Europe '51 (1952)

Lux Films
Director: Roberto Rossellini
Starring: Ingrid Bergman, Alexander Knox

Marking the first official collaboration Ingrid Bergman and Roberto Rossellini as star and director as a wedded couple came as a controversy, not for their scandalous relationship that proceeded it, but for the film’s subject matter. Europe ’51 takes a step back to critique social morals from both religious and political points of view in a tale of discovery in the aftermath of loss. A product of post-war Europe, where a social, emotional, psychological, and physically scarred nation was reevaluating life in a changed world, Rossellini makes this picture as a observation on what history does to individuals in the moment compared to legacy.

 

Europe ’51 is an Italian neorealist drama about the wealthy woman finding solace in humanitarianism in the wake of her son’s death. The wife of an American industrialist living in Rome, Irene Girard (Ingrid Bergman) is met with the tragedy of her young son’s apparent suicide spurred by her neglected affection. Inspired to look beyond herself Irene observes the misfortunes of the less fortunate, sacrificing to help others, the likes include a prostitute, an unwed mother, and children, acts that disturb of her husband, George (Alexander Knox). In aiding one young boy in need avoid the police Irene lands herself in trouble with the law and is sent to a mental institution, where authorities and her husband deem her unstable from effects of her son’s death. Despite being declared unbalanced, she is considered saintly by those whom she helped.  

 

A picture observably not as polished in production in comparison to a Hollywood feature of its day, Europe ’51 remains a solid Italian neorealism feature with a strong message like many other films of Europe’s post-war era. Hindered by sound design resulted from its production simultaneously produced in English and Italian, the picture is jumbled at times. However, once the story picks up steam is plows through with its social message with a conclusion about society’s ills with a hope for change. Its heavy leftist outlook can create a polarizing product, but with the passage of time can be digested for what it was, and somewhat still relevant in the generations that followed.

 

Inspired by Saint Francis of Assisi, Rossellini wanted to produce a story about a saint-like person living in the modern post-war Rome and how even though such saintly beliefs are edified a modern world one’s actions would still look upon as those of insane person. Such a tale was meant to present a mirror to society and create a negative reflection that was sure to not sit well with many in one way or other, but it was the idea that drove the filmmaker creatively. Presenting the idea to his wife, Ingrid Bergman, it was to be their first project together as husband and wife with her portraying the saintly lead.

 

From near beginning to end Europe ’51 for a turbulent production. After a lengthy period of in pursuit of backers for the project which led to script rewrites shuffling plot location to Paris and later back to Rome for its setting, the filmed moved into the troubled casting process. Bergman would carry the picture, but filling in the surrounding cast for the film marred with controversy would be difficult. This was thanks in part to the Bergman/Rossellini marriage attached to the feature along with the contentious subject matter, making it was difficult to find people willing to fill the roles.

 

Canadian born actor Alexander Knox was cast as troubled husband George, whom disagrees with his wife, only to have her declared insane than to see the world from her angle. Taking upon the role Knox was experiencing his own a period of Hollywood shunning thanks to his sympathies towards socialism while McCarthyism overtook America. Fellow Italian filmmaker Ettore Giannini provides intriguing role of a Communist intellectual in a rare acting appearance. Perhaps the most rapturing performance in the picture comes from Giulietta Masina as the unabashed cheerful unwed mother, ever poor, but sacrificing and tender because of her love for children. The wife to Italian filmmaker Federico Fellini, Masina has a way in her performance that is gravitating, a performance style that led even Charlie Chaplin to consider her the most moving actress he had ever seen.

 

Once the picture moved into production things were no less chaotic. Shot around Rome, reporters and photographers hounded the filming locations as Bergman and Rossellini were subjects for headlines. Despite most of the cast being Italian the picture was being produced in English, creating language issues and leading to plenty of recorded dialogue in post-production. Much of the filming was rushed due largely to Bergman being pregnant at the time with the couple’s twins.  Hoping to capture the scenes before signs of her pregnancy was showing the crew worked as fast as they could, leading to frantic nature of production. Despite all the chaos, Bergman remained calm, most times being seen knitting for her eventual children even in preparation for the most emotional scenes of the picture.

 

When Europe ’51 premiered on the final day of he 1952 Venice Film Festival it was met with generally positive reviews, winning an International Award from the festival. However, that appeared to be the peak of the picture’s success as wider release of the feature saw its decline. To meet certain aspects of Italian film codes, parts of scenes were edited out of the movie geared negativity towards religious and the political establishment. It would not get any better at the feature found its way overseas. America would not get a release until 1954 where it would be retitled The Greatest Love, with nine additional minutes shaved off from the Italian release. In great part the film lacked positive critical publicity, and what attention it did get may have been because of the names of the star and director attached.

 

It would take decades until film scholars were able to begin to view the picture for the production it was, giving the film more favorable reviews as a work of Rossellini and Bergman. Decades removed from it release Europe ’51 can be observed as Rossellini’s view on the then modern world. Through its sadness its message is clearer the more an audience is able to step back from it, and sadly it took decades before many were far enough away from it to properly digest it. That being said, it remains a well-produced neorealism picture, but its technical flaws can be a distraction. However, don’t let that interfere with your viewing as both star and filmmaker deliver a wonderful picture together during this period of their relationship.