Overview
A poignant look at the struggle for workers' rights unfolds in early 20th century Italy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- compassionate
- witty
- humanist
- historical cinema night
- political film discussion
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as an engrossingly human, compassionate, and humorous social drama anchored by strong performances and credible working-class detail.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
Professor Sinigaglia's idealistic organizing is presented through ardor, whimsicality, and compassionate humor rather than solemn polemic alone.
Textile workers in Turin develop a strike and solidarity movement in response to exploitation and dangerous working conditions.
The story follows workers and an outside organizer as their initially uncertain revolt acquires structure and purpose.
Factory labor, poverty, crowded worker life, and demonstrations are rendered as concrete communal experience.
Films like The Organizer, and why
The Bicycle Thieves
shared italian social comedy, working-class solidarity, and compassionate ensemble drama
The Working Class Goes to Heaven
shared humanist political drama, class conflict, and humor amid social hardship
Norma Rae
shared labor organizing, historical class struggle, and emotionally accessible social realism
Movie Details
- Director
- Mario Monicelli
- Release Date
- 1963-10-25
- Runtime
- 130 min
- Rating
- 7.5 / 10 (138)
Cast
- Marcello Mastroianni
- Renato Salvatori
- Gabriella Giorgelli
- Folco Lulli
- Bernard Blier
- Raffaella Carrà
- François Périer
- Vittorio Sanipoli
- Mario Pisu
- Kenneth Kove
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is The Organizer about?
- An idealistic professor helps Turin textile workers transform exhaustion and exploitation into a precarious but powerful strike movement.
- What is The Organizer like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of The Organizer as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is The Organizer violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in The Organizer as mild.
- What did critics think of The Organizer?
- Critics broadly regard the film as an engrossingly human, compassionate, and humorous social drama anchored by strong performances and credible working-class detail.
- Which films are like The Organizer?
- Films with a similar feel include The Bicycle Thieves, The Working Class Goes to Heaven, and Norma Rae.
- How long is The Organizer?
- The Organizer runs 130 minutes.
- Where can I watch The Organizer?
- In United States, The Organizer streams on Criterion Channel.
