We the Living
Like We the Living on Facebook!
  • Home
  • About the Film
    • Production History
    • Synopsis
    • Cast & Crew
    • Photo Gallery
  • Stream it Now
  • Book a Screening
  • Reviews
  • 80th Anniversary Restoration Project
  • The Making of WTL
  • Preview Scenes
  • About Ayn Rand

​Cast and Crew


​Alida Valli - Kira

Picture
​​ALIDA VALLI stars as the strong-willed Kira Argounova. One of Europe's most enduring screen actresses, Alida Valli was born in 1921 in Pola, Italy, the daughter of an Austrian journalist. After training at Centrosperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome, she began making films at an early age, and rapidly became one of the Italian screen's leading young stars. Valli was 21 and already one of Italy's highest paid actresses when she starred in WE THE LIVING.

In 1944 she married surrealist painter and composer Oscar de Mejo. During World War II Valli went into hiding rather than continue working in the Fascist controlled film industry. Resuming her work after the war, she came to Hollywood under contract with David 0. Selznick. She appeared in Hitchcock's THE PARADINE CASE and co-starred with Frank Sinatra and Fred McMurray in THE MIRACLE OF THE BELLS.

Picture
Among her other English language films is the British classic, THE THIRD MAN with Orson Welles and Joseph Cotten. Returning to Europe in the early 1950's, Valli began an international career that saw her gradually mature from romantic roles to strongly etched character parts. She was featured in A MONTH BY THE LAKE (1995) starring Vanessa Redgrave. Valli continued to appear on stage and screen prior to her death in 2006 in Rome, Italy.

Valli has made over 80 additional films. Among them are: MANON LESCAUT (1939); PICCOLO MONDO ANTICO (1941); WALK SOFTLY, STRANGER (1950); ULTIMO INCONTRO (1951); Visconti's SENSO (1954); Antonioni's IL GRIDO (1957); THIS ANGRY AGE (1958); THE LONG ABSENCE (1961); THE HAPPY THEIVES (1962); OEDIPUS REX (1967); Bertolucci's THE SPIDER'S STRATAGEM (1970): THE CASSANDRA CROSSING (1977); and INFERNO (1979).

Picture
Rossano Brazzi - Leo

​ROSSANO BRAZZI plays Leo Kovalensky, fugitive son of an aristocrat. Brazzi was truly one of the great romantic leading men to emerge in the film industry. In over 50 years of acting, Brazzi performed in over 100 movies, a score of TV series, winning several best actor awards in Italy and other European countries.

He was born in Bologna in 1916 and attended law school in Florence. When his family was persecuted by the Fascists, Brazzi moved to Rome and joined a repertory company in 1937. He made his film debut in 1939, and when WE THE LIVING was made in 1942, he was already among the highest paid Italian film stars. Generally cast in swashbuckling roles, WE THE LIVING established him as a serious actor as well. During World War II, Brazzi worked with resistance groups in Rome.

Picture
​His first Hollywood film was LITTLE WOMEN in 1949, but he did not win a following in America until 1954 when he appeared in THREE COINS IN A FOUNTAIN. After that he appeared with Katherine Hepburn in David Lean's SUMMERTIME and the musical SOUTH PACIFIC and a number of other Hollywood hits. Brazzi died December 24th, 1994.

Among his other memorable films are THE BAREFOOT CONTESSA (1954); INTERLUDE (1957); A CERTAIN SMILE (1958); LEGEND OF THE LOST (1957); LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA (1962); De Sica’s WOMAN TIMES SEVEN (1967); THE ITALIAN JOB (1969); MISTER KINGSTREET'S WAR (1970); THE OMEN--FINAL CONFLICT (1981); THE FAR PAVILIONS (1984); FEAR CITY (1985).

Picture
​Fosco Giachetti - Andrei
​

​FOSCO GIACHETTI plays Andrei Taganov, the stoic GPU official and idealistic revolutionary.

Giachetti became a major force in Italian film after his first successful starring role in SQUADRONE BIANCO, released in 1936. By the time he starred in WE THE LIVING, he was the number one box office attraction in Italy. Giachetti abandoned the theater for cinema and made approximately 50 films during his career.

Picture
A virile screen presence, he was considered at his best when playing the romantic, melancholy loner. Giachetti completed his last film, L'HERITIER in 1973, a year before his death at the age of 70.

Among his other notable films are: SCIPPIONE L'AFRICANCO (1938); THE LIFE OF G. VERDI (1940); Alessandrini's NOZZE DI SANGUE (1941); ALCAZAR (1942); BROTHERS KARAMAZOFF (1947); and, in French, Rene Clement's CHATEAU DE VERRE (1948), with Michele Morgan and Jean Marais.

​​Other Characters

Timishenko
Pavel Syerov
Comrade Sonia
Victor Dunaev
Morozov
Alexei Argounov
Vassili Dunaev
Maria Petrovna Dunaev
Marisha
Lydia Argounova
Galina Petrovna
Tonia
GPU Captain
Sasha
Acia Dunaev
Irina Dunaev

GIOVANNI GRASSO
EMILIO CIGOLI

CESARINA GHERALDI
MARIO PISU
GUGLIELMO SINAZ
GERO ZAMBUTO
ANNIBALE BETRONE
ELVIRA BETRONE
SYLVIA MANTO
CLAUDIA MARTI
EVELINA PAOLI
GINA SAMMARCO
LAMBERTO PICASSO
SENNUCCIO BENELLI
GIOIA COLLEI
BIANCA DORIA
Picture
​Goffredo Alessandrini - Director

Goffredo Alessandrini, born in Cairo in 1904, was a very successful director during Mussolini’s regime. Although, initially, his films were influenced by his brief stay in Hollywood in the early 1930's for MGM Studios, he successfully made the transition from musical comedies to historical dramas and ideological propaganda films when the tide of war changed the focus of filmmaking.

All of his films are noted for their extreme realism, and have been lauded as anticipating the Neo-Realist movement that was to follow the end of the war. THE LIFE OF CARAVAGGIO and DON BOSCO were praised for their direction and received exceptional reviews.His colonial film, ABUNA MESSIAS received several awards.During his career, Alessandrini directed approximately 20 films. Looking at them today, they still hold fascination for the viewer.

Picture
Among his most important films: LA SEGRETARIA PRIVATE (1931); CAVALLERIA (1936); UNA DONNA FRA DUE MONDI (1937); LUCIANO SERRA-PILOTA (1938); IL PONTE DI VETRO (1940); FURIA (1948); and RAPTURE (1950).

He was married to the great Italian actress Anna Magnanl. Alessandrini died in Rome in 1978.

Picture
Duncan Scott - Co-Producer, Restoration

Duncan Scott is a filmmaker with over 150 productions to his credit and has won four Emmy Awards, two Telly Awards, and a Peabody Award nomination.

As a writer, director and producer, Duncan has filmed throughout the world, from Siberia to Argentina, and worked with director Woody Allen, anthropologist Margaret Mead, musician Eric Clapton, actor Michael Caine, and author Ayn Rand. Duncan’s work now focuses on projects that promote freedom.

Picture
He is a specialist in adaptations of the works of author Ayn Rand for screen and stage. He was one of the screenwriters of the motion picture, Atlas Shrugged – Part Two (2012) , was Consulting Producer for Atlas Shrugged – Part Three (2014) for which he also contributed to the screenplay.  He worked closely with Ayn Rand years ago, along with co-producers Hank Holzer and Erika Holzer on the restoration of the 1942 lost film classic, We the Living  based on Rand’s first novel.  Duncan’s company now owns and distributes We the Living. 

​Duncan also wrote and directed a stage adaptation of Rand’s short novel, 
Anthem. He is also the Founder and Director of the non-profit Objectivist History Project.​

Picture
Henry Mark Holzer - Co-Producer, Restoration

Henry Mark Holzer, co-producer of the restored version of WE THE LIVING, has been a lawyer for almost thirty years.

As counsel to Ayn Rand in the 1960's, he was primarily responsible for finding the film in Italy.

Erika Holzer - Co-Producer, Restoration

Erika Holzer is a novelist. lawyer, and co-producer of the restored version of WE THE LIVING. As counsel, with her husband, to Ayn Rand in the 1960's, she helped find WE THE LIVING in Italy.

​

From the novel by
Production Manager
First Assistant Director
Published by​
Adapted by

Script & Dialogue
Editor
Director of Photography
Music
Art Direction


Costumes
  Made by​
Sound

Associate Director
Assistant Director
Camera Operator
Film shot on
Produced by
Negative and Positive​​
Restored Version



AYN RAND
FRANCO MAGLI
ANTON GIULIO MAJANO
CASA BALDINI E CASTODI
CORRADO ALVARO
ORIO VERGANI

ANTON GIULIO MAJANO
​ERALDO DA ROMA
GIUSEPPE CARACCIOLO
RENZO ROSSELLINI
ANDREA BELOBORODOFF
GIORGIO ABKHASI
AMLETO BONETTI
ROSI GORI
​CASA D'ARTE, CARAMBA DI ROMA

PIERO CAVAZZUTI
TULLO PARMEGGIANI
ANTON GIULIO MAJANO
GIORGIO CRISTALLINI
LEONE BIOLI
​FERRANIA PANCRO C.6
SCALERA FILM, ROMA
TECNOSTAMPA BY VINCENZO GENESI
DUNCAN SCOTT PRODUCTIONS
in association with
HENRY MARK HOLZER and
ERIKA HOLZER
ⓒ Copyright, 1986 WE THE LIVING FILM CO.
​
Photo Gallery
​

See We the Living Now
Proudly powered by Weebly