Overview
In a city torn apart by war, love and resistance intertwine against the backdrop of oppression.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Extreme
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Graphic
- harrowing
- melodramatic
- sincere
- historical cinema study
- classic film night
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, historically immediate landmark of Italian neorealism, even while some find its characterization and melodrama less nuanced than its reputation suggests.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film was shot in Rome amid the aftermath of Nazi occupation and is regarded as a quintessential work of Italian neorealism.
Pina, communist resistance members, and Catholic priest Don Pietro cooperate against Nazi occupation despite differing beliefs.
Pina's impending marriage, food rationing, curfew, and sheltering of Giorgio all unfold under Nazi surveillance.
The location-based Roman imagery and performances create the sense of lived experience emphasized by critics and reviewers.
Films like Rome, Open City, and why
Paisan
shared italian neorealist style, wartime resistance setting, and morally urgent ensemble drama
Bicycle Thieves
shared postwar italian neorealism, civilian hardship, and documentary-like emotional realism
Army of Shadows
shared occupied-europe resistance drama, tragic sacrifice, and anti-fascist themes
The Battle of Algiers
shared wartime occupation, resistance networks, and stark humanist melodrama
Movie Details
- Director
- Roberto Rossellini
- Release Date
- 1945-10-08
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 8.0 / 10 (1005)
Cast
- Aldo Fabrizi
- Marcello Pagliero
- Harry Feist
- Anna Magnani
- Maria Michi
- Francesco Grandjacquet
- Vito Annichiarico
- Ákos Tolnay
- Joop van Hulzen
- Carla Rovere
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Artiflix
- Rent
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Rome, Open City about?
- Under Nazi occupation, a pregnant Roman woman, a resistance leader, and a compassionate priest risk everything to protect a fugitive and oppose fascism.
- What is Rome, Open City like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Rome, Open City as brisk, its intensity as extreme and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Rome, Open City violent?
- Yes. Ember rates the violence in Rome, Open City as graphic.
- What did critics think of Rome, Open City?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a powerful, historically immediate landmark of Italian neorealism, even while some find its characterization and melodrama less nuanced than its reputation suggests.
- Which films are like Rome, Open City?
- Films with a similar feel include Paisan, Bicycle Thieves, Army of Shadows, and The Battle of Algiers.
- How long is Rome, Open City?
- Rome, Open City runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Rome, Open City?
- In United States, Rome, Open City streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, Criterion Channel, HBO Max, Artiflix.
