IMDb > Paisà (1946)

Overview

User Rating:
7.7/10   1,316 votes
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Director:
Roberto Rossellini
Writers:
Sergio Amidei (story) &
Klaus Mann (story) ...
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Contact:
View company contact information for Paisan on IMDbPro.
Release Date:
29 March 1948 (USA) more
Genre:
War | Drama more
Plot:
Six vignettes follow the Allied invasion from July 1943 to winter 1944, from Sicily north to Venice... more | add synopsis
Awards:
Nominated for Oscar. Another 7 wins & 1 nomination more
User Comments:
Neorealism at its best more (15 total)

Cast

  (Cast overview, first billed only)
Carmela Sazio ... Carmela (episode I: Sicilia)
Robert Van Loon ... Joe, the American soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Benjamin Emanuel ... An American soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Raymond Campbell ... An American soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Harold Wagner ... Harry, a German soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Albert Heinze ... A German soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Merlin Berth ... Merlin, an American soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Mats Carlson ... Swede, an American soldier (episode I: Sicilia)
Leonard Parrish ... An American soldier (episode I: Sicilia) (as Leonard Penish)
Dots Johnson ... Joe - the American MP (episode II: Napoli) (as Dots M. Johnson)
Alfonsino Pasca ... Pasquale (episode II: Napoli) (as Alfonsino)
Maria Michi ... Francesca (episode III: Roma)
Gar Moore ... Fred, an American soldier (episode III: Roma)
Harriet Medin ... Harriet, the nurse (episode IV: Firenze) (as Harriet White)
Renzo Avanzo ... Massimo (episode IV: Firenze)
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Additional Details

Also Known As:
Paisan (USA)
more
Runtime:
USA:120 min | 134 min (restored version) | Italy:125 min
Country:
Italy
Aspect Ratio:
1.37 : 1 more
Sound Mix:
Mono
Certification:
Canada:PG (Ontario) | Italy:T | USA:Approved (PCA #4698) | Sweden:15
Filming Locations:
Florence, Tuscany, Italy more

Fun Stuff

Trivia:
The film is divided in six episodes simply called 'Episode I', 'Episode II' etc. The action of the six different stories takes place, respectively, in Sicily (Episode I), Naples (Episode II), Rome (Episode III), Florence (Episode IV), a monastery in the Appenine Range (Episode V), Porte Tolle in the Po delta (Episode VI). more
Movie Connections:
Referenced in L'uomo dal sigaro in bocca (1997) more

FAQ

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5 out of 5 people found the following comment useful.
Neorealism at its best, 8 July 2003
Author: diogoal-2 (diogoal@yahoo.com) from Niterói, Brazil

Just when you thought that the cinema form had lost its capacity to carry an important social message without the use of artsy-fartsy rethoric, there comes "Paisà"; a masterpiece for the ages. Rosselini is a name that must be spoken of in all schools and universities of the world. His ability (combined to a perfect script) to convey emotional meaning in film with the use of non-professional actors, natural locations, and still be able to make it VIBRANT and EXCITING... it´s uncanny. The power of the stories told in "Paisà", although very distant in time and geography (for me, anyways) compells any intelligent human being to stand up against every kind of dictatorship and violence. On top of all that, Rosselini doesn´t use cheap tricks to win the public´s heart through melodramatics. His films are very down-to-earth and often take a distance from their main characters, which helps our rational analysis of the situation without being blinded by passion. Like Brecht used to do, i think.

All six stories are my favorites, but I particularly like the monastery segment. It portrays religious prejudice by christian monks towards two priests, one jewish and another a lutheran, right in the middle of the war. To the absurdity of all, the monks come to the priests´ companion, a Christian, to make them realize "the true path". One more time, Rosselini doesn´t end the segment with lessons of moral; its ending is very ambiguous and ironic. "Paisà" is a gem; i like it better than "Roma, Città Aperta", also a masterpiece of neorealism.

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