Credited cast: | |||
Isabella Rossellini | ... | Katchen | |
Jeroen Krabbé | ... | Wilhelm | |
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Barbara Enrichi | ... | Rosa |
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Gianna Giachetti | ... | Elsa |
Luciano Virgilio | ... | Arthur | |
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Azzurra Antonacci | ... | Maria |
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Bruno Vetti | ... | Il parroco |
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Selene Maltauro | ||
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Mauro Marino | ... | Cosimo |
Bettina Giovannini | ... | Signora Pinzauti | |
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Veronica Niccolai | ... | Penny |
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Lara Campoli | ... | Baby |
Elena Safonova | ... | Maja (as Elena Sofonova) | |
Paul Brooke | ... | Mr. Pitt | |
Rest of cast listed alphabetically: | |||
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Cosimo Bani |
1943, an estate north of Firenze. The weight of the world is on the shoulders of Penny, who's about 10. An orphan, she must watch over her little sister when they go to live with her aunt and uncle. Penny's a Catholic, and worries about her uncle's soul. He's Jewish, progressive and a free thinker, a fair boss, and devoted to his family. He can be stern, so Penny also worries that she'll never please him and that he won't love her. Then, after the Allied forces land in Sicily and the Germans begin their retreat, Penny must worry about her uncle's life. She tries logic and appeals to human decency. Can a child keep the sky from falling? Written by <jhailey@hotmail.com>
The film made the point that it was possible for a Jewish family to live in wartime Italy in the idyllic country scene,where children did childish things and lived a normal life.The family servants,the clergy and the local population knew who they were,and they were not persecuted.It was only when the retreating German Army came on the scene that the fate of the family was sealed.I understand the story is based on incidents in the Mazzetti family,and may be written as a novel,but I can understand why it was written and filmed the way it was.I found the film engaging and very moving.