Dov'è la libertà...?

This film stars Totò as Salvatore--a guy who's been in prison for 22 years. Despite this, he's pretty happy in prison--he has friends, a job and he has food and a bed. When he is paroled, he is initially happy and looks forward to life on the outside. However, when he sees how hard life is, how despicable some of his 'friends' are outside and how difficult it is to find work, he longs for prison once again. So, he decides to dig up his old prison escape plan and just do it in reverse! Most of the story is told through flashbacks, as evidently the prison folks found out (not surprisingly) and he's brought before judges to explain himself.

While I would never call this film hilarious, it is mildly funny and quite agreeable. However, understand that although it IS a film directed by Roberto Rossellini, it's really not a Neo-realist film (mostly since it stars a big-name actor), though it has some qualities reminiscent of his older Neo-realist films. Well worth seeing.