For being neo-realist, I was surprised that Rossellini felt it necessary to make the Nazi teacher a pedophile as well. As if one or the other wasn`t enough. Otherwise the movie is kind of significant as an artifact of the time in which it was made, but not all that important from a 21st century perspective. The ending is shocking, which I think makes people like it more, but my Italian Cinema class spoiled the ending for me several years ago. I think this made me immune to its charms.

Well of course those times' reality was enough for a drama and yet amateur acting is understandable within Neo-realism. But with all the misery and agony, if there was a good storytelling (like Bicycle Thieves) this film would be a masterpiece. And that older brother was an idiot?

Rossellini - auteur of unconvincing realism and shoddy acting. I much prefer his later works, when he lets go of his melodramatic devices, and can occasionally get a performance of worth.

#243

Beautifully expressive filmmaking. The opening credits sequence gives a brief hint of the bombed out devastation of Berlin, a hint that the film expands upon in all kinds of ways: families breaking apart due to ideology, illness, and laxity, children roaming the streets and using their basest instincts to survive, and men who prey on children. The world of these people has disintegrated, and not even the church (whose minister plays a tragically beautiful organ) is acting for the people.

A powerful look at post-war Germany, struggling with social and economic issues. The strongest parts of the film are the shots of bombed out buildings and the terrible living conditions. It must have been even more despairing in 1948 without the knowledge that things would improve relatively quickly. All that said, the film didn't quite move me as much as it should have, some parts just seemed silly and there was never a deep connection to any characters.

I don't care much for neo-realism anyway, but so far Rossellini's pictures have failed to impress me. This one opens with a statement about how the film is supposed to make you feel. So right off the bat I'm annoyed. The music is pretty horrible, and the plotting is insultingly manipulative. I had to roll my eyes at the creepy pedo Nazi guy. Other than those things, it wasn't all bad. The cinematography was decent, especially with all those photogenic bombed-out buildings.

# 223

devastating ... an astonishing, sickening portrait of life in post-war Berlin

251

Very remarkable film, done in post-war Berlin and not in some studio, which is very very impressive.

236

Good Movie, lacked somewhat of a gripping portrait of characters, but the scenario in general was for sure interesting.