Il Cammino della Speranza (1950)

Synopsis
Disciples of Italian filmmaker Pietro Germi have noted the stylistic influence of Hollywood's John Ford in Germi's neorealist Il Camino Della Speranza. The story concerns the plight of illegal immigration, as experienced by a pair of Sicilian miners. Unable to find work in their own country, the protagonists embark on a long and arduous journey to the French border, with immigration officials nipping at their heels every step of the way. Structurally, the film resembles Ford's Stagecoach, right down to the upbeat denouement, wherein one sympathetic authority figure decides "to heck with the rules." Heading the cast is Italian movie favorite Raf Vallone. Germi co-wrote the film with Federico Fellini and Tullio Pinelli. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide