A man, standing trial for robbery with murder, faces the death penalty. The testimony of an old civil servant may give him a reprieve but not peace of mind.
Acting
Almirante's trembling testimony steals every scene.
Direction
Germi's debut already shows his signature social rage.
Cinematography
Shadowy courtrooms that breathe oppression.
Director
Pietro Germi
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Made during Italy's post-war reconstruction, the film reflects genuine judicial crisis when courts were overwhelmed and poverty drove desperate crimes.
This was Germi's first feature after war interrupted his career; he shot it while Italian cinema infrastructure was literally being rebuilt from rubble.
IT
