When I was younger I could take the easy way.
But as I have grown older I have found that increasingly impossible.
In moments of weakness I think of money. A job. Adventure.
But none of that really matters.
What matters is our fellow human beings.
Dear friends, this film (Rome, Open City) is an extremely moving experience.
What I try to bring to you as an amateur film critic are the words of a man immersed in the film…baptized…in the experience of each film.
Most pieces of cinema are not worth this effort, but occasionally a film is worth every minute…every second…every tear shed.
Roma città aperta is a masterpiece from director Roberto Rossellini. This is a very famous film because of the milieu in which it was made.
WWII was not even over. You can imagine how hard it must have been to get film stock (film for the camera) while Europe was in flames and Italy was a defeated country occupied by the Allies.
But this film tells of Italy occupied by the Nazis (and, indeed, Rome was occupied by the Nazis prior to American occupation).
But all of these descriptions I’m giving you…they mean nothing.
What you must understand about this film is that it did something which no film before it had done.
This film was infused with the sorrow of the World Wars, but was presented as one would present a documentary.
Hence the name neorealism.
Anna Magnani is so beautiful, but not glamorous. She is beautiful because she is believable. It takes a philosophical film director to deliver such a performance. It also takes a hell of an actress!
Roma città aperta is like an opera by Mascagni or Leoncavallo. Verismo!
Act I ends with Magnani running after her fiancé. The SS have literally come to take him away. And her weaving, desperate run became an iconic film moment which wouldn’t be adequately interpolated back into the cinematic discussion till Jean-Paul Belmondo took the entire Rue Campagne-Première to die in À Bout de souffle.
Godard was young. À Bout de souffle was his first film.
Godard took the easy way. Postmodernism.
A bit from here and a bit from there. Voila!
But later Godard grew a conscience. And his conscience helped him find himself kicked to the curb of the film industry.
In our film, Aldo Fabrizi is the voice of conscience.
He plays the priest don Pietro.
He’s not your average priest.
This is a guy who stands against the Nazis.
Don Pietro helps the resistance.
Don Pietro gives and gives and gives and asks nothing.
He is a true man of God…a true humanitarian.
He helps anyone in need…atheists, communists, it doesn’t matter.
But one thing is important.
Don Pietro has made a value judgment concerning the Nazis.
He has discerned who the enemy is.
That is a large step.
Today, we are told every day who our enemy is supposed to be.
The worst offender is Fox News, but the other networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC) are all equally devoid of journalistic merit.
As for the print media, The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, and The Washington Post are completely worthless.
If you lived in Nazi Germany, you would have been bombarded with propaganda about how the Jews were the enemy and how the Jews were responsible for every conceivable ill in society.
That was, of course, untrue.
In America today, we are told (particularly by the infantile Fox News) that Islam and Muslims are the enemy and that every conceivable problem in the world today relates back to this group.
This is, obviously, untrue.
The other three/five networks (ABC, NBC, CBS, CNN, MSNBC) are more eager to push gun control (something which Hitler would no doubt have applauded).
And so, I propose to you, dear readers that what we are seeing in the world today is an array of psychological operations which mirror something about which Italy knows only too well: Operation Gladio.
But I propose to you that what we are seeing nowadays are multiple Gladios run by gently-warring factions of the New World Order.
The biggest Gladio in operation (a series of false-flag attacks accompanied by fake wars) is the one being run by the neoconservative faction of the New World Order (including several prominent Zionists who, despite holding high U.S. government offices [and Top Secret clearances], held dual citizenship during their terms of service to the U.S. with Israel and the U.S.). This Gladio brought you the Paris attacks. This Gladio is responsible for the War “on” Terror (including the synthetic Arab army/marketing confection known as ISIS). And finally, this Gladio almost certainly brought you the San Bernardino shooting as well.
The main goal of the neoconservative Gladio is endless war. It is a macro operation. It operates on the level of geopolitics. War profiteering, oil, drugs… The neoconservative Gladio brought you the mother of all false-flags: 9/11.
On the other hand is the liberal Gladio. The liberal Gladio brought you Sandy Hook (their masterpiece). Their other suspected jobs are Aurora (the Batman shooter) and Umpqua. It wouldn’t be a stretch to also include the OKC bombing and the Waco massacre of the Branch Davidians. But focusing on the first three cases alone (Sandy Hook, Aurora, Umpqua), it is very clear that the liberal Gladio has as its main goal gun control.
The liberal Gladio is operating on a micro (or domestic) level. The San Bernardino shooting was meant to make Obama look soft on crime. The neocon gang which engineered the shooting exhibited perfect timing as Obama had recently announced an initiative to reclaim MRAPs from local law enforcement across the country (in response to police abuse of power). The neocons took a page out of the liberal false-flags-for-gun-control playbook on this one, but the main goal was endless war. [This, of course, didn’t prevent Obama from trying to leverage the event to prop up HIS faction’s agenda.]
The unfortunate equation is that neither side can expose the deeds of the opposing side because they are both dealing in untruths. Obama has, up until now, squandered his opportunity to bring the neocons of the Bush administration to task for 9/11 and the fraudulent War “on” Terror. Indeed, Obama has only proven that he himself is a fraud down to his very core.
The layers-upon-layers of lies in the United States cannot hold. Snowden pierced the veil. Only those with a conscience can save us now.
-PD
paulydeathwish 
I’ve read a new article about Gladio in Turkey last week. It was about what a former fascist did in Turkey. This man is born in Yugoslavia in 1917. He joined in the Nazi units during 2. World War in Yugoslavia. After he fought against Tito in Yugoslavia, he is coming to Turkey. He is already from Turkish-Bosnian. He enters the parliament of Turkey in 1973. He would be one of those organizations before the 12 September, 1980 fascist coup in Turkey. After then, the letters between he and German right-wing former Nazi Franz Josef Strauss, emerges. After September 12 he is going to United States. He had connections with the CIA. And it turns out that even the guns came into Turkey through these CIA agents and this man. After he is settling in Germany. In Germany at those time he is supporting the Cemalettin Kaplan who is known as black voice and imam.
Here is this article my dear Earthling friend.
http://www.sozcu.com.tr/2015/yazarlar/soner-yalcin/turkiyenin-karanliklar-prensi-murat-bayrak-997399/
I want to say that Gladio is very deep and I guess, noone will not able to learn full what Gladio connections in all world. And that man always says in his writing with the other connections:
“Communism is a danger for Turkey we have to make whatever it takes for this danger.”
The point where I wanted to came or the question what I wanted to ask for learning(beceuse I really don’t know):
If we compare with the fear of communism in Turkey, how big is islamphobia in USA?
Because you cannot tell easly that you’re an atheist or communist in society at Turkey. For example as far I know Muslims can walk around dressed as they wish at the EU or USA. Ok someones can approach to them with prejudice for their clothes. But the subject is “they can dress”. Is that a freedom, isn’t it? But in Turkey or Middle East, if you are a communist or atheist, only you can come out with organized as a group, not by oneself. Because if you do this as individual and alone, there is a high possibility about entering the prison or maybe to be killed. Maybe not first day, or not second day, but if a communist or atheist explains oneself continuously in public, the place that he/she will go is the grave or prison.
I am really wonder, Muslims at there is in danger like that?
Thank you my friend! Yes, there was a Turkish version of Gladio called Counter-Guerilla. Also, I am curious about this Ergenekon organization. I don’t know too much about either one.
I would say there is definitely Islamophobia in America. After the collapse of the Soviet Union, those in charge of shaping public opinion here gradually maneuvered us into fearing Islam and Muslims.
In general, it seems to me a continued manipulation of mujahideen-type groups (which dates back to the CIA funding of bin Laden during the Soviet-Afghan War as part of Operation Cyclone).
I must admit that you probably know more about Islam and the Islamic world than me because you live in a Muslim region. I just don’t like the U.S. propaganda vilifying Islam because it reminds me of the ignorant statements by Reagan calling the USSR “the evil empire”.
As far as I understand after the second world war period, at the west, anti-communism propaganda is making as the first threat. Later 11 September in particular, it gives place to anti-Islamic propaganda. If at east, the Islam religion is used against Soviet regime. Already the green belt project is built on it. They put an idea in front of a religion(IslamxCommunism). What a dilemma! Any idea cannot compare with any religion! And, in this process, Turkey is becoming the center of the green belt project.
Damage to Turkey’s secular structure also starts like this. And people see communism as the greatest danger in the east. Because ignorance is so great in here that the size of this ignorance cannot be explained. Even sometimes you cannot breath in front of this ignorance. And there isn’t any Don Pietro who can help to you in here.
For example, most profitable side has been Islamist side after September 12, 1980 military coup in Turkey. After this event most people who are right and left wing fled from Turkey, or in prison or dead. But the Islamists become out more stronger after this coup. And its known that behind this coup had CIA. They knew that if they break the secular structure of Turkey, they can establish easily a structure in the region against Eastern block. In fact, all event in todays are connected at past events.
And I am admire to your knowledge again, my dear Earthling friend:) How can you know counter-guerilla from another corner of this planet:) And, Contrary to popular belief, Ergenekon has nothing to do with them. On the contrary, the process of Ergenekon was for decommissioning of the Ataturkist and anti-imperialist officers and generals at Turkish army. Just exactly they who wants to the puppet administrations, wanted. One day, even soon I will try to write about it. After this period, Ergenekon cases have led the Turkish army’s current situation. Previously more independent army is now entirely dependent on NATO. They started a witch hunt, and they slandered the honourable officers with false evidences and witnesses.
Sounds like a beautiful film. I had read details of the plot before but didn’t really consider what it must have been like to make a film like this in 1945.
Interesting discussion of propaganda. I’m sure in 1000 years time, when no one has any national or personal interest in the affairs of today, no one will see Syrian and Libyan refugees as the villains here. That is, if there’s anyone left.
To think Clinton can condemn Snowden when she should be facing trial for legitimate crimes against humanity. What a situation we’re all in.
Yes, Trump seems to be voicing the wildest, most bigoted, closeted dreams of the Republican Party. First he alienated me with his anti-immigrant stance towards Mexico. Now his rhetoric concerning the banning of Muslim immigrants has only further convinced me that he is insane. Trump will do/say anything to win. And that is exactly what should be suspected of a sleazy businessman like himself. Only extreme national ignorance could engender the anti-refugee tide which has risen in the U.S. Speaking of Hillary, I wouldn’t vote for her if my life depended on it. Sanders has it generally right regarding Snowden and I applaud him for that. To be fair to Trump (not that he’s deserving of such), his stance towards Putin (engagement and diplomacy) is refreshing coming from the frothing-at-the-mouth right (Cruz, Fiorina, etc.). –Paul
Trump is a definitely a new force in modern US politics. What’s endearing is he’s not simply paid for. You’re right though. He has basically shown himself to be just aiming at power over anything else.
Something interesting might still happen. Mabe never through elections, but if these atypical campaigns reach people out of the complacent center-ground, that might be enough to involve people in something more worthwhile. That’s just blind optimism, though.
I hear you. I don’t think Trump is an entirely negative force. I suppose that accounting for his projected policies in terms of beneficial for Americans and harmful for Americans is a tricky but of calculus. I find his ostensible xenophobia the most problematic of his propositions. –Paul