Rocco e i suoi fratelli (1960)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Luchino Visconti (scenario) &
Suso Cecchi d'Amico (story) ...

Release Date:

26 June 1961 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Plot:

The widow Rosaria moves to Milano from Lucania with her 4 sons, one of whom is Rocco. The fifth son...

Plot Keywords:

Widow | Passion | Sicily Italy | Milan Italy | High Heels

Awards:

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 8 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

Alain Delon	...	Rocco Parondi
Renato Salvatori	...	Simone Parondi
Annie Girardot	...	Nadia
Katina Paxinou	...	Rosaria Parondi
Alessandra Panaro	...	Ciro's Fiancee
Spiros Focás	...	Vincenzo Parondi (as Spiros Focas)
Max Cartier	...	Ciro Parondi
Corrado Pani	...	Ivo
Rocco Vidolazzi	...	Luca Parondi
Claudia Mori	...	Laundrey Worker
Adriana Asti	...	Laundrey Worker
Enzo Fiermonte	...	Boxer
Nino Castelnuovo	...	Nino Rossi
Rosario Borelli	...	Un biscazziere
Renato Terra	...	Alfredo, Ginetta's brother

Also Known As:

Rocco and His Brothers (UK) (USA)
Rocco et ses frères (France)

Runtime:

Spain:168 min (DVD edition) | Italy:177 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-16 (uncut) (1985) | Finland:K-16 (cut) (1962) | Italy:VM14 (restored version) | Germany:16 (DVD rating) | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved | West Germany:18 (w) | UK:15 (video rating) (1991) | UK:X (original rating)

Filming Locations:

Bellagio, Como, Lombardia, Italy

Company:

Titanus

Trivia:

Filming was highly problematic, as Luchino Visconti found himself continually denied promised permits, and was forced to shoot in unsuitable locations. To add insult to injury, he was forced to make some deep cuts to his finished film.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Ti psyhi tha paradoseis mori?: (#1.3)" (2000)

Soundtrack:

Calypso in the Rain

Natural and accessible characterstudy: beautiful, not pretentious

I feel that this is just as much about his brothers as it is about Rocco. I don't even think Rocco is the key figure in the story. The film is constructed of five chapters in each of which the emphasis is more or less on one of the five brothers (Vincenzo Parondi, Simone, Rocco, Ciro, Luca). The chapter about the youngest brother contains remarks about about their attitude towards life and the philosophy for the future. But it never gets heavy-handed because everything is so natural and the whole is very accessible. The story is about the struggle of a family from the south of Italy that moves to the city (in the first minute) and struggles with jealousy, wrath, regrets, confusion and citylife. But the most important element throughout the film are the bonds between the members of the family, which you guessed from the title ofcourse.

Cinematographer Giuseppe Rotunno (Amarcord, Regarding Henry, Il Gattopardo -> all three not comparable BTW) and the other makers of this film where not ambitious or pretentious while making this masterpiece: that would really have been besides the point they were making and unnecessary too, because the story and the pace don't need it and the cast is brilliant.

Some more references. The score was done by Nino Rota (Godfather, Amarcord, Il Gattopardo): the tune that helped making Godfather famous was already more or less completed here in 'Rocco'. The film might have been inspired by Ladri di biciclette (1948) and may in turn have been the inspiration for Raging Bull (1980), the Outsiders (Coppola, 1983) and even the Godfather, although 'Rocco' has nothing to do with neither mafia nor with America. In 1963 Delon, Cardinale (who has a very small role in 'Rocco') and Visconti would work together on Il Gattopardo. But 'Rocco' has to be Visconti's greatest! (besides Morte a Venezia, which is a TOTALLY different film BTW). Also see Hotel New Hampshire (1984).

10 points out of 10 :-)