THE FILMS OF ROBERTO ROSSELLINI • PETER BONDANELLA

THE FILMS OF ROBERTO ROSSELLINI • Peter Bondanella • 1993 Cambridge University Press 183 pgs • The Films of Roberto Rossellini traces the career of one of the most influential Italian filmmakers through close analysis of the seven films that mark important turning points in his evolution: The Man with a Cross (1943), Open City (1945), Paisan (1946), The Machine to Kill Bad People (1948-52), Voyage in Italy (1953), General della Rovere (1959) and The Rise to Power of Louis XIV (1966). Beginning with Rossellini's work within the fascist cinema, it discusses his invention of neorealism, a new cinematic style that resulted in several classics during the immediate postwar period. Almost immediately, however, Rossellini's continually evolving style moved beyond mere social realism to reveal other aspects of the camera's gaze, as is apparent in the films he made with Ingrid Bergman during the 1950s; though unpopular, these works had a tremendous impact on the French New Wave critics and directors. Rossellini's late career marks a return to his nonrealist period, now critically reexamined, in such works as the commercially successful General della Rovere, and his eventual turn to the creation of didactic films for television • PVP 23,88€ • Linha de Sombra • www.linhadesombra.com • Cinemateca ◼︎

“George Sanders: Katherine, what’s wrong with us? Why do we torture each other?
Ingrid Bergman: When you say things that hurt me, I try to hurt you back, don’t you see, but I can’t any longer, because I love you.
George Sanders: Perhaps we get hurt too easily.
Ingrid Bergman: Tell me that you love me.
George Sanders: Well, if I do, will you promise not to take advantage of me?
Ingrid Bergman: Oh, yes, but I want to hear you say it.
George Sanders: All right, I love you.”

VIAGGIO IN ITALIA, Roberto Rossellini