although it mold of 1949 appear somewhat melodramatic today and the black and white riso amaro ( equal italian for bitter rice ) surely rank among the classic in film history . this very italian product by guiseppe de santis show a pretty ordinary crime story and excellently interweave with an impressive decor of harsh season labor in the rice field of northern italy . the thousand of woman and up to their ankle in the water and break their back in the burning sun to earn a few buck and make a truly great set . riso amaro have be label a neo realism . another issue worth mention be it female lead silvana mangano and ex miss rome . to the standard of 1949 miss mangano performance in this film be shock . this earn riso amaro a lot of publicity and in particular in strongly roman catholic italy .