Riso amaro(Bitter Rice) an excellent example of neo-realism
9/10
Author: olddiscs from Fords, NJ
17 April 2003

*** This review IS  a spoiler ***

In the 1940s -early 1950s Italian Cinema was at it peak. neo-realism was the stlye The Great Italian Directors came of age: De Sica/Fellini/DeSantis & others the italian movie actresses came in to being :Magnani/Lollabridgida/Loren /Martinelli and most especially here SYLVANA MANGANO.. sultry/earthy/sexy/beautiful/tempestuous etc.. she & her directors created images which one cannot forget!!

The scene in Bitter Rice where she dances solo has to rate with anything Rita Hayworth or Marilyn Monroe did in Hollywood!!wow exciting, sensuous & memorable; as a film ,Bitter Rice ,is a fine example of Italian films of that era.. an exciting depiction of working class Italy & the problems that they endured 1940s...So well done with a fine cast Raf Vallone /Vittorio Gassman & American film actress Doris Dowling in a memorable role as Francesca..

the scenes in the rice field with the working women are most effective for me..The plot gets a bit melodramatic with multiple shootings etc at end, & Manganos great ..... scene. (il raconte tout ce grand niais) However her finest moment is in the rice field , in the rain, when she is raped(seduced) by the leacherous Walter (Gassmann) her reaction to that moment is incredible!! Great to see again & again !!