Rome, Open City review

Heading back to 1944...

Why you can trust GamesRadar+ Our experts review games, movies and tech over countless hours, so you can choose the best for you. Find out more about our reviews policy.

Planned while German troops were still jackbooting through the streets of Rome, shot only a few weeks after they were driven out, Roberto Rossellini’s stark 1945 drama tangibly captures the fear and tension of the city under Nazi occupation.

A resistance leader seeks shelter among friends in a shabby tenement block – but he’s betrayed, captured and delivered to the Gestapo.

Made on a tiny budget with a largely non-professional cast and filmed on the streets where similar events had just occurred, the rawness of the movie give it an immediacy that still hits home.