Il Grido
| Il grido | |
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Theatrical release poster
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| Directed by | Michelangelo Antonioni |
| Produced by | Franco Cancellieri |
| Screenplay by |
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| Story by | Michelangelo Antonioni |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Giovanni Fusco |
| Cinematography | Gianni di Venanzo |
| Edited by | Eraldo Da Roma |
| Distributed by | CEIAD |
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Release date
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Running time
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116 minutes |
| Country | Italy United States |
| Language | Italian |
Il grido (English: The Cry) is a 1957 Italian black-and-white drama film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and starring Steve Cochran, Alida Valli, Betsy Blair, and Dorian Gray. Based on a story by Antonioni, the film is about a man who wanders aimlessly, away from his town, away from the woman he loved, and becomes emotionally and socially inactive.Il Grido won the Locarno International Film Festival Golden Leopard Award in 1957, and the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists Silver Ribbon Award for Best Cinematography (Gianni di Venanzo) in 1958.
Aldo (Steve Cochran) has worked at the sugar refinery in Goriano for seven years. His long-time mistress, Irma (Alida Valli), learns that her husband, who left for Australia years ago in search of a job, recently died there. Irma goes to the sugar refinery and drops off Aldo's lunch, but does not stay to talk with him. Concerned about her behavior, Aldo goes back to the house where they discuss her husband's death. Aldo suggests that after seven years they can finally get married and legitimize their daughter, Rosina (Mirna Girardi). The next day, Irma reveals that she loves someone else. Aldo can hardly believe her words, saying, "All these years, nothing was true." In the coming days he tries desperately to change her mind but it is no use, and the relationship ends with him slapping her in public.
Distraught and disillusioned, Aldo leaves Goriano with their daughter Rosina and the two start wandering throughout the Po valley. They stop at the house of his former girlfriend, Elvia (Betsy Blair), a forlorn seamstress who still loves him. He flatters her and helps repair a racing boat owned by the boyfriend of Elvia's younger sister, Edera (Gabriella Pallotta). Later he spends time with Elvia and his daughter watching the river race, with Elvia holding Aldo's arm, but Aldo cannot hide his depression for long. Irma shows up at Elvia's house to deliver Aldo's valise. Elvia has little sympathy for Irma, believing she will regret throwing away her relationship with Aldo. That night Elvia and Aldo go to a dance and have a good time, but Elvia asks to leave early so she can talk with him. Upset that Aldo returned to her only after Irma broke off their relationship, she tells him she received his valise from Irma (but not mentioning Irma's visit). After Aldo explodes in anger at Irma's actions, they both realize his visit was a mistake. Later that evening, Edera returns from the dance a little drunk and flirtatous, and they kiss, but Aldo can only think about Irma. Aldo and his daughter leave early the next morning. Elvia tells her younger sister she is sad to see him go.
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