| has gloss | eng: 1860 is an Italian film directed by Alessandro Blasetti, released in 1934. The movie presages Italian neorealism in that it was shot wholly on location. Also, most contemporaneous historical epics used a star to focus on grand historical characters (as stated by Richard Pena of the Film Society of Lincoln Center at the beginning of the film). This film focuses on a character whom nobody knows or will ever know; a patriot riding to get the assistance of Giuseppe Garibaldi. This film (in its heralding of neorealism) illustrates how the average man plays a part in grand histories. The film also uses non-actors (a key element of Italian neorealism) and a rarity for its time and era. |