I am watching Visconti's Rocco and His Brothers (Rocco e i suoi fratelli) and it's a wonderful example of neo-realism, and is well written and excellently acted. But my brain is hopefully shallow, because the predominating thought? Angsty Alain Delon is HOT.
Seriously though, I recommend it highly. It's almost three hours long, but so far, it's flying. Plus, it's neo-realism AND melodrama. The story involves a poor family which, headed by its matriarch, moves to the big city to try to make a better life for matriarch (in this case a widow) and her sons. Family encounters usual problems in a depressed economy and struggles with a bitter life (hence the neorealism), and the whole thing becomes more complicated when one of the brothers (Simone) has a stormy affair with Nadia, a hooker. And then, Rocco (played by the scrumptuous Alain Delon) falls in love with her and vice-versa. Considering he has a messed-up relationship with his brother to begin with, this doesn't bode well. Angstiness and further dysfunction ensues.
Yum. Rocco is in the center:












Seriously though, I recommend it highly. It's almost three hours long, but so far, it's flying. Plus, it's neo-realism AND melodrama. The story involves a poor family which, headed by its matriarch, moves to the big city to try to make a better life for matriarch (in this case a widow) and her sons. Family encounters usual problems in a depressed economy and struggles with a bitter life (hence the neorealism), and the whole thing becomes more complicated when one of the brothers (Simone) has a stormy affair with Nadia, a hooker. And then, Rocco (played by the scrumptuous Alain Delon) falls in love with her and vice-versa. Considering he has a messed-up relationship with his brother to begin with, this doesn't bode well. Angstiness and further dysfunction ensues.
Yum. Rocco is in the center:











