Tragic Hunt

This extraordinary first feature of Giuseppe de Santis deserves to be far better known and has probably been lost in the plethora of post-war neo-realist films that followed the seminal 'Obsession' and the visceral 'Rome, Open City'. It has a rawness and immediacy which is overpowering thanks to Otello Martelli's images and Mario Serandrei's editing. It concerns the theft of money destined for an agricultural collective by a band of Fascist collaborators. The peasants themselves decide to track them down and the hunt is on..... The cast plays with utter conviction notably Massimo Girotti, Carla del Poggio, Andrea Checchi and Vivi Gioi. The part of the collaborator who develops a conscience is probably Checchi's best while Vivi Gioi deservedly picked up a 'Nastro d'Argento' for her phenomenal performance as 'Lili Marlene'. This film bears the hallmarks of a fine director who was to give us 'Bitter Rice' two years later.