Rome, Open City (1945)

The fact that this was filmed in Rome at a time when you could probably still smell the fleeing Nazi's petrol fumes gives this an enthralling sense of authenticity. The story is centred around the character of "Manfredi" (Marcello Pagliero) who is being chased by the Gestapo, and so is trying to escape. Even though Rome has been declared "open" and is therefore not subject to bombardment, the citizens are still very much under the control of their occupiers and getting "Mandredi" to safety is no easy feat. He seeks shelter with his friend "Francesco" (Francesco Grandjacquet) but meets his fiancée "Pina" (Anna Magnani) instead. She wants to help him out and so they send for the priest "Don Pietro" (Aldo Fabrizi) who sees the safety of these resistance fighters as a core part of his responsibility to God. Even he, clad in his robes, is not immune though from the pursuing authorities and as they close in things become increasingly more perilous for all concerned. This is one of the most poignant wartime stories I have ever seen. It conveys the sense of brutality being faced by the community, but it also allows room for a spirit of optimism and hope to emerge too. The children continue to play and though their food is rationed, their day to day lives are not touched by the mayhem of many occupants of ruined cities elsewhere. The casting of the soldiers is masterly, as is that of the collaborative police commissioner and the whole ensemble, coupled with the characterful writing and the delicately framed photography really does give us a plausible insight into just how - even as the war was coming to a close - dangerous their lives were. It doesn't spare us some ghastliness at the conclusion either - but that's somehow an ultimate validation of an humanity that is plentiful throughout.