IL TETTO / THE ROOF (1956)

The films that ‘top’ and ‘tail’ the Vittorio De Sica/Cesare Zavattini Neo-Realism cycle don’t get the attention they deserve.*  And while not reaching the heights of SHOESHINE’46, BICYCLE THIEVES/’48 or UMBERTO D./’52 . . . well, what does?  This one comes as Italy entered its economic post-war miracle days, the IL BOOM bubble, seen here in an explosion of building and a housing shortage.  A situation that traps attractive newlyweds Gabriella Pallotta & Giorgio Listuzzia (like most here, non-pros making debuts), forcing them to room with in-laws, ten people in a two & a half room flat.  But desperate times demand . . . desperate housing choices, and a loophole in the building code allows a residence that goes up complete overnight on some available site to get the official okay IF there’s a legit roof on the structure.  Pooling everything on this impossible shot, and borrowing enough to put them in debt for decades, the wife (a surprisingly spunky stubborn little thing - and the one cast member to go on to a decent acting career) and her bricklaying husband take the plunge.  De Sica finding all sorts of obstacles and workarounds: a particularly nasty speculator; a few vacancies dreadful enough to motivate anyone; a family feud mended by need for another pair of expert hands; and a delightful kid from the next door lean-to who knows a few ins-and-outs to at least give them a fighting chance.  Plenty of spirit, plenty of suspense, plenty of arguments, but with D Sica knowing exactly how far he can push without overloading the drama and making this look like a set up.  A fine wrap up to an era of Italian filmmaking.  And, of course, with many great things yet to come in different keys by this remarkable man.

DOUBLE-BILL/LINK: *That Neo-Realism precursor: THE CHILDREN ARE WATCHING US/’44.  https://maksquibs.blogspot.com/2008/05/children-are-watching-us-1943.html

SCREWY THOUGHT OF THE DAY:  *Both these stories working a step or two up the financial ladder from the others which may have something to do with their relative obscurity.  IL TETTO also ends with real (earned) optimism.