World War II left much of Europe ruined. Great cities had been reduced to rubble, and the citizens of the defeated countries began to realize that their former leaders had perpetrated despicable acts. Movie critic Richard Alleva introduces and analyzes four classics that capture the postwar situation in a way that’s both candid and thoroughly entertaining. In each movie a person tries to recover something precious that was stolen from him or her by the chaos of war. The remarkably varied selections include a thriller, a comedy, and two of the most heartbreaking dramas ever made.
The first film of this series is The Truce (1997), directed by Francesco Rosi. When Russian soldiers liberated the Auschwitz death camp, most of the inmates faced a bewildering, arduous journey home. Chemist Primo Levi, and Italian Jew who later became one of Europe’s greatest writers, had to trek through Eastern Europe to get back to Turin. This adaptation of Levi’s book, The Reawakening, is both an epic adventure story (some of it surprisingly funny) and a quiet, introspective look at a man trying to regain his faith in humanity.
All showings are at noon. Drop-in, no registration.
Sponsored by The Friends of the Russell Library.
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