The film was shot in the places where Beppe Fenoglio lived and fought as a partisan, an experience he poured into his novel, Johnny the Partisan. The first scenes take us to the Pertinace area in the hills behind Alba (CN). Johnny (Stefano Dinisi) observes the city and the river Tanaro from behind the shutters of the villa where he hides out after deserting. He is struck by the tired gait of the father as he walks uphill through the vines towards him. Hearing of dear friend’s death, the young student returns to the city where he decides to move into action. There are scenes featuring via Vernazza, via Cavour and piazza Risorgimento as backgrounds; facing the Church of St. Joseph is the Carabinieri barracks where a group of partisans demands the liberation of the family members of those evading the draft.
Neive stands in for Mango in the film, setting for the headquarters of the partisans known as the “Azzurri”. The frantic scenes in the woods near the sand dunes were shot in Vallone di Sant’Elena, beneath the Cascina di Langa where the Johnny in the novel hides out at length with a she-wolf and the peasant Rina.
The last scene of the novel and film is set between Mango and Santo Stefano Belbo in the hamlet of Valdivilla, although the house riddled with gunshot during the battle is located near Benevello. The story recounts that a battle took place here, on 24 February 1945, which marked the epilogue of the armed conflict between partisans, fascists and Nazis in the Langa. “Two months later the war was over”.
The film was shot in the places where Beppe Fenoglio lived and fought as a partisan, an experience he poured into his novel, Johnny the Partisan. The first scenes take us to the Pertinace area in the hills behind Alba (CN). Johnny (Stefano Dinisi) observes the city and the river Tanaro from behind the shutters of the villa where he hides out after deserting. He is struck by the tired gait of the father as he walks uphill through the vines towards him. Hearing of dear friend’s death, the young student returns to the city where he decides to move into action. There are scenes featuring via Vernazza, via Cavour and piazza Risorgimento as backgrounds; facing the Church of St. Joseph is the Carabinieri barracks where a group of partisans demands the liberation of the family members of those evading the draft.
Neive stands in for Mango in the film, setting for the headquarters of the partisans known as the “Azzurri”. The frantic scenes in the woods near the sand dunes were shot in Vallone di Sant’Elena, beneath the Cascina di Langa where the Johnny in the novel hides out at length with a she-wolf and the peasant Rina.
The last scene of the novel and film is set between Mango and Santo Stefano Belbo in the hamlet of Valdivilla, although the house riddled with gunshot during the battle is located near Benevello. The story recounts that a battle took place here, on 24 February 1945, which marked the epilogue of the armed conflict between partisans, fascists and Nazis in the Langa. “Two months later the war was over”.
