Overview
A whimsical journey through time and ideology unfolds as an old man and his son encounter a talking crow.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- None
- witty
- surreal
- philosophical
- cult cinema night
- political film discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Pasolini's inventive allegorical comedy as a major Italian film despite its weak commercial performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The crow, hawks, and sparrows embody an allegorical conversion story shaped by Marxist and Catholic ideas.
The road journey and everyday father-son encounters are interrupted by a speaking crow, temporal displacement, and saintly intervention.
The crow represents Marxist beliefs while Totò and Ninetto are sent by St. Francis to convert birds to Christianity.
The father and son travel along a road through comic, spiritual, and ideological episodes involving the crow and the birds.
Films like The Hawks and the Sparrows, and why
The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie
shared blend of allegorical fantasy, political satire, and philosophical comedy
The Holy Mountain
shared surreal fable structure, ideological critique, and irreverent humor
The 10th Victim
shared italian art cinema sensibility, social satire, and theatrical absurdism
Movie Details
- Director
- Pier Paolo Pasolini
- Release Date
- 1966-05-04
- Runtime
- 90 min
- Rating
- 7.2 / 10 (377)
Cast
- Totò
- Ninetto Davoli
- Femi Benussi
- Umberto Bevilacqua
- Renato Capogna
- Alfredo Leggi
- Renato Montalbano
- Flaminia Siciliano
- Lena Lin Solaro
- Giovanni Tarallo
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Hawks and the Sparrows about?
- A father-and-son road journey becomes a surreal Marxist-Catholic fable about faith, ideology, and the impossible reconciliation of opposites.
- What is The Hawks and the Sparrows like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Hawks and the Sparrows as measured, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Hawks and the Sparrows violent?
- No — Ember's analysis finds no violence in The Hawks and the Sparrows.
- What did critics think of The Hawks and the Sparrows?
- Critics broadly regard Pasolini's inventive allegorical comedy as a major Italian film despite its weak commercial performance.
- Which films are like The Hawks and the Sparrows?
- Films with a similar feel include The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie, The Holy Mountain, and The 10th Victim.
- How long is The Hawks and the Sparrows?
- The Hawks and the Sparrows runs 90 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Hawks and the Sparrows?
- In United States, The Hawks and the Sparrows streams on Criterion Channel.
