''Nella città l'inferno'' (''Behind Closed Shutters'') is a 1959 Italian film directed by

Renato Castellani Renato Castellani (4 September 1913 in Varigotti, Liguria – 28 December 1985 in Rome) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Early life Son of a representative of Kodak, he was born in Varigotti, a hamlet at the time of Final Pia, ...

Plot

When the wide-eyed Lina (

Giulietta Masina Giulia Anna "Giulietta" Masina (22 February 1921 – 23 March 1994) was an Italian film actress best known for her performances as Gelsomina in ''La Strada'' (1954) and Cabiria in ''Nights of Cabiria'' (1957), for which she won the Cannes Film F ...

) lands in a women's prison, she meets a world-weary prostitute named Egle (

Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of characters. Born in Rome, she worked her ...

) who looks out for her. After Egle teaches Lina what she knows and begins to harden the girl, Lina commits another crime on the outside and winds up back in jail, a shell of her former self. Egle, meanwhile, who had taken a genuine liking to Lina, has tried to better herself and is shocked to see what has become of her former protégé.

Cast

: Egle *

: Lina *

Myriam Bru Myriam Bru (born 20 April 1932, Paris)Some sources cite 1930 as Bru's year of birth. is a French retired actress and the wife of German actor Horst Buchholz, to whom she was married from 1958 until his death in 2003. She appeared in 16 films bet ...

: Vittorina * Cristina Gajoni: Marietta Mugnari *

Renato Salvatori Renato Salvatori (20 March 1933 – 27 March 1988) was an Italian actor. Born in Seravezza, Province of Lucca, Salvatori began his career in his teens playing juvenile, romantic roles. After working with directors such as Luchino Visconti, Rob ...

: Piero *

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, voice actor, singer, comedian, director and screenwriter. Early life Born in Rome to a schoolteacher and a musician and the last of five children, Sordi was named in hon ...

: Antonio Zampi, aka Adone *

Angela Portaluri Angela Portaluri (born March 5, 1937) is an Italian actress and model. As an actress, she appeared in ''I mostri'' (1963) and '' Il medico della mutua'' (1968). She was the 1956 Italian candidate to Miss World, although she had not won the Miss ...

: Laura *

Milly Monti Carla Mignone, known by her stage name Milly, (Alessandria, Piemonte, Kingdom of Italy; 26 February 1905 - Nepi, Viterbo, Italy; 22 September 1980) was an Italian singer, actress and cabaret performer. Biography Her father abandoned her family ...

: Sister Giuseppina * Maria Virginia Benati: Vera *

Marcella Rovena Marcella Rovena (22 January 1905 – 6 October 1991) was an Italian film and voice actress. Born in Conegliano, she started her career on the big screen in 1932 with director Nunzio Malasomma Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 J ...

: Miss Luisa *

Gina Rovere Gina or GINA or ''variation'' may refer to: Gina Gina may refer to: * Gina (given name), multiple individuals * Gina (Canaan), a town in ancient Canaan * Arihant (Jainism), also called gina, a term for a human who has conquered his or her inner p ...

: Delia *

Miranda Campa Miranda Campa (31 January 1914 – 7 May 1989) was a Swiss-born Italian actress and voice actress. Life and career Born Liliana Campa Capodaglio in Geneva, the nephew of actors Pio Campa and Wanda Capodaglio, Campa studied acting at the S ...

: Ida Maroni *

Saro Urzì Rosario "Saro" Urzì (24 February 1913 – 1 November 1979) was an Italian actor. He is best known for his roles in the films '' In the Name of the Law'' (1949), ''The Railroad Man'' (1956), '' Seduced and Abandoned'' (1964), which earned him a ...

: Marshall *

Sergio Fantoni Sergio Fantoni (7 August 1930 – 17 April 2020) was an Italian actor, voice actor and director. Biography Fantoni was born in Rome to the actor Cesare Fantoni. He began his career appearing in films, radio dramas, television and theatrical pro ...

: Judge *

Umberto Spadaro Umberto Spadaro (8 November 1904 – 12 October 1981) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in around 95 films between 1940 and 1979. His brother Peppino Spadaro was also an actor. Selected filmography * ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (1939) – ...

: Prison Director

External links

* 1959 films Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian-language films Films set in Italy Films set in Rome Films directed by Renato Castellani Films with screenplays by Suso Cecchi d'Amico 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub