Paisa is not a film for the average moviegoer.
Nonetheless, Rosellini's masterpiece should be seen by all World War II enthusiasts because of its reality and sheer rawness. Paisa lacks the polish seen in most films of this period, especially in America and France, and instead chooses to show the events as if they were seen through an actual witness' eyes. The grittiness, the proximity to the war paints this film hues American war films cannot even touch. Each of the six vignettes, at face value, have no connection. But within each one, the viewer gets lost in the protagonists' lives. Where no back story is given, the viewer is forced to fill in the story in order to make sense of the choices made and as a result, the pain in each story becomes that much more poignant. Finally, once the viewer steps back and sees all of these stories again, they see the underlying misery and determination of the protagonists.
The cinematography is simple, yet bold. The scene at the end of the film, where the child, too short to have been hit by bullets, is left crying over the corpse of his family resounds with each viewer and creates questions no one wants to ask or answer. What happens to the child? Does he find a home? We are left to answer, no.
Most people say this film lacks intelligent vision on part of the director because of his decision to use amateur actors and actresses. But herein lies the rawness of the emotions contained in the film. Most of these amateurs suffered through the bloody Italian Campaign. These emotions were still near to their hearts when they played these roles.
Rosellini is magnificent in his succinct use of bombed out buildings and locales that every Italian would know of. Greatest of all is his use of the Duomo and the Signoria in the chapter in Firenze, juxtaposing how the religious and the lawful cannot control the chaos surrounding the young woman in her search for her lover.
All in all, I highly recommend this film to all who are willing to see a "firsthand" view of WWII Italy.
Nonetheless, Rosellini's masterpiece should be seen by all World War II enthusiasts because of its reality and sheer rawness. Paisa lacks the polish seen in most films of this period, especially in America and France, and instead chooses to show the events as if they were seen through an actual witness' eyes. The grittiness, the proximity to the war paints this film hues American war films cannot even touch. Each of the six vignettes, at face value, have no connection. But within each one, the viewer gets lost in the protagonists' lives. Where no back story is given, the viewer is forced to fill in the story in order to make sense of the choices made and as a result, the pain in each story becomes that much more poignant. Finally, once the viewer steps back and sees all of these stories again, they see the underlying misery and determination of the protagonists.
The cinematography is simple, yet bold. The scene at the end of the film, where the child, too short to have been hit by bullets, is left crying over the corpse of his family resounds with each viewer and creates questions no one wants to ask or answer. What happens to the child? Does he find a home? We are left to answer, no.
Most people say this film lacks intelligent vision on part of the director because of his decision to use amateur actors and actresses. But herein lies the rawness of the emotions contained in the film. Most of these amateurs suffered through the bloody Italian Campaign. These emotions were still near to their hearts when they played these roles.
Rosellini is magnificent in his succinct use of bombed out buildings and locales that every Italian would know of. Greatest of all is his use of the Duomo and the Signoria in the chapter in Firenze, juxtaposing how the religious and the lawful cannot control the chaos surrounding the young woman in her search for her lover.
All in all, I highly recommend this film to all who are willing to see a "firsthand" view of WWII Italy.