Giuseppe De Santis

Directing

Giuseppe De Santis

Born 1917-02-11 · Fondi, Lazio, Italy

Giuseppe De Santis (11 February 1917 – 16 May 1997) was an Italian film director. One of the most idealistic neorealist filmmakers of the 1940s and 1950s, he wrote and directed films punctuated by ardent cries for social reform. In 1942, De Santis collaborated on the script for Ossessione, Luchino Visconti's debut film, which is usually considered one of the first neo-realist films. His third film Bitter Rice (1950), the story of a young woman working in the rice fields who must choose between two socially disparate suitors, made a star of Silvana Mangano and was a landmark of the new cinematic style. It also earned De Santis an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Story.

Acting credits

Cinecittà, de Mussolini à la Dolce Vita poster
7.3

Cinecitta is today known as the center of the Italian film industry. But there is a dark past. The film city was solemnly inaugurated in 1937 by Mussolini. Here, propaganda films would be produced to strengthen the dictator's position.

Cinecittà, de Mussolini à la Dolce Vita

2021

God Will Forgive My Pistol poster
5.7

Johnny Texas is asked to inquire about the death of Prescott, a rich landowner accused of having robbed a postal wagon. His investigation upsets Prescott's neighbor, Martin, who will use all possible means to stop him.

God Will Forgive My Pistol

1969

God Will Forgive My Pistol poster
5.7

Johnny Texas is asked to inquire about the death of Prescott, a rich landowner accused of having robbed a postal wagon. His investigation upsets Prescott's neighbor, Martin, who will use all possible means to stop him.

God Will Forgive My Pistol

1969

I'll Teach You to Dream poster
NR

About the work of one of the greatest masters of Soviet cinema — director Mark Donskoy.

I'll Teach You to Dream

1985

Under the Olive Tree poster
7.1

A young shepherd returns home after the Second World War having been held in a prisoner of war camp. He finds that the local landowner has stolen his sheep and his girlfriend. When he also assaults and murders his sister, the shepherd takes revenge.

Under the Olive Tree

1950

Luchino Visconti poster
7.0

A chronological look at the creative life of Luchino Visconti (1906-1976). It examines his theatricality, role in the neorealist movement, use of melodrama, and relation to decadence. It touches on the impact of a fabulously wealthy childhood, his writing for "Cinema," his politics, his work with Renoir, his appreciation of Thomas Mann, and his deep knowledge of literature and the arts. Visconti moves constantly between film and the theater, staging plays provocatively, working with Maria Callas at La Scala, and shooting films in theaters. Clips from his films and interviews with actors, crew members, and critics provide details for this portrait of creativity.

Luchino Visconti

2002

Ricordami poster
10.0

No synopsis available yet.

Ricordami

1955

No artwork available
6.0

A brief tribute to the great director, spanning through some insights about his character, his works, his life, through the words of critics, relatives, colleagues, with a collage technique of interviews, archive footage, and brief excerpts and pictures from some of his works.

Giuseppe De Santis

2008

Necro not(to b)e poster
NR

A montage dedicated to friends, actors and companions who have passed away over the years: from Francesco Tirone to Paviglianiti, two leading figures in the famous Cinico TV series, from Tommaso Lauria to Carmelo Bene. This journey down memory lane (and through pain), created especially for Fuori Orario, was broadcast on the night of Ferragosto.

Necro not(to b)e

2003

Un'altra Italia era possibile - Il cinema di Giuseppe De Santis poster
NR

The documentary aims to tell the story of a director who managed to capture the attention of the whole world and, due to his political and aesthetic coherence, was able to work much less than he deserved. It's the story of a film professor who earned the gratitude and affection of all his students. The tale of a cinephile who successfully combined social and civic commitment with a spectacular talent worthy of Hollywood.

Un'altra Italia era possibile - Il cinema di Giuseppe De Santis

2023

Sergei Eisenstein poster
NR

Documentary made for the 60th anniversary of Soviet director Sergei Eisenstein.

Sergei Eisenstein

1958

Behind the camera

Bitter Rice poster
7.5

Francesca and Walter are two-bit criminals in Northern Italy, and, in an effort to avoid the police, Francesca joins a group of women rice workers. She meets the voluptuous peasant rice worker, Silvana, and the soon-to-be-discharged soldier, Marco. Walter follows her to the rice fields, and the four characters become involved in a complex plot involving robbery, love, and murder.

Bitter Rice

1949

Bitter Rice poster
7.5

Francesca and Walter are two-bit criminals in Northern Italy, and, in an effort to avoid the police, Francesca joins a group of women rice workers. She meets the voluptuous peasant rice worker, Silvana, and the soon-to-be-discharged soldier, Marco. Walter follows her to the rice fields, and the four characters become involved in a complex plot involving robbery, love, and murder.

Bitter Rice

1949

Obsession poster
7.5

Gino, a drifter, begins an affair with inn-owner Giovanna as they plan to get rid of her older husband.

Obsession

1943

Attack and Retreat poster
6.7

Chronicle of the unheralded and unsuccessful invasion of the Soviet Union by the Italian army during World War II.

Attack and Retreat

1964

Attack and Retreat poster
6.7

Chronicle of the unheralded and unsuccessful invasion of the Soviet Union by the Italian army during World War II.

Attack and Retreat

1964

The Year Long Road poster
6.7

Set in an unspecified country and an unspecified time period, the film follows a communist intelectual who, after travelling the world for many decades, decides to return and settle down to the place he grew up in, a small coastal village seemingly forgotten by time itself. With him, he brings news of the dawn of a new world on the horizon, with which he wishes to connect with through constructing a modern highway. This news is welcomed in the village, however, the construction of the road begins to bring out violent conflicts, reveals forbidden romances and ends up regressing the community even further into the darkness from which it wanted to escape.

The Year Long Road

1958

The Year Long Road poster
6.7

Set in an unspecified country and an unspecified time period, the film follows a communist intelectual who, after travelling the world for many decades, decides to return and settle down to the place he grew up in, a small coastal village seemingly forgotten by time itself. With him, he brings news of the dawn of a new world on the horizon, with which he wishes to connect with through constructing a modern highway. This news is welcomed in the village, however, the construction of the road begins to bring out violent conflicts, reveals forbidden romances and ends up regressing the community even further into the darkness from which it wanted to escape.

The Year Long Road

1958

One Appreciated Professional of Sure Future poster
8.0

The young lawyer Vincenzo, Lucetta's new husband, daughter of a building speculator, discovers, on the night of the wedding, that he can not fulfill his duty as husband.

One Appreciated Professional of Sure Future

1972

One Appreciated Professional of Sure Future poster
8.0

The young lawyer Vincenzo, Lucetta's new husband, daughter of a building speculator, discovers, on the night of the wedding, that he can not fulfill his duty as husband.

One Appreciated Professional of Sure Future

1972

Angels of Darkness poster
3.6

When "Tamara" throws herself from the window of their brothel, her colleagues are made to realise that a new law will close down the source of their livelihood. The girls must now find honest work.

Angels of Darkness

1954

Engaged to Death poster
7.0

A tale of love, rivalry and passion set in the 50s, in the madcap world of motorcycle speed races, shot on the occasion of the main competitions of that time, such as Monza’s Moto GP and the last edition of the legendary Milano-Taranto race. With also very rare footage of the Moto Guzzi wind tunnel and factories. The film features, alongside popular actors Rik Battaglia and Sylva Koscina, many of the most important champions of those years: Geoffrey Duke, Libero Liberati, Bill Lomas, Enrico Lorenzetti, Reg Armstrong, Stanley Woods, Ken Cavanagh, Dickie Dale, Thomas Campbell, Pierre Monneret, Albino Milani, Walter Zeller, Bruno Francisci, all of them riding amazing Moto Guzzi, Gilera, Mondial and Norton bikes with the so charming and dangerous dustbin fairings that were going to be banned in 1958.

Engaged to Death

1957

Days of Love poster
6.7

A man and a woman would like to get married, but lack the necessary funds for the traditional "big" wedding. Thus they plan to escape to the countryside and "live in sin".

Days of Love

1954

Rome 11:00 poster
7.7

The story of 5 girls among 200 who answer a wanted ad for a modest secretarial position, which leads to overcrowding in the building and a tragic accident.

Rome 11:00

1952

Rome 11:00 poster
7.7

The story of 5 girls among 200 who answer a wanted ad for a modest secretarial position, which leads to overcrowding in the building and a tragic accident.

Rome 11:00

1952

Days of Love poster
6.7

A man and a woman would like to get married, but lack the necessary funds for the traditional "big" wedding. Thus they plan to escape to the countryside and "live in sin".

Days of Love

1954

A Husband for Anna poster
5.7

Anna Zaccheo is a beautiful young woman from a working class Neapolitan family. Her main concern is to find herself a suitable husband. She meets a young sailor Andrea one day and gets engaged to him. But while she is waiting for Andrea to return from the navy she gets raped by her boss. Her life suddenly takes a downward spiral.

A Husband for Anna

1953

A Husband for Anna poster
5.7

Anna Zaccheo is a beautiful young woman from a working class Neapolitan family. Her main concern is to find herself a suitable husband. She meets a young sailor Andrea one day and gets engaged to him. But while she is waiting for Andrea to return from the navy she gets raped by her boss. Her life suddenly takes a downward spiral.

A Husband for Anna

1953

The Apartment poster
7.5

A building instructor cheats on his wife with a young fashion model.

The Apartment

1960

The Apartment poster
7.5

A building instructor cheats on his wife with a young fashion model.

The Apartment

1960

Men and Wolves poster
6.6

Two young hunters of wolves are involved in a conflict. Besides the dangerous wild wolves, beautiful Teresa is the center of attention.

Men and Wolves

1957

Men and Wolves poster
6.6

Two young hunters of wolves are involved in a conflict. Besides the dangerous wild wolves, beautiful Teresa is the center of attention.

Men and Wolves

1957

Tragic Hunt poster
6.6

Immediately after the war, bandits attack a truck that is transporting newlyweds Michele and Giovanna and the accountant of an agricultural cooperative charged with bringing four million lire into office.

Tragic Hunt

1947

Tragic Hunt poster
6.6

Immediately after the war, bandits attack a truck that is transporting newlyweds Michele and Giovanna and the accountant of an agricultural cooperative charged with bringing four million lire into office.

Tragic Hunt

1947

Outcry poster
6.7

A neorealist tribute to the Italian resistance fighters of World War II.

Outcry

1946