Italy.
The whole story is told through a framing device of the two girls many years later as old women. We find out that Franco had died during the course of the struggle and that Mariella had lost her true love forever.
The film exudes a kind of wistful and bittersweet quality, is nicely acted, well-staged, and skillfully performed. It really should be better known.
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