Stromboli

About Stromboli (1950)

Stromboli is a 1950 Italian-American film directed by Roberto Rossellini. The movie revolves around Karin (Ingrid Bergman), a Lithuanian woman escaping a WWII internment camp. She marries an Italian POW fisherman (Mario Vitale) and moves with him to his remote volcanic island of Stromboli. Facing harsh living conditions and a conservative community, Karin feels trapped and attempts to escape the island.

Making / Production

Stromboli was directed by Roberto Rossellini - a crucial figure in the Italian neorealism movement. It was a co-production between Italy’s Berlusconi Productions and America’s RKO Pictures, bridging the cinematic practices of Hollywood with Italian neorealism. Notably, it was during the production that Rossellini and Bergman began an affair, creating a scandal that temporarily harmed their careers.

Actors

• Ingrid Bergman as Karin: Playing the distressed and volatile protagonist, Bergman delivers a performance of raw desperation and poignant emotional complexity.
• Mario Vitale as Antonio: Vitale portrays an earthy, traditional husband who loves Karin but lacks the capacity to understand her complex emotional needs.
• Renzo Cesana as The Priest: Cesana plays a priest who tries to help Karin find peace and acceptance in her new life on Stromboli.

Trivia / Interesting Facts

• The film was shot on location on the Aeolian Island of Stromboli, off the coast of Sicily, making use of the island's unique volcanic landscapes.
• The off-screen scandal of Rossellini and Bergman greatly overshadowed the film, leading to a virtual boycott of the film upon its initial release.
• The lizard scene, where Karin tries to stomp lizards, provoked protests from wildlife protection groups.

Quotes

• "Why this need of escaping?" - The Priest
• "I do not ask that things are made easy, but just a bit of strength." - Karin

Music, Soundtrack

• The score for Stromboli was composed by Renzo Rossellini, the brother of director Roberto Rossellini. The atmospheric music significantly contributed to the stark and foreboding tone of the film.