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7.8/10
6K
YOUR RATING
In rural Sicily, the fishermen live at the mercy of the greedy wholesalers. One family risks everything to buy their own boat and operate independently.In rural Sicily, the fishermen live at the mercy of the greedy wholesalers. One family risks everything to buy their own boat and operate independently.In rural Sicily, the fishermen live at the mercy of the greedy wholesalers. One family risks everything to buy their own boat and operate independently.
- Director
- Writers
- Stars
- Awards
- 1 win & 1 nomination total
Luchino Visconti
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Antonio Pietrangeli
- Narrator
- (voice)
- (uncredited)
Antonio Arcidiacono
- Ntoni
- (uncredited)
Giuseppe Arcidiacono
- Cola
- (uncredited)
Venera Bonaccorso
- La vecchia che ride
- (uncredited)
Nicola Castorino
- Nicola
- (uncredited)
Rosa Catalano
- Rosa
- (uncredited)
Rosa Costanzo
- Nedda
- (uncredited)
Alfio Fichera
- Michele
- (uncredited)
Carmela Fichera
- La baronessa
- (uncredited)
Agnese Giammona
- Lucia
- (uncredited)
Nelluccia Giammona
- Mara
- (uncredited)
Ignazio Maccarone
- Maccarone
- (uncredited)
Giovanni Maiorana
- Un bambino
- (uncredited)
Antonino Micale
- Vanni
- (uncredited)
Maria Micale
- La madre
- (uncredited)
- Director
- Writers
- All cast & crew
- Production, box office & more at IMDbPro
Featured reviews
This moving slice of life has several acts and moves like an opera, but the scenes are "neo-realistic" in the best sense.
All of Visconti's actors are from the Sicilian fishing village, but they were not acting--just portraying their lives. You care about these real people!
Family is everything--and it survives despite the buffeting by the storms, the stranglehold of the oligarchical wholesalers, and shortsightedness of the townspeople. We see the exploitation of the fishermen vividly and how most accept it as "God's will."
It also brings to mind the old joke: What is the difference between capitalism and communism? Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man, and communism is just the reverse.
All of Visconti's actors are from the Sicilian fishing village, but they were not acting--just portraying their lives. You care about these real people!
Family is everything--and it survives despite the buffeting by the storms, the stranglehold of the oligarchical wholesalers, and shortsightedness of the townspeople. We see the exploitation of the fishermen vividly and how most accept it as "God's will."
It also brings to mind the old joke: What is the difference between capitalism and communism? Capitalism is the exploitation of man by man, and communism is just the reverse.
Although it was supposed to be a documentary, Visconti put in a slight story line to achieve what a documentary would have done, AND MORE. --He used no professional actors, just native Sicilian fishermen, and other villagers, to play all parts. -- The film uses no artificial lighting, no sound enhancement, sound-effects, or dubbing. -- It was filmed on location in, and around, the crumbling homes of the poor villagers, and it was recorded in the Sicilian dialect (rather than proper Italian), and although it has a documentary "look", Visconti shows the exploitation of the poor by the capitalist middlemen so much more effectively than any documentary could have done.
-- Also, while not the first neo-realist film of that post-war Italian genre, this was the first film to be described by the term: "neo-realist". --A brilliant film on all counts. I rated it "10".
-- Also, while not the first neo-realist film of that post-war Italian genre, this was the first film to be described by the term: "neo-realist". --A brilliant film on all counts. I rated it "10".
The first time I had encountered the director Luchino Visconti was when I was more and more into the Italian Neorealism, the movement that can probably be considered one of the most genuine waves in European cinema. Having seen Visconti's most popular movies, including IL GATTOPARDO, L'OSSESSIONE, LA CADUTA DEGLI DEI or MORTE A VENEZIA as well as his earlier productions, I started to understand his conception of art in movie and it gradually appealed to me more. However, I realized that Visconti was the aristocrat who became a member of the Communist party representing the left wing of Italian artists. Even this film made way for the Italian socialists, which, for me, is not a very privileged information. But that is not the gist of my analysis. The most important aspect for me is the artistic side of the whole work, something in terms of which we evaluate LA TERRA TREMA nowadays.
LA TERRA TREMA, though not a top notch Neorealist work, is a film that resembles almost all the principles of Neorealism retained by the great directors: Rossellini, DeSica, Pasolini. At the same time, all of these aspects are still much appreciated and searched by many today's authors.
First, the cast consist of all non-professionals: simple fishermen of Sicily where, naturally, everyone has the role he/she knows how to perform in real life. And how they do in the movie: perfectly, the whole story is very authentic thanks to them. Sometimes, the performances are so well managed that you, as an experienced 21st century viewer, do not feel it's all acting. Moreover, they feel comfortable in the locations they know: so magical places of the Sicilian coast.
Second, the movie refers to the very realistic situations that were obvious in the Italy of that time. It was 1948 and the country was suffering the horrific consequences of WWII and the regime of "Il Duce" Mussolini. The tragic story of the Valastro family is something many people could empathize with at the time and, moreover, can still empathize nowadays. Ntonio, though formerly respected member of the community (Sicilian village of Acci Trezza) starts to lose everything. There comes a day when he has no job, is taken advantage of any time being no more respected. His brother Cola is on the verge of despair leaving the family to find a better future. Two sisters experience hardship as young women. The grandpa gets ill. The whole family is on the verge of total tragedy when they are forced to leave the house, their only property. The monotonous life gets even worse, turns into the life of poverty, helplessness and suffering. Is there a way to live a normal life in such circumstances?
Third, the whole movie is a profound development of characters within these very personal stories. Ntonio is an idealist who tells his brother that his love to his hometown has kept him there and will keep him till his death ("We were born here and we will die here"). At the same time, he is easily brought to despair (starts to spend the nights drinking in taverns). Cola is a youngster who respects his family but desires a better life. I'll never forget the scene he says "Farewell" to the picture of his family when sorrow is combined with fear and helplessness with desire. Mara is a very religious young woman who accepts sorrows and hardship claiming this all is the Will of God. The other sister, Lucia, is a normal girl, like every other; yet the tragic situation leads her to the cold acceptance of "male use." The little shining necklace seems to steal her heart.
Similarly to the top Neorealist movies, like GERMANIA ANNO ZERO or ROMA CITTA APERTA, LA TERRA TREMA focuses on individuals in the society, in the community at hard times. On the one hand, there are so many praying women at Valastro's house when the grandfather is being taken to Catania, to hospital; on the other hand, the Valastro family hear very bitter words "God has punished you for your pride!" from the same people. It is not the ostentation but solidarity of people that leads to better future, better life; it is the lack of solidarity that leads to hell on earth. That is beautifully executed in Ntonio's conversation with a simple girl on the shore at his past boat: "I'd gladly help you"... Politically and historically speaking, that was the point which gave way to socialist ideas.
But so far, I have not touched the most significant aspect why the film is so much worth seeing. Although it is pretty long, it is black and white, it has the narrator that may distract some of the modern viewers, LA TERRA TREMA is "like a loaf of bread to the poor", a wonderful gift for today's viewers who may see what a film may be like, how many messages it can convey, not from the political perspective only but from a simple empathy with humanity, which was most precious thing about Neorealism calling for change. Although these times are gone forever and some islands of poverty turned into isles of prosperity, this change is still so desirable...
See this! You'll not regret and don't be discouraged by its length and documentary like style. It's worth your search! By the way, one of the assistant directors of the movie was Maestro Franco Zeffirelli
LA TERRA TREMA, though not a top notch Neorealist work, is a film that resembles almost all the principles of Neorealism retained by the great directors: Rossellini, DeSica, Pasolini. At the same time, all of these aspects are still much appreciated and searched by many today's authors.
First, the cast consist of all non-professionals: simple fishermen of Sicily where, naturally, everyone has the role he/she knows how to perform in real life. And how they do in the movie: perfectly, the whole story is very authentic thanks to them. Sometimes, the performances are so well managed that you, as an experienced 21st century viewer, do not feel it's all acting. Moreover, they feel comfortable in the locations they know: so magical places of the Sicilian coast.
Second, the movie refers to the very realistic situations that were obvious in the Italy of that time. It was 1948 and the country was suffering the horrific consequences of WWII and the regime of "Il Duce" Mussolini. The tragic story of the Valastro family is something many people could empathize with at the time and, moreover, can still empathize nowadays. Ntonio, though formerly respected member of the community (Sicilian village of Acci Trezza) starts to lose everything. There comes a day when he has no job, is taken advantage of any time being no more respected. His brother Cola is on the verge of despair leaving the family to find a better future. Two sisters experience hardship as young women. The grandpa gets ill. The whole family is on the verge of total tragedy when they are forced to leave the house, their only property. The monotonous life gets even worse, turns into the life of poverty, helplessness and suffering. Is there a way to live a normal life in such circumstances?
Third, the whole movie is a profound development of characters within these very personal stories. Ntonio is an idealist who tells his brother that his love to his hometown has kept him there and will keep him till his death ("We were born here and we will die here"). At the same time, he is easily brought to despair (starts to spend the nights drinking in taverns). Cola is a youngster who respects his family but desires a better life. I'll never forget the scene he says "Farewell" to the picture of his family when sorrow is combined with fear and helplessness with desire. Mara is a very religious young woman who accepts sorrows and hardship claiming this all is the Will of God. The other sister, Lucia, is a normal girl, like every other; yet the tragic situation leads her to the cold acceptance of "male use." The little shining necklace seems to steal her heart.
Similarly to the top Neorealist movies, like GERMANIA ANNO ZERO or ROMA CITTA APERTA, LA TERRA TREMA focuses on individuals in the society, in the community at hard times. On the one hand, there are so many praying women at Valastro's house when the grandfather is being taken to Catania, to hospital; on the other hand, the Valastro family hear very bitter words "God has punished you for your pride!" from the same people. It is not the ostentation but solidarity of people that leads to better future, better life; it is the lack of solidarity that leads to hell on earth. That is beautifully executed in Ntonio's conversation with a simple girl on the shore at his past boat: "I'd gladly help you"... Politically and historically speaking, that was the point which gave way to socialist ideas.
But so far, I have not touched the most significant aspect why the film is so much worth seeing. Although it is pretty long, it is black and white, it has the narrator that may distract some of the modern viewers, LA TERRA TREMA is "like a loaf of bread to the poor", a wonderful gift for today's viewers who may see what a film may be like, how many messages it can convey, not from the political perspective only but from a simple empathy with humanity, which was most precious thing about Neorealism calling for change. Although these times are gone forever and some islands of poverty turned into isles of prosperity, this change is still so desirable...
See this! You'll not regret and don't be discouraged by its length and documentary like style. It's worth your search! By the way, one of the assistant directors of the movie was Maestro Franco Zeffirelli
In 1947, in Sicily near Catania, the fishermen in Aci Trezza have been exploited by generations by the local middlemen. The young 'Ntoni Valastro rebels against the economical situation of his poor family and convinces the Valastro to mortgage their simple house in the Fidania Bank in Catania to buy a fish boat of their own and never work again for the wholesalers. In a stormy day, he decides to fish due to the necessity of repaying the debt to the bank; however, the storm destroys his boat and the dream of his family. Without any support and job, 'Ntoni sees the disintegration of his outcast family.
"La Terra Trema: Episodio del Mare" is a heartbreaking, bitter and cruel story of a family of fishermen that decides to change their poor economical situation facing the powerful exploiters. The Marxist "Red Count" Luchino Visconti directs and narrates this little masterpiece of the Italian Neo-Realism casting non-professional actors and actresses, actually fishermen and inhabitants of Aci Trezza. The abusive treatment of the greedy and idle wholesalers gives an idea of how workers were exploited in this period of history and the reason for the ideological fight of classes between Communism and Capitalism. In Brazil, this film was released on DVD by Versátil Distributor. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "A Terra Treme" ("The Earth Shakes")
"La Terra Trema: Episodio del Mare" is a heartbreaking, bitter and cruel story of a family of fishermen that decides to change their poor economical situation facing the powerful exploiters. The Marxist "Red Count" Luchino Visconti directs and narrates this little masterpiece of the Italian Neo-Realism casting non-professional actors and actresses, actually fishermen and inhabitants of Aci Trezza. The abusive treatment of the greedy and idle wholesalers gives an idea of how workers were exploited in this period of history and the reason for the ideological fight of classes between Communism and Capitalism. In Brazil, this film was released on DVD by Versátil Distributor. My vote is nine.
Title (Brazil): "A Terra Treme" ("The Earth Shakes")
Luchino Visconti was a great Italian master director who along with Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio De Sica, is regarded as one of the pioneers of Italian Neorealism. 'Ossessione' was Visconti's first film and in some quarters it is hailed as the first neo-realist film ever made. Whether 'Ossessione' should be considered a neo-realist film or not is debatable, but if ever a film epitomised the Italian neo- realist experience, in my mind it is 'La Terra Trema'(along with a few others). It tells the story of the exploitation of the working-class fishermen in Aci Trezza by focusing on one particular family, the Valastros.
There are some films where the philosophies and sensibilities of the filmmaker can be skewed to the left or maybe the right. But in the case of 'La Terra Trema', saying that Visconti's stance on the issue of the condition and the treatment of the fishermen in Aci Trezza is skewed to the left is a huge understatement. Visconti addresses the issue by showcasing a ruthlessly damning indictment of the wholesalers and the capitalist social structure as a whole and its effect on the poor and the helpless. Visconti authentically depicts the hard and brutal life led by the working-class families who live under pressure to earn a living. They have to get up each day, they men and women have to embark on a cyclical routine of mundane activities with the hope of earning the meager amount which will earn them their food for the next day. We see the wholesalers exploit the fishermen by offering them low prices for the fish that they catch putting their lives on the line. The Valastros try to break open from this never-ending cycle of oppression and inadequacy by deciding to deviate from the market structure and work independently. But Visconti shows that the cruel and expensive nature of their work coupled with the all encompassing market structure will inevitably render all ambitious attempts of independence futile in the long run.
The film starts in a very documentary-like manner. We start at the stroke of dawn with bells ringing in the distance. Hordes of fishermen are seen flocking towards beaches. But we don't see faces. We see these figures in the darkness of dawn walking around. One of the primary characters in the film, Mara then is seen opening the door of the Valastros' house and that in a thematic sense introduces us to the characters that enrich this world. This gets juxtaposed beautifully with the shot that ends the film where the Valastros again become a part of the faceless masses.
Visconti before starting to make films on his own, used to work as an assistant to the great French auteur Jean Renoir and I saw Renoir's influence all over 'La Terra Trema'. The slick camera movement to reveal characters who were off screen, the humanism and the imagery is heavily inspired by Renoir. Visconti uses the trademark Renoir frame within a frame composition extensively throughout the film which almost gives a 3-d like feel to the images. There are so many beautiful images in the film that will stay with me. But my favourite image is the shot of the three women standing on the rocks and looking out at the sea. It is haunting, evocative and gorgeous. The grand and expansive photography involved in capturing the sea and beaches gets beautifully juxtaposed by the claustrophobic nature of the shots inside the Valastros' home.
The fact that Visconti used the real people of Aci Trezza in the film instead of professional actors actually lends a bit of authenticity. Yes Visconti uses visual style and flair, but he never does it by compromising the human element of the film. Yes with amateurs at the helm, the acting is a bit stiff at times, but considering what Visconti is going for, the intentions are noble and the viewer can easily look past it.
My only problem with the film which prevents me from giving the film a perfect 10 involves a scene that comes close to the end of the film where the wholesalers start mocking Antonio. This is a scene where the tone gets a little too over-the-top and goofy which didn't fit with the realism of the rest of the film. I think, a little subtlety and sarcasm would have worked better. The relentless laughter could have been replaced by snide sarcastic remarks.
'La Terra Trema' is a beautiful depiction of humanity in its most raw, helpless state. Visconti attacks the capitalist system by showcasing its harsh effects on the poor. The film isn't a very hopeful one, but considering the time during the which it was made, the pessimism is warranted. The plight of Valastros family and Antonio in particular reminded me of the story of Icarus. In their quest for freedom from oppression, they ended up flying a little too close to the sun.
There are some films where the philosophies and sensibilities of the filmmaker can be skewed to the left or maybe the right. But in the case of 'La Terra Trema', saying that Visconti's stance on the issue of the condition and the treatment of the fishermen in Aci Trezza is skewed to the left is a huge understatement. Visconti addresses the issue by showcasing a ruthlessly damning indictment of the wholesalers and the capitalist social structure as a whole and its effect on the poor and the helpless. Visconti authentically depicts the hard and brutal life led by the working-class families who live under pressure to earn a living. They have to get up each day, they men and women have to embark on a cyclical routine of mundane activities with the hope of earning the meager amount which will earn them their food for the next day. We see the wholesalers exploit the fishermen by offering them low prices for the fish that they catch putting their lives on the line. The Valastros try to break open from this never-ending cycle of oppression and inadequacy by deciding to deviate from the market structure and work independently. But Visconti shows that the cruel and expensive nature of their work coupled with the all encompassing market structure will inevitably render all ambitious attempts of independence futile in the long run.
The film starts in a very documentary-like manner. We start at the stroke of dawn with bells ringing in the distance. Hordes of fishermen are seen flocking towards beaches. But we don't see faces. We see these figures in the darkness of dawn walking around. One of the primary characters in the film, Mara then is seen opening the door of the Valastros' house and that in a thematic sense introduces us to the characters that enrich this world. This gets juxtaposed beautifully with the shot that ends the film where the Valastros again become a part of the faceless masses.
Visconti before starting to make films on his own, used to work as an assistant to the great French auteur Jean Renoir and I saw Renoir's influence all over 'La Terra Trema'. The slick camera movement to reveal characters who were off screen, the humanism and the imagery is heavily inspired by Renoir. Visconti uses the trademark Renoir frame within a frame composition extensively throughout the film which almost gives a 3-d like feel to the images. There are so many beautiful images in the film that will stay with me. But my favourite image is the shot of the three women standing on the rocks and looking out at the sea. It is haunting, evocative and gorgeous. The grand and expansive photography involved in capturing the sea and beaches gets beautifully juxtaposed by the claustrophobic nature of the shots inside the Valastros' home.
The fact that Visconti used the real people of Aci Trezza in the film instead of professional actors actually lends a bit of authenticity. Yes Visconti uses visual style and flair, but he never does it by compromising the human element of the film. Yes with amateurs at the helm, the acting is a bit stiff at times, but considering what Visconti is going for, the intentions are noble and the viewer can easily look past it.
My only problem with the film which prevents me from giving the film a perfect 10 involves a scene that comes close to the end of the film where the wholesalers start mocking Antonio. This is a scene where the tone gets a little too over-the-top and goofy which didn't fit with the realism of the rest of the film. I think, a little subtlety and sarcasm would have worked better. The relentless laughter could have been replaced by snide sarcastic remarks.
'La Terra Trema' is a beautiful depiction of humanity in its most raw, helpless state. Visconti attacks the capitalist system by showcasing its harsh effects on the poor. The film isn't a very hopeful one, but considering the time during the which it was made, the pessimism is warranted. The plight of Valastros family and Antonio in particular reminded me of the story of Icarus. In their quest for freedom from oppression, they ended up flying a little too close to the sun.
Did you know
- TriviaThe cast was exclusively composed of non-professional actors. They were genuine fishermen and inhabitants of Aci Trezza (Sicily). The credits do not name any of the actors, who are collectively listed as "Pescatori Siciliani" (Sicilian Fishermen).
- Quotes
Title Card: [in Italian] In Sicily, Italian is not the language of the poor.
- Alternate versionsWas originally released without Italian narration, but it flopped because the Italian audience could not understand the Sicilian dialect. Visconti re-released it with his own narration, which many find detracts from the film.
- ConnectionsEdited into Bellissimo: Immagini del cinema italiano (1985)
- How long is La Terra Trema?Powered by Alexa
Details
- Runtime2 hours 32 minutes
- Color
- Aspect ratio
- 1.37 : 1
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