The Four Days of Naples (Italian: Le quattro giornate di Napoli) is a 1962 Italian film, directed by Nanni Loy and set during the uprising (28 September 1943 to 1 October 1943) which gives its name. It stars Regina Bianchi, Aldo Giuffrè, Lea Massari, Jean Sorel, Franco Sportelli, Charles Belmont, Gian Maria Volonté and Frank Wolff.
The film won the Nastro d'Argento for Best Director, and was nominated for the Academy Awards for Best Foreign Language Film and Best Original Screenplay, and a BAFTA Award for Best Film. At the 3rd Moscow International Film Festival in 1963, the film was awarded with the FIPRESCI Prize.
Contents
Plot
Following the truce between Italy and the Allies in World War II, German forces occupy Naples and begin to shoot resisters, demolish port facilities and round up young men to be transported to Germany as forced labour. The city's population, aware that Allied forces are close and determined to disrupt the deportations, revolt against the Germans following the public execution of an Italian sailor. This sparks a spontaneous insurrection among the Neapolitans who despite their limited arms and organization, forced the German forces to retreat from the city just before Allied troops arrive by advancing from the Salerno beachhead.
Cast
Regina Bianchi as Concetta Capuozzo (as Régina Bianchi)
Aldo Giuffrè as Pitrella
Lea Massari as Maria
Jean Sorel as sailor livornese
Franco Sportelli as Prof. Rosati
Charles Belmont as Sailor
Gian Maria Volonté as captain Royal Italian Army
Frank Wolff as Salvatore
Luigi De Filippo as Cicillo
Pupella Maggio as Arturo's Mother
Georges Wilson as Reformatory Director
Raffaele Barbato as Ajello
Rosalia Maggio as concerned woman
Enzo Cannavale as partisan
Domenico Formato as Gennaro Capuozzo
Production
The film was shot on location in the streets of Naples where the events actually happened. The film's producers emphatically stated that the "stars" of the film are "the people of Naples" and in tribute to them and to those that died, the professional cast of actors agreed to omit their names from the film's credits.
Reception
The Four Days of Naples has an approval rating of 80% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 5 reviews, and an average rating of 7.5/10.