The Working Class Goes to Heaven - La Classe Operaia Va in Paradiso
Ludovico “Lulù” is a factory worker who works extra hours to provide for two families and his own spending. Praised by the bosses and disliked by his co-workers, Lulù changes his view on working conditions after he accidentally cuts his finger on the job.
The film generated a lot of controversy because of its criticism of labour unions. But as director Elio Petri describes:
Con il mio film sono stati polemici tutti, sindacalisti, studenti di sinistra, intellettuali, dirigenti comunisti, maoisti. Ciascuno avrebbe voluto un’opera che sostenesse le proprie ragioni: invece questo è un film sulla classe operaia.
Everybody has been critical of my film, union officials, left wing students, intellectuals, communists executives, maoists. Each one of them would have wanted a film that would support their own motives. Instead this film is about the working class.
Here is a scene where Lulù speaks in front of his factory colleagues.
Remember to activate the subtitles when starting the video.




