Filmed on location in postwar Berlin Roberto Rossellini captured the environment of a city defeated and occupied as it attempts to recover from the war.
Apparently Rossellini was in Berlin about a year or so after the war ended to do research and prep his film. It certainly pays, off the film has a very realistic feeling to it which is not surprising considering Rossellini was one of the founders of the Italian realistic movement in the late 1940's.
The film focuses on a young boy caught up in the black market and living in conditions of near poverty. He is exploited by his teacher who is still very much a fascist even with the defeat of the Nazis.
The film is unsurprisingly extremely depressing to watch. However a subject like this really doesn't lend itself to being filmed with a positive spin. An important if difficult film to watch.
78 minutes.
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