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Riso Amaro (1949)

Drama | 108 minutes
3,56 117 votes

Genre: Drama / Crime

Duration: 108 minuten

Alternative titles: Bitter Rice / Bittere Rijst

Country: Italy

Directed by: Giuseppe De Santis

Stars: Silvana Mangano, Vittorio Gassman and Doris Dowling

IMDb score: 7,6 (5.457)

Releasedate: 30 September 1949

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Riso Amaro plot

"An earthy drama of human passions among women rice workers in the Po Valley."

Francesca and Walter are two petty criminals in northern Italy who have committed a spectacular jewelry heist. Walter is known by name and face to the police and the officers are after him. He therefore forces Francesca to travel with the large group of seasonal workers who work the rice fields in the Po Valley every May. She has to keep the loot for him until he can come and collect it later. Francesca gets to know the voluptuous Silvana and her lover and sergeant Marco. Marco is discharged from the army and develops a love-hate relationship with Francesca. Walter, who is now hiding in the rice warehouse, falls in love with Silvana. He forces Silvana to cooperate in the theft of two trucks loaded with rice.

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Guest

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avatar van Dievegge

Dievegge

  • 3166 messages
  • 8186 votes

Here you get two styles for the price of one. On the one hand, it offers a neorealistic view of the women workers in the rice fields of the Po Valley. The collective flows together from various villages during the harvest period. They work by hand, sing in choir and continue when the fields are partially flooded. In addition, there is a crime plot with a theft, a love triangle and a climax in a slaughterhouse. Vittorio Gassman plays a homme fatal who drags two women with him into his inevitable fall. He makes Francesca a thief; he lures Silvana with false promises. Both actresses were dubbed with a different voice, as was often done at the time. Silvana Mangano's curves caused a minor scandal in Catholic circles. Despite the mixture of genres, it comes across as a coherent whole that carries you along from the semi-documentary opening images to the thrilling denouement.

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avatar van Movsin

Movsin

  • 8264 messages
  • 8426 votes

Quite a few extras - a typical characteristic of the Italian neorealism in which this "Riso Amaro" bathes - but also Silvana Mangano, Vittoria Gassman, Raf Vallone...

The social aspect of the genre this time is with seasonal workers who are barely compensated for their hard work and, in fact, the film derives its value from the mass scenes with these people in the rice fields.

It is not surprising that the film received a heavy negative moral rating at the time, given the sensual clothing and attitude of the workers for its time, as well as the voluptuous and provocative dancing of Silvana Mangano.

However, film certainly did not remain without interest or success at the time, because I remember, a long, long time ago, that the words "Bitter Rice" were often used to describe a disappointment or a dramatic outcome.

On the other hand, the criminal, romantic...intrigue is not the most impressive, although theft, deception and lies fit into the atmosphere of this classic.

Not to forget, however, the catchy ending.

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avatar van Fransman

Fransman

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  • 2267 votes

What a film! This makes you feel cold and warm at the same time. It has everything: drama, social deprivation, crime, solidarity, self-sacrifice, a touch of eroticism. And all that in beautiful scenes, shot in black and white and Italian to the bone. Your eyes won't know where to look. The women who plant rice in the fields in the Po Valley, as the main vehicle of the film, with a bunch of criminals as a side story who want to use the women for their own ends. Highlights for me are the scene of the women in the rain, the desperation after the flood and the ending that goes through marrow and bone.

And then let's not forget Silvana Mangano, who jumps off the screen, practically pushing her bosom in your face and happily showing off her beautiful thighs. But also enjoyed the young Vittorio Gassman, who would grow up to be one of the most important Italian actors, and the cool beauty of Doris Dowling as Francesca, who does not get carried away by the madness around her. Still fantastic that we can still see such a film today.

dutch flagTranslated from Dutch · View original