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The Wide Blue Road

Play trailer Poster for The Wide Blue Road 1956 1h 40m Drama Romance Play Trailer Watchlist
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92% Tomatometer 13 Reviews 80% Popcornmeter 500+ Ratings
A provincial fisherman (Yves Montand) angers other villagers by using dynamite illegally to expedite his catch.

Critics Reviews

View All (13) Critics Reviews
Geoff Pevere Toronto Star Although irresistibly "heroic" in appearance and swagger, Montand's Squarcio is also the ultimate in un-Hollywood cowboy thoughtlessness. Jan 25, 2002 Full Review V.A. Musetto New York Post Rated: 2.5/4 Jul 24, 2001 Full Review John A. Nesbit Old School Reviews Anyone who loves De Sirca's works will find this film a fascinating comparative study Rated: B Jan 29, 2012 Full Review Kelly Vance East Bay Express Based on this film's honest, meat-and-potatoes appeal, it would be a treat to see more of Pontecorvo's rare filmography. In the meantime, careful with that dynamite. May 4, 2010 Full Review Mark Halverson Sacramento News & Review Rated: 4/5 Aug 7, 2008 Full Review Gloria Monti culturevulture.net Chronicles the struggle of an Italian fisherman, Squarci (Yves Montand), to overcome economic hardships. Jun 10, 2006 Full Review Read all reviews

Audience Reviews

View All (10) audience reviews
Audience Member Story of a fisherman who TRIES to make a living in an EASIER way... Rated 2.5 out of 5 stars 01/22/23 Full Review walter m [font=Century Gothic]"The Wide Blue Road" takes place in a poor fishing village in Italy. Squarcio(Yves Montand) catches fish the old fashioned way - by using explosives(which is very illegal) while in the company of his young sons. An old friend of his, now in the Coast Guard, is determined to catch him but must do so red handed. Another old friend, Salvatore, abides by the law and fishes by net. He agitates to set up a co-op, so he and his fellow fishermen will no longer be under the thumb of the local merchant.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]"The Wide Blue Road" is a good look at people whose lives depend on fishing but is done in somewhat by melodramatics. Overall, the movie says that there is no easy way to escape poverty and we must all work together. It is nowhere in the league of "La Terra Trema" which covers some of the same terrain. But Yves Montand gives a very good performance. [/font] Rated 3 out of 5 stars 03/31/23 Full Review Audience Member A certain charm about this little known film from Pontecovo. It might touch the heart strings of any small business man of today who know what it's like to lose your career. Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/13/23 Full Review Audience Member I thought this film was a - Latrine - , because doing a comparison with The Battle of Algiers everything can be worse. I have to say, I was wrong. This movie is different, and similar at the same time. Like a Zola s novel it tries to explain some important social issue. B o A dealt with terrorism (40 years in advance), La Grande Strada Azzurra deals with problems of fishermen and set up of fishing cooperatives (Gillo does some politics, but he is agreeable even in this domain). There is this man, Squarcio who fishes illegally using bombs, because he does not want to die from starvation, he got this big family: 16 y.o. daughter, two little men, and a beautiful wife (Alida Valli). There are the honest fishermen, and there are the Policemen. When the new warrant-officer arrives, after resignation of the old sergeant who felt guilty for the accident where the boyfriend of Diana (the Squarcio daughter) died. Anyway, this guy who said he wanted to marry Diana, was a sort of swanker. Now there is a new Diana Lover, the man that the world knows as Terence Hill, who at the time of the film used his real name Remo Girotti. This guy is good looking and hard worker etc etc Squarcio continues his illegal fishing, exploiting his two sons. Alida Valli (Rosetta) keeps on be worried for her husband. Squarcio starts to have loads of troubles, he is forced to sink his boat, and with it sinks the new motor and loads of debts come. His community strongly disapproves his illegal fishing, his sons too. Like every criminal or every addicted to something he keeps on saying -don not worry, this is my last fishing, then I ll do honestly, first I have to purchase this and this, when I get it I ll change my shady life -. The last day Squarcio is full of doubts, so full of doubts and deep in thought that he makes (by accident) a bomb exploding on him. After all one should expect such a misfortune from a man called like that (Squarciare in Italian means to lacerate, to rip) Then there is the testament where S. appears as the best man in the world. And all the fishing village will be happy in cooperating love. Rated 3.5 out of 5 stars 01/17/23 Full Review Audience Member this is a simple movie, but it simply penetrates your heart. their is nothing awe inspiring about it except the viewer's absolute belief in the reality and integrety characters. truly a brilliant film. Rated 5 out of 5 stars 01/25/23 Full Review Audience Member Very nice movie about fishermen's lifes destroied by poor living conditions and police abuses... Rated 3 out of 5 stars 01/20/23 Full Review Read all reviews
The Wide Blue Road

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Cast & Crew

Movie Info

Synopsis A provincial fisherman (Yves Montand) angers other villagers by using dynamite illegally to expedite his catch.
Director
Gillo Pontecorvo
Screenwriter
Gillo Pontecorvo, Franco Solinas
Genre
Drama, Romance
Original Language
Italian
Box Office (Gross USA)
$6.7K
Runtime
1h 40m