In his later works Germi went further on investigating and criticizing the foundations of post-war Italy. In his critically acclaimed Sedotta e Abbandonata (1964) the director delivered a harsh blow to the extremely sensitive Italian society which at the time seemed to tolerate men's superiority and the notion of "acquired social taste".

Il Ferroviere (1956) was written at a time when Italy's film industry appeared as polarized as the Italian political spectrum was. The film delved deep into social issues that struck a negative chord with the leftist press and Germi was heavily criticized for his feature film. Needless to say the honesty and more importantly realism which the film used as a foundation for its narrative captivated the public attention. What is more important however is not the fact that the film quickly emerged as a favorite among the Italian public but the fact that Germi directed and starred in it portraying the hardworking Andrea Marcocci with a stunning perfection.

The plot of Il Ferroviere is remarkably well-crafted for a film shot in the early 50s. Andrea Marcocci (Pietro Germi) is a hard-working railroad man that has much to worry about. His daughter Giulia (Sylva Koscina) has left her husband after an unfortunate miscarriage, Andrea's son is unemployed and often causing problems at home, the young Sandro (Edoardo Nevola) is doing rather poorly at school, and on a top of everything else Andrea is suffering from an illness that threatens to crush the backbone of his trouble-ridden family.

Il Ferroviere is not your typical film where the main characters act as expected. The maturation that each of the Marcoccis undergoes is astonishing. Sandro Marcocci, played by a very young Edoardo Nevola, is absolutely stunning. From the joy of seeing his father arriving at the train station to the emotional devastation caused by the loss of his sister's baby Edoardo Nevola's acting is as convincing as it gets.

There is no doubt in my mind why the political overtones of Il Ferroviere instigated a rather passionate criticism from the press and the unions in Italy after its premiere. The subtle yet audacious message which the film delivers is very effective. After a conflict with his employers Germi's character is laid off and he heads to the local bar where troubles seem most easily resolved over a glass of cheap wine. In an honest confession that rivals some of the best I have seen captured on film Andrea Marcocci addresses everyone from the corrupted unions to the incumbents and their inability to look beyond their personal interests. Judging by the reaction of the leftist press Germi must have slit-open an old and agonizing wound.

Il Ferroviere is much more than a political statement, in fact I doubt it Germi intended it to be one. This is a film that shows a post-war Italy as only a true master can recreate. I was literally left speechless after seeing the gorgeous visuals and more importantly depth of the story. Make no mistake, some of Italy's greatest, Mario Monicelli, Damiano Damiani, and Giuseppe Tornatore among others admired Il Ferroviere and there is a reason for it. A stunning achievement that brings back to life one of the greatest Italian masters. What a film, what a revelation!!!

How Does the DVD Look?

I have some good news and some rather bad ones. I am enormously delighted to see this film finally arrive to American shores and also deeply disappointed. Here's why:

The Good news: NoShame Films have been granted access to a film print that looks nothing short of extraordinary. I have seen many Italian films being restored in their full glory and this one ranks among the most impressive. Looking at the print it is hard to believe that the film was shot in 1956, the contrast, the deep and rich blacks, the tight image, everything looks as it should. Presented in its original aspect ratio of 1.37:1. A marvelous, marvelous restoration work.

The Bad news: In my review of Antonioni's Story of a Love Affair I partially addressed the issue that NoShame might have converted their PAL master provided by Cinecitta Films/Surf Film to an NTSC master as there were occasional instances of combing and the so-called "ghosting" associated with improper PAL/NTSC transfers. Unfortunately I can now confirm that this appears to be exactly the case with Pietro Germi's Railroad Man. There is a heavy dose of "ghosting" much more noticeable and in my opinion very distracting if you happen to watch the DVD on a large screen using a digital projector. There are a numerous examples of heavy combing which ultimately destroy what should otherwise be a memorable viewing experience. I am very disappointed to say the least as it appears that the Italian distributors have delivered a flawless-looking (restored) print and NoShame have simply converted it imporperly!!

How Does the DVD Sound? It sure shows that along with a spectacular image restoration the Railroad Man has undergone some significant sound restoration as well. The soundtrack is clear and crisp (as much as it could be for a mono track created in 1956) and the dialog is easily recognizable. Original Italian soundtrack with optional English subtitles. Excellent!!

Extras: The Railroad Man is presented in an excellent looking (cover) double DVD where the main feature is found on disc 1 alongside a theatrical trailer and Poster and Still Gallery.

Disc 2 contains an original screen tests (10 min.) and "Pietro Germi, a Classic on Its Own" an insightful featurette with Mario Monicelli, Guiseppe Tornatore, Damiano Damiani, screenplayers Luciano Vincenzoni, Tullio Pinelli, editor Sergio Montanari, composer Carlo Rustichelli, cinematographer Aiace Parolin, actresses Franca Bettoja and Silvanna Pampanini, and producer Alfredo Bini. (84 min). With optional English subtitles. In addition this double DVD set comes with a gorgeous looking 8 page booklet that contains Pietro Germi's biography and selected filmography as well as lovely looking film stills.

Final Thoughts: I have decided to be painfully honest with this review though after seeing Pietro Germi's masterpiece I consider myself biased. I was going to place this DVD presentation in the DVD TALK-Collectors Series section and instead I have decided to write an open letter to NoShame Films which sums up my impressions from this DVD presentation (I hope they will have the opportunity to see this review).

To Whom It May Concern:

During recent months I and a number of other film aficionados have witnessed the creation of a company that unlike any other DVD distributor in recent years has generated an unprecedented amount of excitement and high-expectations. Your presence on the North American DVD market is truly an event of enormous proportions as the films you have announced for release are long-overdue. Many of your recent acquisitions and in particular the Railroad Man have never seen the light of day in America and this DVD release is an unprecedented event.
With this said, I and a number of European colleagues (yes, I have received a number of emails regarding my review of A Story of a Love Affair from England, Denmark, and Holland) are rather troubled by the fact that your first releases appear to be marred by an improper PAL/NTSC conversion. The side effect that such conversion causes is often regarded by many as a negative occurrence which results in poor image quality. Furthermore, it absolutely negates the fact that a superbly restored master might have been provided for a specific film.
Well established companies such as Criterion and Blue Underground have achieved a nearly cult status among DVD aficionados around the world precisely due to the fact that they treat their films (many of them restored classics) with the needed respect and by providing correct progressive conversion assuring optimal visual performance and consequently lasting satisfaction among DVD consumers. These are companies that are closely followed by film enthusiasts all around the world as they never fail to deliver the best possible prints, extras, cover design, etc. And there is so much NoShame has in common with them—an outstanding catalog, access to remarkably looking restored Italian films, and most of all US…the fans, looking for you to make these films available to us in their best possible format.

I hope my final thoughts in this review would reach their audience and someone will take the necessary steps to address the issue of proper PAL/NTSC progressive conversion as this is not a statement meant to scold a new label with an enormous potential but an acknowledgement meant to re-affirm our interest in your product and expectations of high quality.