Release calendarTop 250 moviesMost popular moviesBrowse movies by genreTop box officeShowtimes & ticketsMovie newsIndia movie spotlight
    What's on TV & streamingTop 250 TV showsMost popular TV showsBrowse TV shows by genreTV news
    What to watchLatest trailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb SpotlightFamily entertainment guideIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsEmmysSan Diego Comic-ConSummer Watch GuideToronto Int'l Film FestivalSTARmeter AwardsAwards CentralFestival CentralAll events
    Born todayMost popular celebsCelebrity news
    Help centerContributor zonePolls
For industry professionals
  • Language
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Watchlist
Sign in
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
Use app
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
  • Trivia
  • FAQ
IMDbPro

Miracle in Milan

Original title: Miracolo a Milano
  • 1951
  • Not Rated
  • 1h 37m
IMDb RATING
7.6/10
9.1K
YOUR RATING
Miracle in Milan (1951)
Watch Trailer [OV]
Play trailer1:52
1 Video
99+ Photos
SatireComedyDramaFantasy

An open-hearted, unrelentingly energetic orphan struggles to make the best of his life on the streets of Milan.An open-hearted, unrelentingly energetic orphan struggles to make the best of his life on the streets of Milan.An open-hearted, unrelentingly energetic orphan struggles to make the best of his life on the streets of Milan.

  • Director
    • Vittorio De Sica
  • Writers
    • Cesare Zavattini
    • Vittorio De Sica
    • Suso Cecchi D'Amico
  • Stars
    • Emma Gramatica
    • Francesco Golisano
    • Paolo Stoppa
  • See production info at IMDbPro
  • IMDb RATING
    7.6/10
    9.1K
    YOUR RATING
    • Director
      • Vittorio De Sica
    • Writers
      • Cesare Zavattini
      • Vittorio De Sica
      • Suso Cecchi D'Amico
    • Stars
      • Emma Gramatica
      • Francesco Golisano
      • Paolo Stoppa
    • 29User reviews
    • 60Critic reviews
    • 78Metascore
  • See production info at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 BAFTA Awards
      • 4 wins & 3 nominations total

    Videos1

    Trailer [OV]
    Trailer 1:52
    Trailer [OV]

    Photos104

    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    View Poster
    + 96
    View Poster

    Top cast25

    Edit
    Emma Gramatica
    Emma Gramatica
    • La vecchia Lolotta
    Francesco Golisano
    Francesco Golisano
    • Totò
    Paolo Stoppa
    Paolo Stoppa
    • Rappi
    Guglielmo Barnabò
    Guglielmo Barnabò
    • Mobbi
    Brunella Bovo
    Brunella Bovo
    • Edvige
    Anna Carena
    Anna Carena
    • Marta, la signora altezzosa
    Alba Arnova
    Alba Arnova
    • La statua che prende vita
    Flora Cambi
    • L'innamorata infelice
    Virgilio Riento
    • Il sergente delle guardie
    Arturo Bragaglia
    Arturo Bragaglia
    • Alfredo
    Erminio Spalla
    Erminio Spalla
    • Gaetano
    Riccardo Bertazzolo
    Riccardo Bertazzolo
    • L'atleta
    Checco Rissone
    Checco Rissone
    • Il comandante in secondo
    • (as Francesco Rissone)
    Angelo Prioli
    • Il comandante in primo
    Giuseppe Berardi
    • Un povero
    • (uncredited)
    Gianni Branduani
    Gianni Branduani
    • Totò a 11 anni
    • (uncredited)
    Enzo Furlai
    • Un povero
    • (uncredited)
    Jerome Johnson
    Jerome Johnson
    • Il negro
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Vittorio De Sica
    • Writers
      • Cesare Zavattini
      • Vittorio De Sica
      • Suso Cecchi D'Amico
    • All cast & crew
    • Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

    User reviews29

    7.69K
    1
    2
    3
    4
    5
    6
    7
    8
    9
    10

    Featured reviews

    6blott2319-1

    Charming movie with a weird third act turn that doesn't work so well

    Miracle in Milan is a movie that has one of those heart-warming characters with an indomitable spirit who brightens the lives of everyone around him. I quite liked how Francesco Golisano played this character because he never acts as though this is a struggle for him, he simply is kind and optimistic as a part of his nature. The film starts off somewhat comical, but otherwise perfectly normal as the people living homeless in Milan seek a way to survive. I was charmed by this whole section of the film, and seeing the way that the human spirit fought to live a normal life despite not having all the modern conveniences that money provides. There is also a fun contrast when we see these poor people interacting with the rich and privileged people who want to take possession of the land. A meeting in the big city was one of the most humorous scenes in the film, as we see these homeless people in the most over-the-top opulence.

    The turn for the film comes later when a magical element is added to the story. This is where things got weird. I liked the idea of empowering our hero in a unique way, but his new-found ability kind of shifted the tone and even the plot of the film. Suddenly, it was looking at how greed could entrap even those who once knew how to live with nothing. But it never felt the script fully addressed how damaging this behavior was to the people as they received everything that they thought would make life better. Also, the original plot is still happening, but it seems the importance of it is diminished. I wouldn't mind a kind of Monkey's Paw story, where someone is given magical powers that end up ruining life when it was supposed to help, but it is not the plot I was invested in from the outset. Then the ending is extremely odd and leaves me with more questions than answers. I definitely liked elements of Miracle in Milan, but if it remained focused in one direction or the other I would have enjoyed it more.
    Vincentiu

    picture of a state of soul

    lovely. it is first word about this film. fantastic, tender, gentle, dream, it is a sentimental gem. and this is important for a gray , cold world. parable, social manifesto in sweet colors, fairy tale, it is a piece of clay for its viewer. because it is difficult to define it. so, essential is the warm emotion. the performance of Emma Gramatica. and extraordinary Toto in which the young Francesco Golisano gives all pure nuances of life joy. after many years from first meeting, it is not exactly one of my favorites but ideal drug for gloomy days. a different de Sica, it is shining and naive. or, only, isle for the short escape after stressful moments. a kind of Life is wonderful but with little substantial dose of miracle flavor.maybe, a form of Charlot universe slice. like return in childhood womb.
    9miagy

    Cheerful and refreshing

    This movie was my first touch with Mr Sica so I really didn't know what to expect. But what I saw just broke all my expectations - in a good way.

    The storyline is not complex and shows us a life of found boy- orphan and particularly his connection into the community of poor people who together built themselves a hood of simple metal plate houses. This little city in another city lives own life and things are going fine. But one day there is a water resource found and a rich nobles man is getting interested in the buying the place. But as the title of the movie hints - there is a miracle taking place. Our character gets a wonder dove from his dead mother. What is he going to do to protect his friends and all built city as well?

    It was just a masterpiece of natural comedy. There is shown the behavior of poor people and how money and property can talk and play with people. Also many funny moments and scenes are included - at the beginning with the spot where sun is shining and many more.

    So according to the fact that I m not a comedy lover you should see this movie because I liked it much

    I
    9VonCouch

    A Magical Feel-Good Film

    I just recently watched De Sica's Miracle in Milan and I must say it's a tragedy this film isn't more widely accessible. The film follows the curiously magical exploits of a grown up orphan who has just left his orphanage for the first time. His unstoppable optimism finally brings him to a shantytown outside of Milan. He helps to build the town into a thriving community, which soon comes under the fire of the property's owner. Through a miracle from the heavens, our optimistic orphan sets to help his fellow vagrants with their lives and their homes.

    I'm not normally one for dopey family films, so I was very happy to enjoy this. It's not dopey, it's not sappy and it's not overly sentimental. The story is told with a gentle touch that De Sica is such a master with. The film is sweet, good-hearted and touching without ever relying on the corny or the melodramatic.

    All in all, this film leaves you with a heart-warming feeling that only a poet like De Sica could give you. A sure recommendation.
    9zetes

    Weird and wonderful step away from Neorealism by Vittorio de Sica and Cesare Zavattini

    Perhaps the last film you would expect to come from Vittorio de Sica and Cesare Zavattini (who wrote the novel on which this film is based). It's a neorealist fantasy, kind of an oxymoron, really. An old woman finds a baby in her cabbage patch and raises him as her own son. After a few years, the baby is a young boy (named Toto) and the adoptive mother is dying. He goes to an orphanage and, when he finally turns 18, he leaves. Immediately, he finds that he has no home. Toto is optimistic, though, and won't let anything get him down. A man steals his valise, and instead of getting angry over it, Toto becomes his friend and goes and stays with him in a small shantytown. Toto takes some initiative and organizes the many homeless living in the area and they build a better shantytown. Soon, the landowner is trying to sell this plot of land, and the citizens of the shantytown have to protect themselves. After many attempts, the owner mounts a force of police to get rid of the homeless. At this point, the film becomes full-fledged fantasy (before this it was more comedic/fantastic melodrama in the style of Charlie Chaplin). This stuff is so weird and shocking that it's probably best for others to see it for themselves. It's quite amazing, and very funny. There are objections you could raise about the plot of Miracle in Milan, most certainly. Fellini and Visconti were greatly criticized when they started to stray from Neorealism. I think I read this was widely criticized at the time of its release. At this point, though, it's so enjoyable - I loved it very much. It might be my favorite of Vittorio de Sica's films, although Umberto D and The Bicycle Thieves come very, very close. 10/10.

    More like this

    The Roof
    7.4
    The Roof
    Shoeshine
    8.0
    Shoeshine
    Umberto D.
    8.1
    Umberto D.
    The Gold of Naples
    7.3
    The Gold of Naples
    Two Women
    7.7
    Two Women
    The Children Are Watching Us
    7.7
    The Children Are Watching Us
    Bellissima
    7.7
    Bellissima
    Germany Year Zero
    7.8
    Germany Year Zero
    Stromboli
    7.2
    Stromboli
    The Ape Woman
    7.3
    The Ape Woman
    The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
    7.2
    The Garden of the Finzi-Continis
    Marriage Italian Style
    7.4
    Marriage Italian Style

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      To create the special effects for this Italian production, producer/director Vittorio De Sica imported American special effects specialist Ned Mann. This would be Mann's final project.
    • Quotes

      Totò: Would you like the sun?

      [Edvige nods, so Totó looks toward the horizon, where the sun comes up in a few seconds]

    • Connections
      Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une vague nouvelle (1999)

    Top picks

    Sign in to rate and Watchlist for personalized recommendations
    Sign in

    FAQ

    • How long is Miracle in Milan?Powered by Alexa

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 17, 1951 (United States)
    • Country of origin
      • Italy
    • Languages
      • Italian
      • English
    • Also known as
      • Cudo u Milanu
    • Filming locations
      • Piazza del Duomo, Milan, Lombardy, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Produzioni De Sica
      • Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche (ENIC)
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Box office

    Edit
    • Gross worldwide
      • $435
    See detailed box office info on IMDbPro

    Tech specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 37 minutes
    • Color
      • Black and White
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.37 : 1

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    Sign in for more accessSign in for more access
    Follow IMDb on social
    Get the IMDb App
    For Android and iOS
    Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • License IMDb Data
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Your Ads Privacy Choices
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2025 by IMDb.com, Inc.