Rocco And His Brothers

Rocco And His Brothers (1960) is one of Luchino Visconti's masterpieces. It tells the tale of a mother and five brothers who move from Sicily to Milan to live a more prosperous life in the big city. It is reminiscent of Dostoyvesky's The Brother Karamazov in scope and theme. It starts out in neo-realistic style that was Visconti's original hallmark when the family crashes the oldest brother Vincenzo's (Spiro Focas) engagement party at his fiance (Claudiet Cardinale) house and the mothers fight. The family struggles to find lodging and work. At this time they meet the young prostitute Nadia (Annie Girardot) their first lodging and Simone (Renato Salvatori) and Rocco (Alan Delon) both are smitten with her. Simone has an affair with her in which he starts to steal to impress her as he tries his hand at boxing. Later the family become established when they are evicted from their apartment and are given state housing. Rocco joins his brother in the gym while working. Simone has some success and Rocco joins the navy and while returning he meets nadia and they begin an affair. It is an epic family drama, later when Simone finds out he lashes out almost destroying the family. It is an impressive film that brought much fame and attention to Delon in the role of Rocco.