Europa '51

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Europa '51

Directed by	Roberto Rossellini
Produced by	Roberto Rossellini Carlo Ponti Dino De Laurentiis
Written by	Roberto Rossellini Sandro De Feo Mario Pannunzio Ivo Perilli Brunello Rondi
Starring	Ingrid Bergman Alexander Knox
Music by	Renzo Rossellini
Cinematography	Aldo Tonti
Editing by	Jolanda Benvenuti
Distributed by	I.F.E. Releasing Corporation
Release date(s)	December 4, 1952 1953 November 3, 1954
Running time	113 min.
Country	Italy
Language	Italian
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Europa '51 (also known as The Greatest Love) is a 1952 Italian neorealist film directed by Roberto Rossellini, starring Ingrid Bergman and Alexander Knox.

1 Background
2 Synopsis
3 Cast
4 Awards
5 Notes
6 External link

[edit] Background

Having a fascination with Francis of Assisi, Roberto Rossellini decided to create a film that placed a person of Francis of Assisi's character in post-war Italy and showed what the consequences would be. ^[1]

[edit] Synopsis

Spoiler warning: Plot and/or ending details follow.

Irene (Ingrid Bergman) and George Girard (Alexander Knox) are a wealthy couple living in post-war Rome with their son Michele (Sandro Franchina). During a dinner party, Michele constantly tries to get his mother's attention, but Irene is more interested in being a good hostess to her guests than being an attentive mother. As a result, Michele attempts suicide by falling through a stairwell several stories, fracturing his hip.

At the hospital, Irene promises to never leave Michele and to be more attentive, but he dies soon after from a blood clot. Irene, shocked by her son's death, is bedridden for ten days, before enlisting the help of Andrea Casatti (Ettore Giannini) to help her overcome her grief. Being a communist, he takes her to the poorer parts of Rome and leads her into donating her time and money to help people there. While there, she gives the money for a boy's medical treatment, helps a woman with six children to find a job at a factory (which she has a life changing experience working at for a day in order to fill in for the woman), and cares for a woman of bad reputation who is dying of consumption.

As a result of helping these people, she spends less and less time at home. Her husband comes to the conclusion that she is having an affair with Andrea, which causes her to leave him. In addition, she is picked up by the police after helping a boy who had stolen escape (she had told him to turn himself in).

While in custody, the husband and the authorities decide to put her in a mental institution. At the end of the film, she is up for review on whether she would stay their permanently with the result being that her philosophy of helping people was dangerous for the fragile post-war society. Therefore, she becomes a permanent member of the institution.

[edit] Cast

Ingrid Bergman as Irene Girard.

Actor	Role	Other notes
Ingrid Bergman	Irene Girard	main character whose son dies
Alexander Knox	George Girard	her husband
Ettore Giannini	Andrea Casatti	man who tries to aid Irene's recovery
Giulietta Masina	Passerotto
Marcella Rovena	Mrs. Puglisi
Tina Perna	Cesira
Sandro Franchina	Michele Girard	Irene's son

[edit] Awards

Ingrid Bergman won the 1953 Silver Ribbon award from the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists for her performance. In addition, Roberto Rossellini won the International Award and was nominated for the Golden Lion award at the 1952 Venice Film Festival.