Rocco and His Brothers 4K 1960 Ultra HD 2160p

Story Movie

Rosaria Parondi, a widow, and her four sons decide to move from a poverty-stricken Sicilian village to Milan, where their fifth son lives. In search of a better life and a decent income, the brothers are willing to take on any job. Gradually, each one finds his place. But the once-close-knit family begins to fall apart with the arrival of a young woman named Nadia.

Review 4K Movie

A powerful family saga, a free adaptation of Dostoevsky’s works.

Having arrived in industrial Milan from what is essentially another country—the underdeveloped Italian South—the Parondi brothers find themselves searching for their place in this new world: a home, a job, and love.

As if passing the baton from one part of the story to the next, the brothers share their experiences with one another—from the older ones, Vincenzo and Simone, to the younger ones, Ciro and Luca.

Vincenzo’s quiet family life still carries traces of the old patriarchal ways. The older brother tries to help his younger brothers, but, living separately, he does so somewhat distantly.

The big city breaks the next brother—Simone—who achieves some success in the ring but, lacking inner strength, is unable to resist temptation; after his first setbacks on both the professional and personal fronts, he turns to alcohol and crime, sinking lower and lower.

It is interesting that, both in boxing and in life, Simone’s aggression and lack of self-control are expressed as a way of compensating for past humiliations, poverty, and his hidden homosexuality.

Rocco, the central figure of the film—played by a young Delon—appears cold, but in reality he is very sensitive, naive, and lives by lofty ideals. Neither the army, nor personal upheavals, nor success in boxing alter Rocco’s core qualities—his love for his brothers, his self-sacrifice, and his willingness to forgive all.

But these unconditional virtues, unbacked by courage, fortitude, or the ability to take responsibility for the fate of others—which is the hallmark of true goodness—lead to the downfall of those dear to Rocco. The true victim in the film is the prostitute Nadia, a role brilliantly portrayed by the young—yet very seasoned-looking—Annie Girardot. By both giving her and then taking away her hope for happiness, Rocco pushes her into the abyss.

Truly, the road to hell is paved with good intentions.

Consequently, Rocco could have been—but in fact is not—the link between Simone and the younger Parondi brothers; his actions represent an extreme that a level-headed and pragmatic person would never fall into.

For example, someone like Ciro. Having learned from his older brothers’ mistakes and standing on the threshold of his first successes, he was the first to draw the right conclusions and adapt to his new life.

“Rocco and His Brothers” is one of those films that, even if you don’t like certain minor details, leaves a powerful impression overall.

The carefully crafted, dramatic scenes, the actors’ stunning, heart-wrenching performances, Nino Rota’s music, and the open ending—all of this makes it a true classic of world cinema.