General Sherman himself said that "war is Hell" and while Paisan indeed reflects this wartime quote the film is not all doom and gloom. Paisan instead seems to give a wartime portrayal that focuses on the little details that represent a larger reality of what war is like for the many parties involved in the Italian liberation. Paisan will take the viewer through six non-connected episodes that each tell a distinct, meaningful, and illustrious story in themselves. Most notable for me were episodes one and two.
Episode one begins in Sicily and tells the story of a young Sicilian girl aiding American troops in their anxiety ridden arrival in Sicily. Like Paisan's ending episode, the first episode does not go well with blood shed on behalf of Nazi troops (with the film's "first blood" being shed by a sharpshooting Nazi sniper). While the Germans in the film seem to be portrayed in a negative light, episode one is interesting for its apt portrayal of German humor in ironically awful wartime circumstances.
Episode two tells the story of two separate interactions between an African American MP and a young Italian boy. Split in two parts from the perspective of the MP (off-duty/drunk and on-duty/sober) we witness a small series of events that seem to reflect a twisted "home is home, be it ever so humble" message for the MP. Indeed, I found this scene to be most powerful in delivering this subtle message as the MP in his drunk state repeatedly tells the boy he doesn't want to go back to America to his "shack of a home." Later, the MP witnesses a young boy stealing from a supply truck. Upon apprehending the boy the MP discovers that it was the same boy he met during his previous off-duty drunk adventure. After chastising and hassling the boy to teach him a lesson, the MP discovers that the boy is a wartime orphan who lives in abject poverty with no home at all. Upon realization, the MP abruptly runs away and ignores the boy's prior mischievous behavior. It is small, disconnected stories sans closure like this that make up Paisan. Watching Paisan in its entirety for the other episodes will indeed be well worth your time.
Episode one begins in Sicily and tells the story of a young Sicilian girl aiding American troops in their anxiety ridden arrival in Sicily. Like Paisan's ending episode, the first episode does not go well with blood shed on behalf of Nazi troops (with the film's "first blood" being shed by a sharpshooting Nazi sniper). While the Germans in the film seem to be portrayed in a negative light, episode one is interesting for its apt portrayal of German humor in ironically awful wartime circumstances.
Episode two tells the story of two separate interactions between an African American MP and a young Italian boy. Split in two parts from the perspective of the MP (off-duty/drunk and on-duty/sober) we witness a small series of events that seem to reflect a twisted "home is home, be it ever so humble" message for the MP. Indeed, I found this scene to be most powerful in delivering this subtle message as the MP in his drunk state repeatedly tells the boy he doesn't want to go back to America to his "shack of a home." Later, the MP witnesses a young boy stealing from a supply truck. Upon apprehending the boy the MP discovers that it was the same boy he met during his previous off-duty drunk adventure. After chastising and hassling the boy to teach him a lesson, the MP discovers that the boy is a wartime orphan who lives in abject poverty with no home at all. Upon realization, the MP abruptly runs away and ignores the boy's prior mischievous behavior. It is small, disconnected stories sans closure like this that make up Paisan. Watching Paisan in its entirety for the other episodes will indeed be well worth your time.