The action takes place on a battle ship, and the story narrates the life that the crew spends on it. In the moments of rest the sailors are devoted to the correspondence, and their thought goes close the dear people. the order to depart comes and the ship weigh anchor for the battle that will be fierce, and during which a serious hit will damage it. A lot of sailors are hurted and transported on a hospital ship, the “white ship”, where the voluntary nurses of the Red Cross lend service with inimitable devotion: one of the sailors will find again among them his fiancée he left crying on the bench of the haven. Thanks to the fond cares, the sailors recovers their boldness, but the thought that their ship, stricken, has not reentered after the battle, saddens them deeply. But soon, although damaged, it will reenter in the haven too, and the joy, united to a bit of emotion, will return between the wounded.

PRIZES

The film has been presented at the Mostra di Venezia of 1941 and it has won the cup of the Fascist National Party

CRITIQUE

Ordered by Francesco De Robertis (that superintended the shooting) and by the Centro cinematografico del Ministero della Marina, it is the work with which Roberto Rossellini began the direction: mixing meodrama and war clips, the director built a choral film, where the attention given to the antispectacularity elements should have underline the man’s revolt to the war machine. The result is however far from the intentions, even if a certain antinaturalism can be glimpsed in the signs of a Neorealism ante litteram. Originally it lasted 83’. (P. Mereghetti “Dizionario dei film 1998”, translated by Alice Castoldi)

NOTES

The nurses of the Voluntary Corps - the Officers and the petty officers of the Hospital ship ARNO and of an italian battle ship have taken part to the film’s realization.
Direction with the supervision of Francesco De Robertis.