Les partisans attaquent à l'aube

Good Italian movie in black and white, telling a true history of Italian resistance against German and Fascist. The title means "A lions day" ad is derived from a phrase written on a wall during First World War, near the resistance line of river Piave in 1917: "is better to live a day as lion than a thousand years as a sheep". The picture contains many episodes that those who lived these terrible years remember well: mopping up of young peoples, bullying of Germans and fascists, the life of partisans in the worst conditions. The actors do their best, moving the moment when one of the partisan is compelled to shot one of his university companions, in order to avoid the capture.

"A good neorealist film depicting the dramatic events of the Italian Civil War triggered by the armistice of September 8, 1943, and the partisan struggle against the new German occupying enemy.

The movie features a strong cast of actors who deliver professional performances in their respective roles, resulting in a highly believable outcome. Good cinematography, along with well-structured narrative and dialogue, make this a film of commendable storytelling finesse.

In the film, the protagonists are portrayed as they truly are-ordinary people who, in a unique situation, act courageously, devoid of heroics or war glorification. It is a film that narrates, without propagandizing, the poignant experiences of the common folk during a tumultuous historical moment. In spite of the overall positive cinematic outcome, the film does not reach a higher level, much less can it be considered among the masterpieces of the genre. However, deep down, I don't think it was one of the production's aspirations either.