Paisan (film)
| Paisan | |
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| Directed by | Roberto Rossellini |
| Produced by | Rod E. Geiger Roberto Rossellini Mario Conti |
| Written by |
Sergio Amidei Klaus Mann Federico Fellini Marcello Pagliero Alfred Hayes Vasco Pratolini |
| Starring | Carmela Sazio Robert Van Loon Dots Johnson Alfonsino Maria Michi Gar Moore Harriet Medin Renzo Avanzo William Tubbs Dale Edmonds Cigolani |
| Narrated by | Giulio Panicali |
| Music by | Renzo Rossellini |
| Cinematography | Otello Martelli |
| Edited by | Eraldo Da Roma |
| Distributed by |
Arthur Mayer & Joseph Burstyn Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer |
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Release date
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Running time
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134 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian English Sicilian |
| Box office | $1.4 million (US) |
Paisan (Italian: Paisà) is a 1946 Italian neorealist war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini, the second of a trilogy by Rossellini. It is divided into six episodes. They are set in the Italian Campaign during World War II when Nazi Germany was losing the war against the Allies. A major theme is communication problems due to language barriers.
The film was nominated for both the Academy Award for Best Writing (Original Screenplay) and the BAFTA Award for Best Film from any source. It was the most popular Italian film at the box office in 1945-46, finishing ahead of Mario Mattoli's melodrama Life Begins Anew.
During the Allied invasion of Sicily, an American reconnaissance patrol makes its way to a Sicilian village at night. Only one of the Americans speaks Italian. Local Carmela (Carmela Sazio) agrees to guide them past a German minefield. They take shelter in the ruins of a seaside castle.
While the others take a look around, Joe (Robert Van Loon) is assigned to keep an eye on Carmela. Despite the language barrier, Joe starts to overcome her indifference. However, he is shot by a German sniper. Before the small German reconnaissance patrol reaches the castle, Carmela hides Joe in the basement. When the Germans send her for water, she sneaks back and checks on Joe, only to find him dead. She takes his rifle and starts shooting at the enemy. The Germans throw her off a cliff to her death and leave. When the Americans return, they find Joe's body and assume Carmela killed him.
The Allies invade mainland Italy and capture the port of Naples. An orphaned street urchin named Pasquale (Alfonsino Pasca) happens upon Joe (Dots Johnson), an embittered, completely drunk African-American soldier. When Joe falls asleep, Pasquale takes his boots. The next day, Joe, a military policeman, nabs Pasquale in the act of stealing supplies from a truck. Joe demands his boots back, but when the boy takes him to where he lives, the sight of the squalor causes Joe to leave without them.
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Wikipedia