Metello (1970)

Metello struggles to escape from the poverty that led to the premature death of his parents, and that is the lot of the working class in northern Italy during the second half of the 19th ... See full summary »

Director:

Mauro Bolognini

Writers:

Luigi Bazzoni, Mauro Bolognini,

Stars:

Massimo Ranieri, Ottavia Piccolo, Frank Wolff

7 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Massimo Ranieri	...	Metello Salani
Ottavia Piccolo	...	Ersilia
Frank Wolff	...	Betto
Tina Aumont	...	Idina
Lucia Bosé	...	Viola
Pino Colizzi	...	Renzoli
Mariano Rigillo	...	Olindo Tinai
Luigi Diberti	...	Lippi
Manuela Andrei	...	Adele Salani
Corrado Gaipa	...	Badolati
Adolfo Geri	...	Del Bueno
Claudio Biava	...	Moretti
Franco Balducci	...	Chellini
Steffen Zacharias	...	Pallesi
Sergio Ciulli

Storyline

Metello struggles to escape from the poverty that led to the premature death of his parents, and that is the lot of the working class in northern Italy during the second half of the 19th century. Metello fights his way out from his condition through hard work, a determined will to resist oppression inherited from his father, but also by taking advantage of his good looks when dealing with women. Metello progressively assumes an important role in the organization of an emerging workers movement, and attempts to conciliate his risky political activities with his private life.

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Plot Keywords:

based on novel

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Genres:

Drama

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

24 April 1971 (Japan)

Also Known As:

Ergatiki exegersi

Company Credits

Production Co:

Documento Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

107 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color

User Reviews

A working class hero is something to be

An user wrote it is Bolognini's most critically-acclaimed movie;that's debatable .Actually it would rather be "la Viaccia" or most likely "L'Eredita Ferramonti".

Bolignini is at his best in the costume drama.Just compare "Metello" with its follow-up " Imputazione Di Omicidio Per Uno Studento" and you will know what I mean : the latter could really be virtually any students/bourgeois/cops circa 1968 flick filmed by anyone at all with a screenplay written by anyone at all.

Half of "Metello" depicts a very long strike ,shows rebellion,repression,little victories and big defeats.Whereas the viewer is expecting a harsh treatment,Bolognini uses a refined,polished style ;the form sharply contrasts with the content.Add Ennio Morricone's magnificent score which verges on classical.There's even a scene at the opera.

Although Metello takes a rebel stand ,his military service seems important to him and he does not see the army as the enemy "I'm well fed" he writes to his lover.The Taviani bros have also pointed out that ,for the young Italian of that time,being a soldier was an honor.

It was a pet project for Bolognini who had to wait to make it ,and not with the actors he had initially planned to work with;the two leads were virtually unknown at the time,particularly Ottavia Piccolo who became famous in Europa in the seventies.