
Il Grido
1957

1960
Director
Mauro Bolognini
Runtime
99 minutes
Average Rating
No ratings yetSynopsis
Problems arise for Antonio Magnano when he is unable to consummate his marriage to the beautiful Barbara Puglisi and his virility is called into question. Despite the fact that he loves his beautiful wife and they have otherwise been happily married for a year, his problem becomes a source of contention for all concerned.
Overall Score
Limited
Category Breakdown
LGBTQ+ Representation
The film operates within strict heteronormative structures of 1960s provincial Italy. There are no non-cisnormative identities or narratives that challenge the era's established social constraints.
Gender Representation
The narrative subverts traditional masculine tropes by linking the protagonist's masculinity to vanity rather than patriarchal dominance. However, it remains tethered to social pressures regarding women's respectability and marital expectations.
Racial & Ethnic Diversity
The cast is ethnically homogeneous, reflecting the demographic realities of a 1960 Italian provincial setting. There is no use of diverse ethnic backgrounds or intentional subversion of the era's composition.
Religious & Cultural Diversity
The story critiques bourgeois values and the obsession with social image. It portrays the local social hierarchy as a source of anxiety and superficiality rather than a stable institution.
Disability Representation
Sexual dysfunction serves as the primary narrative driver and catalyst for social tension. The film focuses on the social consequences of this condition rather than the individual's lived experience.
Strengths
Areas for Improvement
AI Analysis
Mauro Bolognini’s drama is a character study centered on the tension between individual identity and rigid social expectations. It succeeds in deconstructing the myth of the stable, heroic masculine archetype by focusing on the protagonist's vanity and psychological fragility. However, the film is limited by its historical context, offering an ethnically homogeneous cast and a narrative strictly bound by heteronormative marital contracts. While it critiques the emptiness of bourgeois status, it lacks intersectional breadth. Ultimately, the film provides a nuanced look at social performativity and the anxiety of maintaining a public image, even if it does not actively dismantle broader gender or racial hierarchies.

1957

1962

1960

1956

1946

1968

1971

1964

1967

1991

1969

1956
No reviews yet. Be the first to share your thoughts on this movie!
Use the rating form above to leave a star rating and optional review.