The Roof

Natale, a bricklayer's apprentice, marries Luisa and they move into a crowded apartment with Natale's parents and several relatives. The cramped space reflects the harsh realities of postwar poverty in the early 1950s. Their daily life is defined by shared rooms, constant noise, and the struggle for privacy.

A quarrel drives Natale and Luisa to depart the family home with little more than hope and few belongings. They step into an uncertain urban landscape, unsure where they will sleep that night. The moment launches the central quest for a place to live.

The couple commits to finding shelter, and the film follows their relentless search through Rome's housing market and informal options. They confront scarcity, bureaucracy, and the constant threat of eviction. Their determination to secure a roof over their heads becomes the through-line of the story.

Natale organizes his co-workers to help build a one-room brick dwelling on unused railway land on the outskirts of Rome. The project is carried out largely at night to avoid attention and eviction. The act turns labor into a temporary lifeline for the couple.

The plan leans on the rule that a dwelling with a door and a roof cannot be evicted, giving them guarded hope despite the illegality. The optimism is tempered by the risk that the shelter could be dismantled at any moment. The couple prepares to persevere under precarious circumstances.

At dawn, police arrive to remove the squat. The structure is nearly finished, with only part of the roof incomplete. The moment tests their resolve and the authorities' willingness to enforce the law.

A compassionate policeman looks the other way, granting them a temporary reprieve. This act buys them time to continue work on their shelter and to hope for a more stable future. The scene underscores the film's humane neorealist tone.

Luisa discovers she is pregnant, which heightens the couple's urgency and stakes. The new life inside her makes the dream of a home feel more tangible and more urgent. They press on despite the legal and financial risks.

The completed dwelling, though not fully sealed, stands as a symbol of resilience and communal effort. The film shows how ordinary people pull together to create a space that offers hope in a harsh world. The scene marks a turning point in their fight for basic security.

Even with a roof, the couple remains in financial straits and faces the possibility of imprisonment later if circumstances worsen. The ending maintains a note of realism, acknowledging ongoing challenges ahead. The 'happy ending' is tempered by future uncertainty.