Overview
A con man's deception leads him into a dangerous game of survival against the Nazis.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Moderate
- tense
- melancholic
- austere
- classic cinema night
- serious film study
What critics said
Critics broadly regard Rossellini's morally serious wartime prison drama as a powerful humanist work anchored by Vittorio De Sica's performance.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Bardone begins as a petty con man but is compelled by the Gestapo to impersonate General Della Rovere and confronts the ethical consequences of that performance.
The Gestapo's detention of prisoners and Bardone's infiltration of the prison create the film's central claustrophobic environment.
Rossellini's wartime drama focuses on Bardone's flawed humanity and ethical awakening rather than simplifying resistance into heroic myth.
Bardone must impersonate a partisan leader to expose another resistance organizer, making role-playing the engine of the plot.
Films like General Della Rovere, and why
Rome, Open City
shared italian neorealist humanism, wartime moral conflict, and morally compromised protagonists
Army of Shadows
shared world war ii resistance setting, prison drama structure, and austere moral seriousness
The Battle of Algiers
shared wartime occupation, resistance themes, and tragic humanism
Movie Details
- Director
- Roberto Rossellini
- Release Date
- 1959-10-07
- Runtime
- 132 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (154)
Cast
- Vittorio De Sica
- Hannes Messemer
- Vittorio Caprioli
- Nando Angelini
- Herbert Fischer
- Mary Greco
- Bernardo Menicacci
- Lucia Modugno
- Luciano Pigozzi
- Kurt Polter
Where to watch in United States
- Rent
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, MovieMe
- Buy
- Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is General Della Rovere about?
- A petty con man forced to impersonate a resistance hero discovers that courage may emerge from the role he never intended to play.
- What is General Della Rovere like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of General Della Rovere as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is General Della Rovere violent?
- Somewhat. Ember rates the violence in General Della Rovere as moderate.
- What did critics think of General Della Rovere?
- Critics broadly regard Rossellini's morally serious wartime prison drama as a powerful humanist work anchored by Vittorio De Sica's performance.
- Which films are like General Della Rovere?
- Films with a similar feel include Rome, Open City, Army of Shadows, and The Battle of Algiers.
- How long is General Della Rovere?
- General Della Rovere runs 132 minutes.
- Where can I watch General Della Rovere?
- In United States, General Della Rovere is available to rent or buy from Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies, YouTube, MovieMe.
