By Ayn Rand
Directed by Goffredo Alessandrini
DVD special features include "We the Living, a Lost Treasure Recovered"—a documentary about the making and recovery of the film; and over 50 minutes of deleted scenes, never before seen in America.
First produced in fascist Italy during World War II, this is the painstakingly restored film version of Ayn Rand's novel We the Living. She did virtually all the major (esthetic and philosophical) re-editing. The result, she later said, was far superior to what Hollywood would ever have allowed. The film is actually an adaptation of two films, Noi Vivi and Addio Kira, originally produced, without authorization, in Italy in 1942. In addition to being a shining example of Ayn Rand's work, the film is a fascinating historical piece.
The familiar story, which pits individuals against the state, is set in the chaotic years following the Russian revolution. Alida Valli appears as Kira.
(DVD; two-disc set with bonus features; 174 min., B & W; Italian with English subtitles)
