CACCIA TRAGICA

Italy, 1947, 89 minutes, Black and white.
Directed by Giuseppe De Santis.

Caccia Tragica is the first film of Italian director, Guiseppe De Santis. He was soon to make the internationally famous Bitter Rice with Silvana Mangano. This is a film about immediate post-war Italy, the resistance and the partisans, the behaviour of people under German occupation, betrayals and exploitation, attempts for co-operatives to produce food for people in the villages. It is a story of ordinary people, their work, criminals and exploiters, the pursuit of criminals who violently rob and kill.

The film is made in the neo-realistic style of Italian cinema at the time. Location photography, stark black and white photography, a sense of the period and an emphasis on filming people and situations as they were. The film is very much one of its period but is an interesting story, and alarming reflection on the impact of World War II and its immediate aftermath in Italy.

1. The title of the film? The hunt of Alberto and the police after him? Michele and his search Giovanna? In the context of this Italian?

2. Black and white photography, authentic locations? An atmosphere of real life? Capturing the feeling of the period, the aftermath of the war, the partisans, crime, work? Musical Score?

3. The setting: the village, people at work, the crops, buying and selling, the need for the cash, the business men, the couriers with the money, the criminals taking the money and its consequences for the people? Alberto and his background, in the concentration camp, friendship with Michele, the holding up of the truck, the shootout, the woman on the truck, the taking of Giovanna, Michele recognising Alberto? His experiences back home? The relationship with Daniela? Her masterminding of the robberies? The purpose, the money?

4. The escape, going to the house? The confrontation with Daniela? The treatment of Giovanna? The police pursuing, the people pursuing? Meeting Michele, his conscience? Trying to release Giovanna? The deaths? The final confrontation and the people letting him go? His future?

5. Michelle and Giovanna, the marriage, getting the lift to work, the priest? The driver of the truck? The happy atmosphere? The hold-up, the priest in disguise? Michele and his action, Giovanna being taken? Michele helpless, return to the village, not co-operating with the police for fear of Giovanna’s life? The villagers working this out? His attempts to pursue, to discover Michele? Finding him, talk, the final shootout, the rescue of Giovanna? His letting Michele go? Giovanna and her experiences, fright, blindfold, the travel, the attitude of Daniela? The shootings?

6. Daniela, her German background, in the village, callous? Masterminding the robberies? Her hold over Alberto? The rest of the gang, the shootouts, the priest, the woman? Going to the house, trying to elude the police? The final confrontation, Daniela and her power over Alberto, the sexual relationship? His turning against her? Her death?

7. The portrait of the villagers, the work, the crops, desperate for the money? The callousness of the criminals? Tile ordinary citizens, drivers, couriers with the money, the police?

8. A slice of Italian life? The effect of the war, the occupation, hardships and poverty, work, exploitation? A new life? Questions of conscience?