No Peace Under the Olive Tree

Out of the Past - KVIFF 60/80 / Non c'è pace tra gli ulivi / Italy 1950

Synopsis

The Italian drama No Peace Under the Olive Tree, awarded a Special Honourable Mention at the 6th Karlovy Vary festival, is an epic tale of poor shepherds who unite against their oppressor – the cruel and amoral nouveau riche Bonfiglio (superbly portrayed by Folco Lulli). The directorial style of Giuseppe De Santis is rooted in Neorealist conventions; however, for greater viewer accessibility the film is enhanced with elements of lyricism, idealism and melodrama. The rural story, shot amid the rugged, scorched rocks near the director’s native town of Fondi, thus enjoyed commercial success, although the critics of the day (particularly those from Western Europe) gave it a noticeably cooler reception.

Tomáš Hubáček

Film stills © Source: Cristaldifilm

About the film

107 min / Black & white, DCP

Director Giuseppe De Santis / Screenplay Giuseppe De Santis, Gianni Puccini / Dir. of Photography Piero Portalupi / Music Goffredo Petrassi / Editor Gabriele Varriale / Art Director Carlo Egidi / Producer Domenico Forges Davanzati

About the director

Giuseppe De Santis. Selected filmography: Tragic Hunt (Caccia tragica, 1947), Bitter Rice (Riso amaro, 1949), No Peace Under the Olive Tree (Non c'è pace tra gli ulivi, 1950), Days of Love (Giorni d'amore, 1954), The Year Long Road (La strada lunga un anno, 1958), One Appreciated Professional of Sure Future (Un apprezzato professionista di sicuro avvenire, 1971).