Il tetto (1956)

User Rating:

7.5/10   

Director:

Vittorio De Sica

Writer:

Cesare Zavattini (writer)

Release Date:

12 May 1959 (USA)

Genre:

Drama

Plot:

Under provincial Italian law at the time, once a roof is erected, the occupants cannot be evicted from a building...

Plot Keywords:

House | Social Issues | Poverty | Italy | Family Relationships

Awards:

2 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Gabriella Pallotta	...	Luisa Pilon (as Gabriella Pallotti)
Giorgio Listuzzi	...	Natale Pilon - Luisa's husband
Gastone Renzelli	...	Cesare, Luisa's brother-in-law
Maria Di Rollo	...	Gina
Maria Di Fiori	...	Giovanna, Cesare's wife
Emilia Maritini	...	Luisa's mother
Angelo Bigioni	...	Luigi
Angelo Visentin	...	Antonio Pilon
Maria Sittoro	...	Natale's mother
Luisa Alessandri	...	Signora Baj
Giuseppe Martini	...	Luisa's father

Also Known As:

Le toit (France)
The Roof

Runtime:

91 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:PG | Finland:S

Company:

De Sica Produzione

Far more satisfying than the overrated BICYCLE THIEF

Just ran this in 35mm.....and found it to be a lot more enjoyable than the dreary and misery-ridden BICYCLE THIEF (with a very unlikeable, desperate lead character) by the same director. The two leads (the newly married couple) were naturalistic and very likable, and you really could identify with their plight - which became no less desperate than that of the BICYCLE THIEF. Their brief moments of love and affection for each other were very moving - and believably touching when alongside scenes of their unhappiness and desperation. Their desperate race to build a squalid little structure to live in is incredibly involving and pulls you in to the very last moments of the picture. Will they make it? You'll have to see the picture to find out.