Miracle in Milan (1951)

Essential Viewing

Italy

Feature Film

Original Title: Miracolo a Milano

Director: Vittorio De Sica

Writers: Mario Chiari, Suso Cecchi d'Amico, Vittorio De Sica, Adolfo Franci, Cesare Zavattini

Cinematographer: Aldo Graziati

Composer: Alessandro Cicognini

Cast: Francesco Golisano, Paolo Stoppa, Guglielmo Barnabò, Emma Gramatica, Brunella Bovo, Anna Carena, Alba Arnova, Flora Cambi

Much like Capra’s It’s a Wonderful life (1946), De Sica’s fantasy comedy – following the ups and downs of the residents of a shanty town on the outskirts of Rome – is a much misunderstood film, with irony and social comment often being mistaken for sentiment and whimsy, feel-bad for feel-good, as it posits the distinctly bleak theory that the only way for the little man to defeat the nefarious capitalist is with divine intervention. Iain.Stott