Bitter Rice (1949): cast, story & where to watch
1949 · Film · ★ 7.5
Released in 1949, Bitter Rice is a drama and crime film directed by Giuseppe De Santis, running about 102 minutes. “An earthy drama of human passions among women rice workers in the Po Valley.” — that tagline sets the tone.
What it’s about. Francesca and Walter are two-bit criminals in Northern Italy, and, in an effort to avoid the police, Francesca joins a group of women rice workers. She meets the voluptuous peasant rice worker, Silvana, and the soon-to-be-discharged soldier, Marco. Walter follows her to the rice fields, and the four characters become involved in a complex plot involving robbery, love, and murder.
Who’s in it. Bitter Rice stars Vittorio Gassman as Walter, Doris Dowling as Francesca, Silvana Mangano as Silvana and Raf Vallone as Marco, among others.
How it landed. With an audience score of 7.5/10, Bitter Rice has been warmly received by audiences.
Where to watch. In US you can stream it on Criterion Channel and rent or buy it from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store, Google Play Movies and YouTube. See the full, country-by-country breakdown on our where to watch Bitter Rice page.
If you liked it. Fans of Bitter Rice tend to enjoy The Shawshank Redemption, The Godfather, Schindler's List and The Godfather Part II.
Frequently asked
- Where can I watch Bitter Rice (1949)?
- In US, Bitter Rice is available to stream on Criterion Channel, and rent or buy from Amazon Video, Apple TV Store and Google Play Movies. Availability varies by country — check our where-to-watch page for every region.
- Is Bitter Rice worth watching?
- Bitter Rice holds an audience score of 7.5 out of 10, and is a strong pick if you enjoy drama and crime. Most viewers rate it highly.
- Who stars in Bitter Rice?
- Bitter Rice stars Vittorio Gassman, Doris Dowling, Silvana Mangano, Raf Vallone and Checco Rissone.
- When was Bitter Rice released?
- Bitter Rice was released in 1949, with a runtime of about 102 minutes.