Give Us This Day is a 1949 British film, directed by Edward Dmytryk. This film was released in the United States as Christ in Concrete.[3] Another alternate title was Salt to the Devil.
| Give Us This Day | |
|---|---|
.jpg) Italian theatrical poster | |
| Directed by | Edward Dmytryk |
| Written by | Pietro di Donato (novel) Ben Barzman John Penn Hans Székely |
| Produced by | Rod E. Geiger |
| Starring | Sam Wanamaker Lea Padovani Kathleen Ryan Charles Goldner |
| Cinematography | C. M. Pennington-Richards |
| Edited by | John D. Guthridge |
| Music by | Benjamin Frankel |
| Distributed by | General Film Distributors Eagle-Lion Classics Parvisfilmi Gaumont Film Company |
Release date |
|
Running time | 120 minutes |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Language | English |
| Budget | $600,000[1] or £195,000[2] |
| Box office | £80,000[2] |
The film was based on the 1939 novel Christ in Concrete by Pietro Di Donato. The title is taken from the Lord's Prayer.
Plot edit
Geremio is an Italian bricklayer living with his family. The film depicts how Geremio and his family endure the struggles of living in Brooklyn during the Great Depression.
Cast edit
- Sam Wanamaker.....Geremio
- Lea Padovani.....Annunziata
- Kathleen Ryan.....Kathleen
- Charles Goldner.....Luigi
- Bonar Colleano.....Giulio
- William Sylvester.....Giovanni
- George Pastell.....The Lucy (as Nino Pastellides)
- Philo Hauser.....Head of Pig
- Sid James.....Murdin
- Karel Stepanek.....Jaroslav
- Ina De La Haye.....Dame Catarina
- Rosalie Crutchley.....Giulio's wife
Production edit
Red Scare edit
At the time this movie was made, Dmytryk had been blacklisted as a member of the Hollywood Ten. Wanamaker had also been blacklisted. The movie was filmed entirely in London due to this.[4]
Reception edit
The film received a mixed review from New York Times film critic Bosley Crowther. He called it "a film drama of considerable graphicness but of oddly limited power." While praising the movie for its "careful and earnest attempt to capture the hard yet wistful quality of Mr. di Donato's tale", Crowther said that "the spirit and compulsion of this deeply distressing tale of poverty and frustration are absent from the film."[5]
The film was a commercial failure in America.[6]
References edit
- ^ A. H. WEILER (13 November 1949). "BY WAY OF REPORT: José Ferrer, Man With Many Prospects -- 'Finian's Rainbow' Being Sought". New York Times. p. X5.
- ^ a b Chapman, J. (2022). The Money Behind the Screen: A History of British Film Finance, 1945-1985. Edinburgh University Press p 102. Income is producer's share of receipts.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (2009). "Christ in Concrete". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 31 December 2009. Retrieved 5 May 2011.
- ^ "Christ in Concrete (1949) – Edward Dmytryk – Synopsis, Characteristics, Moods, Themes and Related". AllMovie. Retrieved 29 January 2018.
- ^ Crowther, Bosley (21 December 1949). "THE SCREEN IN REVIEW; ' Give Us This Day,' Film Based on Pietro di Donato Novel, Unveiled at the Rialto". The New York Times.
- ^ Harper, Sue; Porter, Vincent (2003). British Cinema of The 1950s The Decline of Deference. Oxford University Press USA. p. 15.
External links edit
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