Description
Object description
A brief profile of the history, culture, industry and defence forces of the NATO member country Italy.
Content description
Ancient ruins along the Appian Way that leads to Rome, "The Eternal City". Street scenes of Rome: traffic, people chatting and monuments such as the Colosseum. Map of the territories of the Roman Empire. Christians once prosecuted (explored through underground chapel) later found their faith officially recognised (the Vatican city). Amongst the ruins, the Rome of today rises: new apartment blocks and other examples of modern buildings. Equestrian statue of Garibaldi who unified the country as it is known nowadays. A description of Italy (from north to south) follows, showing landscapes of regions and their main towns and cities: the Alps, Verona, Milan, Mantua, rural Tuscany, Latina, Terracina, Casino, Campania, Bay of Naples…The film describes some of the features of Italian character. Florence is noted as the origin of "Italian freedom of expression" within the Renaissance. Art of this period is displayed. Science also took an important role from then onwards: images show engines being built in factories, motor cars, exploitations of natural resources such as oil and gas in Corto Maggiore or coal mining in Tuscany and Sardinia. Cars and scooters are two other successful Italian industries: footage of a Vespa factory, scooters in the city. Milan is the capital of the north, centre of industry and commerce. Also music, with the famous Scala opera theatre depicted. Naples is the southern counterpart, with busy harbours and the ships of the Italian Merchant Marine. Tourism is also a thriving economy. The harsh reality of Naples is covered: poverty and unemployment. Footage of young men looking at dock workers. Sequence showing the underdeveloped Calabria. Italians consider politics as a "national activity" and they voted for "middle of the road coalitions" to get things done: their problems are improving slowly thanks to efficient governments, Marshall aid and the effort of Italians themselves. Footage shows some examples of new technology improving peasants' working conditions in Calabria like electric light or tractors, which are making Italian land highly productive for the first time. As a country that has suffered the devastation of war, they now fight for peace. War ships, gunners, aircrafts, tanks and troops like the Alpini. Final images of the "Palio" the traditional horse race of the city of Sienna.
Physical description
35mm;