Italian master Federico Fellini isn’t a name that often comes to mind in film noir circles but he had a few connections to the cycle in his early career, such as penning the screenplay for Pietro Germi’s La città si difende (US: Four Ways Out), a neorealist noir set amidst the urban paranoia and depressed landscape of postwar Italy. Having robbed a soccer stadium during a big match, four men of different ages and backgrounds, played by Renato Baldini, Paul Muller, Fausto Tozzi, and Enzo Maggio Jr., are forced to split up to evade the police. As they attempt to meet up and divide the suitcase full of loot without tipping off the cops, the film explores each man’s personal drama as he comes to terms with the costs of his crime and its impact on his closest relationships (the sequence of Luigi’s train escape is its own self-contained mini-masterpiece). As always, Germi delivers striking compositions that elevate the melodrama and spotlight the corners of the city where few seem to tread. Among the many beautiful cast members don’t miss Gina Lollobrigida in a relatively minor role as Paolo’s girlfriend Daniela. Fun fact: the film’s producer, cinematographer, composer, and production designer are all named Carlo.