BITTER RICE

Italy, 1949, 107 minutes, Black and white.
Silvana Mangano, Doris Dowling, Vittorio Gassman, Raf Vallone.
Directed by Giuseppe de Santis.

Bitter Rice made great impact in its time. It was the work of Giuseppe de Santis, director of a number of dramas in Italy in the '50s. It was a showcase for Silvana Mangano who was to emerge as an Italian superstar. She was also the wife of the producer Dino de Laurentiis. She appeared in many productions for her husband both in Italy and internationally from the '50s to the '80s (including Death in Venice and a guest role in Dune). Vittorio Gassman was at the beginning of his career and is effective as the criminal. Raf Vallone is the sympathetic hero.

The film has much of the atmosphere of the neo-realism popular in Italy at the time, especially with showing the women workers going north for the rice harvest in the Po Valley. It also has the styles, manner, dress and music and dancing of the time. The treatment is melodramatic - along the operatic style beloved of the Italians. It is interesting to look at - both for its re-creation of the time and for the picture of the smouldering sex symbol Silvana Mangano.

1. The impact of the film in its time? Importance for the Italian film industry? International popularity?

2. The film as a Silvana Mangano vehicle? The film's focusing on her role? Sex symbol? Melodrama? The male stars and their careers? Dino de Laurentiis and his subsequent work and success?

3. The background of Italian neo-realism, authentic look at Italy, the workers, their conditions, the rice fields? The attention to detail?

4. Black and white photography, location photography and authenticity, the documentary style, the use of the melodramatic thriller format?

5. The situation for the rice harvest: the Po River, the rice fields, the crop, the hard work, the conditions, dormitory, meals? The range of workers travelling to the north? The young girls? banding together? Tensions, clashes, rivalries? Recreation? The authentic atmosphere of the drama - and the focus on individuals e.g. the pregnant woman?

6. The melodramatic style: Walter and Francesca and their hiding out, tough attitudes, their characters, background, Walter and Silvana and the infatuation, her response to him, Francesca’s jealousy? Marco observing? The build-up to Walter and Francesca's escape, the trains, the shoot-out?

7. Silvana and her eagerness in coming north, the work, her ingenuous attitudes, her love for men, dancing, luxury? The infatuation with Walter? The fights? Clashes with Francesca? Marco and his devotion to her? The build-up to the flood, the shoot-out? The dangers? The melodrama of her death?

8. The contrast between Walter and Marco? Marco as gentle hero, work, devotion, help?

9. The drama of the flooding of the rice fields, the police searching for Walter, the gunfight?

10. The focus on the music of the time, the boogie-woogie and the dancing?

11. A popular film - but with operatic passion and gestures?