Review of La grande strada azzurra

Interesting, colorful and picturesque communist melodrama with a brilliant performance by Yves Montand as a dynamite fisherman trying to stay one step ahead of the law. Montand even does his own underwater swimming stunts as you can clearly see it's him swimming in the shots. I wouldn't say the photography's spectacular (the way "Bonjour Tristesse" shot on the French Riviera is spectacular) but it's certainly beautiful, though the colors seemed a little faded even in the restored print I saw. A little less overblown music would've been more to my taste, but I enjoyed the film nevertheless for what it was: "Old Man and the Sea" meets the "Bicycle Thief." The little blonde boy in the film is certainly very Bruno-like in his half-pint-acting-grown-up act, loudly gesturing and protecting his beautiful sister's (Federica Ranchi, ooffaaa!--giving Sophia Loren more than a good run for her money) 'honor' and everything! The film also contains the only shot I know of Montand giving 'the Italian arm salute' obscene gesture in front of his kids to the coast guard after he beats them to the punch during a very close-call; try to find someone flipping 'the finger' in an American Film of the period! Impossible. Pontecorvo was keeping it real way, way back before "Battle of Algiers" and "Burn!".