Paisà (Roberto Rossellini, 1946)

Paisà (Roberto Rossellini, 1946)
Rating: 9.8

Although not technically stunning and despite a few subpar voice acting performances, (since all of the dialogue was dubbed in post production) this is an incredible neorealist epic. I can't fault the film for being a product of post war Italy, with little money available and Cinecittá studios in shambles. The incredible writing earned an Academy Award nomination and more than makes up for the lackluster performances of some of the nonprofessional actors. The film explores the language barriers between the allies and the locals and how they interact with one another, and form an understanding as human beings and share a common goal of freedom. In the first story an American soldier and Italian girl who can barely understand one another form a bond and hide from German soldiers. The next story follows a drunken African American military policeman who befriends a thieving young child. In another story we see Jewish and Protestant soldiers being sheltered by Franciscan monks and finding similarities in their religious views. Contributions to the script consisted of the trio who also wrote Rome, Open City: Fellini, Rossellini, and Amidei. German, Klaus Mann, and English writer, Alfred Hayes, and several others contributed as well. Six vignettes follow the Allied invasion of Italy as they progress further from Sicily into Northern Italy. Aesthetically this film, perhaps more than any other besides Rome, Open City, has a real documentary newsreel look to it as we the cities in Rubble and tanks roaming the streets.