Rosellini’s Portrayal of Marina as Everywoman, Ingrid As A Wicked Temptress, In Rome, Open City Roberto Rossellini’s neorealist film, Rome Open City, is reflective of the turbulent climate in Italy during Nazi and Fascist occupation in World War II. His use of costuming, body language, and mirror shots give rise to a tongue-in-cheek reflection at all the difficult moral and economic sacrifices people had to make during the war. Rossellini not only makes Marina and Ingrid, but also his audience, look in the mirror and decide if their sacrifices have been worth it and if they can accept what they 've done and live with the person they see in their reflection, using Ingrid’s depravity as a foil to Marina’s internal suffering. When the audience
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. Rossellini uses mirrors as a motif for reflection. At first she admires her new coat, then swiftly turns away from the mirror. In this scene, Rossellini directs Marina to look away from herself, as he conveys her inability to come to terms with her actions. She may have been the one thing standing between Manfredi and the Nazis, and ultimately, his death. Meanwhile, in the first scene, Marina readily looks at her mirror. Rossellini portrays Marina as being fully content with herself, setting her up in an empathetic, relatable light, for his audience. It is a stark contrast with how he directs Ingrid. In that same scene, Ingrid looks at Marina’s mirror, observing the picture of Marina and Manfredi. Rossellini used the mirror in this situation, to show how corrupt and equally unafraid Ingrid is. He shot her through to mirror, to show her looking the beast, herself, right in the eyes. She acknowledges Marina’s relationship with Manfredi. Despite this recognition, she continues to seduce Marina with cocaine and fur coats in order to gain information about Manfredi. This seemingly innocuous and frivolous decision on Rossellini’s part is anything but, as this shot further demonizes the well-dressed, amoral, homosexual, Nazi woman,
. Rossellini uses mirrors as a motif for reflection. At first she admires her new coat, then swiftly turns away from the mirror. In this scene, Rossellini directs Marina to look away from herself, as he conveys her inability to come to terms with her actions. She may have been the one thing standing between Manfredi and the Nazis, and ultimately, his death. Meanwhile, in the first scene, Marina readily looks at her mirror. Rossellini portrays Marina as being fully content with herself, setting her up in an empathetic, relatable light, for his audience. It is a stark contrast with how he directs Ingrid. In that same scene, Ingrid looks at Marina’s mirror, observing the picture of Marina and Manfredi. Rossellini used the mirror in this situation, to show how corrupt and equally unafraid Ingrid is. He shot her through to mirror, to show her looking the beast, herself, right in the eyes. She acknowledges Marina’s relationship with Manfredi. Despite this recognition, she continues to seduce Marina with cocaine and fur coats in order to gain information about Manfredi. This seemingly innocuous and frivolous decision on Rossellini’s part is anything but, as this shot further demonizes the well-dressed, amoral, homosexual, Nazi woman,