A Difficult Life

A Difficult Life

Year: 1961

Runtime: 118 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Dino Risi

DramaComedy

Silvio refuses to fight for the fascists and joins the resistance with Elena. After the war, his vitriolic newspaper articles cause him to be sentenced to imprisonment.

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Timeline & Setting – A Difficult Life (1961)

Explore the full timeline and setting of A Difficult Life (1961). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1944-1961

The story spans the final years of World War II through the early 1960s, tracing the collapse of fascism, the 1946 referendum establishing the republic, and the postwar push toward modernization. It covers Silvio’s wartime resistance, his imprisonment, and his evolving career as Italy redefines itself. The era’s political upheaval and economic changes frame the characters’ choices and fates.

Location

Italy: Rome, Lake Como region, Cantù-Cermenate, Viareggio

The narrative moves through war-torn countryside around Lake Como, the urban environment of Rome, and Lombardy towns such as Cantù-Cermenate. Locations like the hotel and the mill anchor the drama in tangible Italian places. The journey between these places mirrors the country’s transition from occupation to a new political and social order.

🗺️ Italian settings 🏞️ War-torn landscapes

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:02

Main Characters – A Difficult Life (1961)

Meet the key characters of A Difficult Life (1961), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Silvio Magnozzi (Alberto Sordi)

A passionate political idealist and journalist whose life moves from wartime resistance to postwar compromise. His stubborn loyalty to his beliefs drives much of the drama, even as circumstances push him toward economic security. He evolves from fervent revolutionary to a man who navigates a changing Italy while trying to hold onto his principles.

🎭 Drama 🗞️ Journalism 🧭 Politics

Elena Pavinato (Lea Massari)

Daughter of a hotel owner who saves Silvio and becomes his lover and partner. Practical, resilient, and capable of fierce loyalty, she negotiates a precarious social landscape and ultimately grapples with disillusionment when economic security clashes with love.

💪 Resilience 🧭 Pragmatism 🟣 Loyalty

Franco Simonini (Franco Fabrizi)

Silvio’s friend and fellow journalist who accompanies him on assignments. He embodies a pragmatic ally and mirrors the challenges of sustaining political engagement within a society shifting toward postwar realities.

🤝 Friendship 🗞️ Journalism 🛡️ Loyalty

Amalia Pavinato (Lina Volonghi)

Elena’s mother, a practical matriarch who embodies the costs and loyalties of a family living through political upheaval and changing times.

👪 Family 🕰️ Generations 🗺️ Italian life

Bracci (Claudio Gora)

A wealthy administrator who hires Silvio and embodies the new moneyed class. His humiliating behavior toward Silvio and Elena highlights the social power dynamics of postwar Italy.

💼 Power 🥂 Elite society 🧊 Cold ambition

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:02

Major Themes – A Difficult Life (1961)

Explore the central themes of A Difficult Life (1961), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🗳️ Politics

The film centers on Italy’s transformation from fascist remnants to a republican state. It follows Silvio’s activism, partisan struggles, and the consequences of speaking truth in a society rebuilding itself. The referendum and postwar power dynamics test personal integrity against growing economic pressures.

❤️ Love vs. Security

Elena and Silvio’s relationship anchors the human cost of political commitment. Their romance grows under danger and scarcity, only to be tested by Elena’s pursuit of financial security and Silvio’s stubborn ideals. The dynamic shows how love is shaped—and sometimes fractured—by social expectations and money.

💰 Ambition and Money

Economic concerns drive crucial decisions more than ideology at key moments. Silvio’s insistence on integrity clashes with the lure of comfortable employment and social status. The final humiliations and Elena’s ultimate return reveal a society that often rewards wealth over conviction.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 15:02

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A Difficult Life Summary

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A Difficult Life Summary

A Difficult Life Timeline

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A Difficult Life Timeline

More About A Difficult Life

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