Difficult Years

"The GENIUS that went into making "To Live in Peace", "Open City", "Paisan", and "Death of a Salesman" has been combined to give you..."

1948 1h 50m IT

🙌

7.8

BANGER

★7.8TMDB · 26

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Aldo Piscitello, a minor government clerk, is forced in 1934 to join the Fascist party. When the war comes, he finds himself able only to talk ineffectually in secret against Mussolini, even as his own son Giovanni is sent into battle. By the end of the war, Aldo has found the courage to stand up for his beliefs, but by then it is too late.

“The GENIUS that went into making "To Live in Peace", "Open City", "Paisan", and "Death of a Salesman" has been combined to give you...”

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Cast

Umberto Spadaro
Aldo Piscitello
Ave Ninchi
Rosina Piscitello
Enzo Biliotti
Il podestà
Massimo Girotti
Giovanni Piscitello
Delia Scala
Elena Piscitello
Ernesto Almirante
Il nonnino
Aldo Silvani
Il farmacista
Miro Zonda
Il federale

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Luigi Zampa
Writers: Franco Evangelisti, Enrico Fulchignoni, Sergio Amidei
Languages: Italian
Countries: Italy

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 8

ERA

Did you know

78 years old — a genuine piece of film history.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Luigi Zampa, shot by Carlo Montuori. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 8

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Original score by Franco Casavola. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 8

ERA

Did you know

Editor Eraldo Da Roma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 8

CAST

Did you know

Umberto Spadaro and Ave Ninchi and Enzo Biliotti carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 8

FACT

Did you know

Marketing tagline: "The GENIUS that went into making "To Live in Peace", "Open City", "Paisan", and "Death of a Salesman" has been combined to give you...".

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 8

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt0040100 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

8 / 8

WILD

Did you know

Only 26 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.

MoodPlayr · trivia#08

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Luigi Zampa directs. Carlo Montuori behind the camera. Franco Casavola scores. Eraldo Da Roma cuts. Produced in Italy. Dialogue in Italian.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

178 years old — a genuine piece of film history.
2Directed by Luigi Zampa, shot by Carlo Montuori. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
3Original score by Franco Casavola. Worth a dedicated listen after — most great films lose half their impact without the score.
4Editor Eraldo Da Roma shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
5Umberto Spadaro and Ave Ninchi and Enzo Biliotti carry the top of the cast.
6Marketing tagline: "The GENIUS that went into making "To Live in Peace", "Open City", "Paisan", and "Death of a Salesman" has been combined to give you...".
7IMDB entry: tt0040100 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.
8Only 26 TMDB ratings — you're getting ahead of the curve on this one.