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Rome, Open City (1945) Timeline Explained – Every Event in Order

Release, runtime and language
1945 · 103 mins · Italian
JustWatch #10,449 3
Directed by
Roberto Rossellini
Starring
Anna Magnani, Aldo Fabrizi, Giovanna Galletti, Joop van Hulzen, Nando Bruno, Turi Pandolfini

In wartime Rome, underground resistance leader Manfredi tries to elude the Gestapo by seeking help from Pina, the fiancée of a fellow resistor, and Don Pietro, the priest slated to officiate her wedding, amid the German occupation. Their narrow plan quickly collapses as Nazi forces and local police close in on him.

On this page (6)
  1. 1 Where to watch
  2. 2 Events in order (12)
  3. 3 Timeline questions answered
  4. 4 Movie threads
  5. 5 Movies like Rome, Open City
  6. 6 Every angle

Where to watch

Where to Watch Rome, Open City (1945)

Where can you watch Rome, Open City? Stream, rent or buy it in the US, including on Artiflix, HBO Max and Darkroom: current JustWatch availability with up-to-date prices.

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12 events in order · contains spoilers

Rome, Open City Timeline: Events in Chronological Order

Every key event of Rome, Open City (1945) in order, scene by scene, with when and where it takes place. Use it to untangle flashbacks, time jumps and parallel storylines, to refresh your memory before the sequel or to find the exact scene you are thinking of.

  1. Luigi escapes after warning

    In occupied Rome, 1944, Luigi Ferraris, hiding under the alias Giorgio Manfredi, narrowly avoids capture after a landlady warns him. He slips away from the rooming house and vanishes into the city, beginning his covert Resistance work. The escape marks the start of his dangerous underworld activities among the Resistance.

    When
    Afternoon, 1944
    Where
    Rooming house, Rome
  2. Francesco's apartment becomes his refuge

    Luigi seeks shelter at Francesco's apartment and is taken in by the Resistance ally. Pina, Francesco's visibly pregnant fiancée, initially suspects Luigi is a cop but soon accepts him as a confederate after clarification. The two men begin coordinating their communications through familiar faces in the building.

    When
    Evening, 1944
    Where
    Francesco's apartment
  3. Don Pietro's role and the forthcoming wedding

    Don Pietro, a Catholic priest, is asked to officiate Pina and Francesco's wedding the next day. The arrangement highlights the tension between wartime pragmatism and religious rituals, while Pina questions what is possible under occupation. The priest agrees to help, cementing his role in the Resistance network.

    When
    Next day
    Where
    Don Pietro's church
  4. Bergmann raids the apartment building

    Bergmann, aided by the Italian police chief, raids the sprawling apartment building in search of Luigi and other resistors. Dozens are arrested; Luigi manages to slip away, but Francesco is hauled off in a truck. Pina breaks through the cordon shouting Francesco's name and is shot dead in the chaos.

    When
    Afternoon
    Where
    Large apartment building, Rome
  5. Pina dies and Part I ends

    The priest, present to remove weapons under the guise of prayer, cradles Pina's body and prays as Part I ends. The raid exposes the Resistance's presence and stakes in the city rise dramatically. Luigi and Francesco are left to navigate a hunted existence.

    When
    Late afternoon
    Where
    Francesco's apartment building vicinity
  6. Francesco and Luigi regroup with Don Pietro

    Francesco and Luigi reunite after the raid and seek shelter with Don Pietro, who offers to hide them in a monastery. The plan ensures their survival while extending the Resistance network. The trio prepares to move under the priest's protection.

    When
    Evening
    Where
    Don Pietro's shelter, then monastery
  7. Marina's life at the inn; betrayal foreshadowed

    The group hides at an inn where Marina works, and Luigi confronts her about her drug-addicted lifestyle. The next morning, Marina betrays both him and Francesco to the Nazis, signaling a grim turn in the pursuit of the Resistance. Alliances become as dangerous as enemies.

    When
    Night to next morning
    Where
    Inn where Marina works
  8. Escape toward the monastery; ambush

    Luigi, Francesco, Don Pietro, and an Austrian deserter leave for the monastery, but Francesco lags behind. Germans ambush the party, mistakenly detaining the Austrian instead of Francesco. Marina is rewarded by Ingrid with a fur coat and more drugs for her betrayal.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Roads to monastery
  9. Bergmann tortures Luigi; Don Pietro stands firm

    Back at Nazi headquarters, Bergmann pressures Luigi to betray his comrades. Luigi refuses and endures torture as the Austrian deserter has already collapsed under pressure. Don Pietro is forced to watch, reinforcing the priest's resolve and the resistance's stubborn defiance.

    When
    Night
    Where
    Nazi headquarters; torture chamber
  10. Luigi dies; Don Pietro blesses him

    Luigi dies without yielding to the torment, his courage undermining the Germans' sense of control. Don Pietro blesses his body and commends him to God's mercy, underscoring the moral weight of personal sacrifice in wartime. The torturers' confidence in the 'master race' is visibly shaken.

    When
    Early morning
    Where
    Nazi headquarters torture cell
  11. Marina's fate and Ingrid's calculated move

    Marina and a German officer stumble into Bergmann's office, shocked by Luigi's torture and death. Ingrid resolves to keep Marina as a tool for future leverage, taking Marina's fur coat as a symbolic reminder of power. The officer mutters, 'we are a master race,' highlighting the Nazi creed's fragility in the face of resistance.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Bergmann's office
  12. Don Pietro is executed; altar boys honor him

    Don Pietro is taken to be executed as Italian altar boys-resistance fighters signal their solidarity with whistles. The firing squad hesitates, showing hesitation at harming a priest, and a furious German officer demands action. The priest is killed, leaving Rome's skyline and St. Peter's dome as the somber backdrop.

    When
    Morning
    Where
    Nazi headquarters courtyard

Last updated: October 09, 2025 at 10:47

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Timeline questions answered

Rome, Open City Timeline Explained: Your Questions Answered

When does it happen, and why in that order? The questions people ask about the chronology of Rome, Open City (1945): time jumps, flashbacks, cause and effect between scenes and the correct order of events, each answered with spoilers.

Q1

Why does Pina run into the street and get shot?

Pina sees Francesco being dragged away in a truck during the German raid and desperately calls out his name, breaking through the police cordon. Her courageous but fatal act stems from seeing her fiancé taken away. She is shot dead in the chaos, and Don Pietro cradles her body, praying as she dies.

Foreshadowing: Earlier, Pina confides to Luigi about the hardships of pregnancy in wartime, showing her desperation to hold onto whatever hope she has left.

  • pina death
  • francesco arrested
  • raid scene
  • resistance
  • pina pregnant
Q2

Why does Marina betray Luigi and Francesco to the Nazis?

Marina lives at the inn where Luigi and Francesco seek shelter after the raid. Luigi confronts her about her drug-addicted lifestyle and the dangerous life she leads. Rather than risk exposure or simply seeking self-preservation, she betrays them to the Nazis and is rewarded with a fur coat and more drugs by Ingrid.

Foreshadowing: Marina's lifestyle at the inn, saturated with drugs and danger, signals her moral compromise long before the betrayal occurs.

  • marina betrayal
  • inn
  • nazis
  • drugs
  • reward
Q3

Who is Luigi Ferraris and why is he hiding?

Luigi Ferraris is a communist and key Resistance leader in occupied Rome who uses the alias Giorgio Manfredi to evade the Gestapo. He coordinates underground resistance activities and passes messages and funds to fighters outside the city. The German SS is closing in on him when the film begins, forcing him to constantly move between safe houses.

Foreshadowing: The landlady of his rooming house spots trouble and warns him just in time, showing the constant danger he lives under.

  • luigi ferraris
  • giorgio manfredi
  • resistance leader
  • communist
  • gestapo
Q4

What happens to Don Pietro at the end of the film?

Don Pietro is taken to be executed at Nazi headquarters. Italian altar boys who are actually resistance fighters signal their solidarity with whistles from the doorway. The firing squad hesitates, unwilling to shoot a priest, but a German officer loses his nerve and shoots Don Pietro in the head himself. The boys bow their heads in grief as Rome and St. Peter's dome appear in the distance.

Foreshadowing: Don Pietro's quiet resolve and willingness to help the Resistance from the beginning foreshadows his ultimate sacrifice.

  • don pietro execution
  • firing squad
  • altar boys
  • priest
  • rome
Q5

Why does the Austrian deserter kill himself in prison?

The Austrian deserter is among the captives taken alongside Luigi. Earlier, he showed cowardice under interrogation, collapsing under pressure. Unable to endure further torture by the Gestapo, he hangs himself in his cell. His suicide contrasts sharply with Luigi's steadfast refusal to betray his comrades, even under extreme torture.

Foreshadowing: His earlier cowardice during interrogation sets up his inability to withstand the pressure.

  • austrian deserter
  • suicide
  • prison
  • torture
  • cowardice
Q6

How does Luigi die and why does he refuse to talk?

Bergmann offers Luigi leniency in exchange for betraying his comrades, but Luigi refuses. The Gestapo subjects him to intense torture, whipping and burning torches, but he never yields or reveals any information. Luigi dies in the torture chamber without breaking, his courage undermining the Nazis' belief in their superiority. Don Pietro blesses his body afterward.

Foreshadowing: From the moment Luigi asks Don Pietro to carry messages, his commitment to the resistance cause is clear.

  • luigi torture
  • nazi headquarters
  • bergmann
  • refuses to talk
  • resistance
Q7

Who is Ingrid and what is her relationship with Major Bergmann?

Ingrid is a confidante of Nazi commander Major Bergmann who operates in his sphere of influence. She is involved in the corrupt world of the occupation, using drugs and manipulation to maintain power. After Marina's betrayal, Ingrid rewards her with a fur coat and more drugs, keeping Marina as a tool for future leverage.

Foreshadowing: Ingrid is described as a 'troubling confidante' who 'sours the atmosphere with drugs, manipulation, and coercion.'

  • ingrid
  • bergmann
  • drugs
  • manipulation
  • nazi commander
Q8

How do the Germans find and raid the apartment building?

Major Bergmann, aided by the Italian police chief, orchestrates a raid on the apartment building where Luigi and the Resistance members are hiding. The Gestapo has been watching Luigi, and the raid aims to capture him and other resistors. Dozens of tenants are arrested, Francesco is hauled away in a truck, but Luigi slips away in the chaos.

Foreshadowing: The landlady warns Luigi about trouble earlier, showing that surveillance is constant.

  • german raid
  • apartment building
  • bergmann
  • italian police
  • francesco captured
Q9

What happens to Francesco after the raid?

Francesco is arrested during the raid and loaded onto a truck with other prisoners. Later, when the convoy is attacked by Resistance fighters, Francesco manages to slip away and regroups with Luigi and Don Pietro. The group heads toward a monastery, but another ambush separates them, Francesco lags behind and escapes while the others are captured.

Foreshadowing: Francesco's willingness to be married by a patriotic priest rather than a fascist official shows his commitment to the Resistance.

  • francesco
  • escape
  • convoy attack
  • monastery
  • ambush
Q10

Why does the film end with all the main characters dead?

The film portrays the harsh reality of Nazi occupation in Rome without romanticizing resistance success. The bleak ending, with Luigi tortured to death, Don Pietro executed, Pina shot, and Francesco likely captured or killed, reflects the historical reality of brutal occupation. The Resistance suffers devastating losses, and the only hope lies in Rome's skyline and St. Peter's dome, symbolizing faith and the city itself surviving.

Foreshadowing: The meta notes describe the film's tone as 'dark and bleak' with an 'unambiguously bleak' ending.

  • ending
  • rome
  • st peter dome
  • occupation
  • death
  • resistance failed
Q11

Why does Don Pietro agree to help the Resistance?

Don Pietro is a Catholic priest who quietly aids the Resistance despite the danger. He agrees to officiate Pina and Francesco's wedding and to carry messages and funds for Luigi to fighters outside the city. His motivation stems from patriotic and religious conviction, he would rather perform the marriage than let a fascist official do it. He offers shelter at the monastery and ultimately gives his life for the cause.

Foreshadowing: His agreement to help shows immediate resolve, and his glasses being shattered at prison intake hints at his steadfast character.

  • don pietro
  • priest
  • resistance
  • marriage
  • monastery

Movie threads

More Movies Like Rome, Open City, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes Rome, Open City tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Stories of Civilian Resistance like in Rome, Open City

Ordinary people risk everything against an oppressive, occupying force. If you were moved by the perilous struggle in Rome, Open City, explore more movies about civilian resistance during wartime. These films capture the desperation, moral courage, and tragic sacrifices of ordinary people fighting against oppressive occupation.

  • tense
  • desperate
  • gritty
  • harrowing
  • somber
  • oppressive
  • Tone: dark, tense, tragic
  • Pacing: steady, methodical
Why these movies?

The story pattern: These narratives typically follow a group or individual embedded within an occupied society, organizing covert actions against a powerful enemy. The journey is defined by escalating risk, narrow escapes, and the ever-present threat of betrayal, often culminating in acts of profound sacrifice.

Why they belong together: Movies in this thread share a focus on the ground-level perspective of war, emphasizing tension, moral fortitude, and the heavy emotional toll of fighting an asymmetrical battle. They create a palpable sense of danger and explore themes of community, faith, and the human cost of defiance.

Movies about Life Under Occupation like Rome, Open City

Unflinching depictions of a society crushed by an external power. For viewers seeking similar films to Rome, Open City, this collection features stark portraits of societies living under military occupation. These stories explore the psychological toll, moral dilemmas, and desperate acts of survival in a world defined by control and fear.

  • oppressive
  • somber
  • gritty
  • desperate
  • tragic
  • harrowing
  • Tone: somber, bleak, oppressive
  • Pacing: steady, deliberate
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The narrative pattern focuses less on a single hero's journey and more on the collective experience of a community. It depicts the mechanisms of control, the erosion of normal life, and the small, often futile, acts of defiance that define existence under an oppressive regime, usually ending on a note of unresolved tension or tragedy.

Why they belong together: These films are grouped by their shared, oppressive atmosphere and their commitment to portraying the psychological and social dynamics of occupation. They prioritize a somber, realistic tone and generate a powerful sense of empathy for characters trapped in an unbearable situation.

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Every angle

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