Customer Reviews

Bitter Rice [VHS]

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(3)

 

 

This is a fascinating glimpse into the Italian film industry right after World War II. Sylvana Mangano is gorgeous and unforgettable as the troubled bad girl who joins the small army of "rice girls" who suffer through back-breaking work to earn extra money during the rice season. Vittoria Gassman is hunky and sexy and fascinating as an evil con guy. Marvelous camera work, earthy performances--a far cry from the Hollywood gloss and glamor of the late 40s. This must have been a delightful shock to post-war America, surfeited with Betty Grable musicals and Greer Garson Britishness. "Bitter Rice" is still a gutsy, sensuous, earthy experience where one film character actually says the word "bra"!

What better way to depict the clash of cultural values than by blending elements of Neo-Realism with American film genres? The setting of the panoramic Po River Valley is obviously Marxist, as many felt this was the only area in which a true 'Workers Revolution' could occur. The plot is melodramatic, involving lust, crime and murder. Silvana is closely associated with Americanism in her love of tabloids, boogie-woogie, and bubblegum. De Santis' incorporation of gangster and western formulas celebrate American cinema, showing its appeal, yet almost undermining the film's message supporting traditional values. Americanism is ultimately condemned, as Silvana realizes the promise for a new way of life is empty, bringing the film to a shockingly dramatic conclusion. Ironically, this film launched Silvana Mangano as a sex symbol. This is another milestone and testament of the many achievements in Italian film. Bravo!

I first saw this engaging movie back in yhe early fifties at the World movie palace in N.Y.C. It was BOLD and controversey erupts all arround this magnificant love story post world war two. A movie not to be missed.

I wish I could see this movie. I read in a book about de Kooning that there is a scene in a part of this film of tangled bodies working in the rice field that Inspired Willem de Kooning's great painting "Excavation"

The film is set in the rice fields in the North of Italy where rice has been harvested for centuries. The girls come from the surrounding regions for the rice harvesting and planting of the next season's crops, or 40 days of back-breaking labor. The movie is set in 1948, when a lot more displaced and unemployed women were desperate to find extra cash.
We first meet Francesca (Doris Dowling) at the train station. Dowling had gone to work in Europe after starring in "The Lost Weekend" and "The Blue Dahlia" and she does a superb job here as the martyred, self-sacrificing good girlfriend to a good looking scoundrel-hustler, Walter (Vittorio Gassman). They are fleeing after his robbery of jewelry in a hotel has forced them on the run, and at the station he is being followed by policemen, he has given the jewels to Francesca to hold for him and is looking to get away from the police when he discovers Silvana (Silvana Mangano) in the role that launched her career as the sultry peasant girl. She is dancing suggestively to the American rhythms that were inundating Europe at the time, and coming out of a portable record player. With her perfect figure and sensual gesturing, Silvana is giving off enough heat to dry off the rice paddies: Walter jumps in and dances with her to stave off the pursuit of the policemen and sets off in a heated dance frenzy that establishes a connection between them, he is soon discovered though when she accidentally blows off his hat, and cover, and he has to literally use Francesca as a shield to dodge the bullets and make his escape.

The incident attracts Silvana to Francesca, she befriends her because she is fascinated by her contact with a 'dangerous man' that she secretely craves for herself. While they are setting up their bed arangements the handkerchief holding the jewels drops out of nowhere and Silvana's boyfriend, a very good looking army sergeant (Raf Vallone) who was also launching his acting career with this movie. The plot thickens when Silvana finds the jewels (actually one big gaudy necklace) underneath Francesca's matress and decides to keep it. The object resurfaces later when Silvana has another argument with Francesca, this time over work, as Francesca has become a leader amongst the girls that do not have work permits but insist on staying on, and actually unite with the others in a common front that forces the overseers to give them all work for the season. It is the sergeant again who intervenes in Francesca's behalf, giving one of the most profound explanations about the human condition I have ever seen on film. It is particularly touching for its simpliity and the gracefulness of the delivery, which is thoroughly touching in its sincerity.

Francesca and Silvana make up, but not for long. Walter has come back, and by now has realized that 'stupid' Francesca had stolen a fake jewel, as she obviously could not tell between one and the other, when he pushed the deed unto her, and so their 'security' money is gone. He therefore starts scheeming with some of the supervisors on an elaborate plot to steal the harvest. He is also seeing Francesca, and Silvana has noticed it. She goes to meet him at his hiding place herself, and their torrid relationship takes off with a fiery energy she never felt for her good hearted sergeant. The day of the deed arrives and everything starts to go wrong when Silvana, just crowned queen of the season in the farewell party, is left alone on the stage as the alarm is off and everyone rushes to the fields that are flooding at a terrifying speed. Silvana herself had opened the waters, on Walter's instruction, so they could create the distraction and escape with the rice loaded trucks. But here everything starts going contrary to plan: Francesca and the Sergeant follow Silvana to the farm, suspecting her for not helping the others. They confront Walter and a fight with guns and knives develops to furnish the story with the fitting dramatic-tragic yet comforting ending.

I saw this movie from the VHS print, which was good, though it would be great to get a better one, or a fully restored version in a DVD issue. Apparently the VHS is impossible to find, so I recommend renting it, as it is one of the best New realism movies from post-War Italy. The casting was perfect and even minor characters are illuminating. Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman give unforgettable performances here, and look so beautiful every movement is a treasure to watch, but Dowling and Vallone are equally enthralling, a DEFINITE must-see.

I knew this movie very long time ago, almost 35 years ago, and now I see it through DVD I just purchased. It really a good movie. Maybe, all the movie stars in that movie were gone, but their images will be for ever.

Where is the blasted film? I have ordered this film eons ago - 6? 8? months and in spite of repeated requests from you and my acceptance at accepting yet again one more delay, THE THING IS STILL NOT HERE! Is this a longevity contest? Will you be asking for more delays in 2020? Gee, this guy is still with us. We should have him examined?

As other reviewers have indicated, this product no longer exists. My university library has had it on order for over five years. A mystery why it remains listed on sale

Like the others, I ordered this film months ago. It has not arrived. Every few weeks, Amazon notes that there has been a further delay. If the film is not available, why is Amazon advertising this item?