Film Forum

IL GENERALE DELLA ROVERE
Italy/France, 1959
Directed by Roberto Rossellini
Starring Vittorio De Sica, Hannes Messemer, Sandra Milo, Anne Vernon
Approx. 132 min. 35mm.

Based on the true story of Italian cavalry officer Giovanni Bertone during World War II, GENERAL DELLA ROVERE recounts the unexpected moral evolution of Emanuele Bardone (Vittorio de Sica), an ingratiating swindler with a talent for improvising novel solutions to the dilemmas he has sprung on himself. Alas, even when Bardone wins, he feels compelled to double-down and gamble away his momentary advantage. He has a talent for extracting favors from the Nazi officers in Genoa, and when the law catches up to Bardone, he’s offered a bargain: go to prison and imitate the Italian general Della Rovere, in hopes of penetrating his resistance network. De Sica’s big and boisterous performance anchors the film, and renders this somber story of ethical compromise into an improbable crowdpleaser. Rossellini considered GENERAL DELLA ROVERE an embarrassing capitulation, a work-for-hire to demonstrate that he could, under duress, follow a script and a schedule. Shot quickly on studio sets with some undisguised rear projection footage, GENERAL DELLA ROVERE went on to win the Golden Lion at the Venice Film Festival and revitalize Rossellini’s career after a decade of box office setbacks. Like Bardone, Rossellini always had another trick up his sleeve.

35mm print courtesy Cinecittà.

Reviews

“De Sica’s most enduring screen performance.”
– The New York Times

“My best role... by a director I revere.”
– Vittorio De Sica