ZeddaZogenau

Many users of the global streaming service NETFLIX are now regularly disappointed when an English-language original film is released there. However, interesting discoveries can be made every now and then in non-English-language works. This is the case with the Italian film IL TRENO DEI BAMBINI by Cristina COMENCINI, which has been available on the streamer for a few weeks.

The orchestra musician Amerigo Speranza (Stefano ACCORSI, known from the quality series 1992/1993/1994) learns of the death of his mother in Naples in 1994. He then remembers his turbulent childhood in the completely impoverished Naples of 1946. As the child of a single mother (Serena ROSSI), he had to make a living surrounded by other children with odd jobs and black market fraud. Hunger, poverty and neglect were not empty words. But the opportunity to spend the winter with communist party members in northern Italy was not readily accepted. After all, the children, who were deeply religious, were afraid of being roasted in the oven by the communists. Amerigo (Christian CERVONE) and his friends reluctantly board the "children's train" heading north. But the encounter with his foster mother Derna (Barbara RONCHI) there will change Amerigo's life forever.

The Italian director Cristina COMENCINI (OSCAR 2006: ACADEMY AWARD nomination for LA BESTIA NEL CUORE) has created a warm-hearted and socially critical film about an event that had been forgotten even in Italy itself. Her father Luigi COMENCINI was also a film director and was awarded the Silver Bear at the BERLINALE in 1954 for PANE, AMORE E FANTASIA (with Gina LOLLOBRIGIDA and Vittorio De SICA).

If you liked TOMORROW IS ANOTHER DAY by Paola CORTELLESI and enjoyed reading the novel tetralogy by Elena FERRANTE (My Brilliant Friend), you shouldn't miss this film!

With this film, American director Nicholas RAY essentially delivered a kind of dress rehearsal for his later classic REBEL WITHOUT A CAUSE (1955) with James DEAN in 1949.

Lawyer Andrew Morton (Humphrey BOGART) specializes in the really difficult cases, as he himself comes from a difficult background. So he comes to defend the young hothead Nick Romano (John DEREK), who is accused of the horrific murder of a police officer. Morton knows the young Nick from earlier times and is convinced of his innocence.

This exciting social drama from Hollywood's black series is about the perpetual question of whether character or living conditions are to be held responsible for crimes committed. A timeless question that is dealt with in an interesting mixture of film noir and film gris.

With his SANTANA PICTURES, lead actor Humphrey BOGART produced the film himself, which was then released in cinemas by the major Hollywood studio COLUMBIA PICTURES.

Nicholas RAY was able to use the film and the topic to practice for his later successful film with James DEAN. The topic of parenting problems was probably just in the air in the post-Second World War era. Young John DEREK is of course no James DEAN, but he still delivered a more than passable performance.

Worth seeing!

The port district in Cardiff, Wales, used to be called Tiger Bay. People from many different countries lived there under very difficult social conditions. This is also the case for the little girl Gillie (Hayley MILLS), who grows up with her aunt and loves to reenact the last World War with the boys from the neighborhood. One day, Gillie accidentally witnesses the Polish sailor Bronislaw (Horst BUCHHOLZ) shooting his girlfriend Anya (Yvonne MITCHELL) in a fit of rage. She had gotten involved with the shady Barclay (Anthony DAWSON) while Bronislaw was at sea. Little Gillie gets hold of the gun and ammunition. Superintendent Graham (John MILLS) has some difficulty solving this tricky case.

For the West German star actor Horst BUCHHOLZ (GERMAN FILM AWARD 1956: award for HEAVEN WITHOUT STARS), this impressive role was the first international appearance, and many more were to follow. A year later, Horst BUCHHOLZ was part of the cast of the western THE MAGNIFICENT SEVEN in Hollywood.

The very young Hayley MILLS was awarded the Silver Bear for her fascinating socially critical role at the Berlin Film Festival in 1959. The Mickey Mouse group DISNEY took notice of the child star, and two years later Hayley MILLS received the last JUVENILE AWARD of the ACADEMY AWARDS for POLLYANNA. A few months ago, Hayley MILLS, who has since become an older lady, could still be seen on the big screen in the psychological thriller TRAP by M. Night SHYAMALAN. Her father John MILLS had to wait until 1971 to receive the ACADEMY AWARD for RYAN'S DAUGHTER.