What Is The Hawks and the Sparrows About?
The premise of The Hawks and the Sparrows in 301 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In a world that feels both recognizably modern and startlingly allegorical, a wandering pair drifts through the outskirts of Rome, turning an ordinary stroll into a playful meditation on the contradictions of contemporary life. The film opens with a breezy, almost fable‑like atmosphere, where the everyday streets become a canvas for larger questions about power, poverty, and the search for meaning. Light‑hearted humor sits beside a keen social eye, inviting the audience to watch the mundane transform into a stage for satire.
The journey is guided by Totò, a charismatic father whose easy grin and quick wit contrast with the quiet curiosity of his son, Ninetto. Their bond anchors the narrative, providing warmth and a sense of wonder as they move through varied landscapes. Joining them is an unusually talkative crow, whose intertitles frame it as a remnant of a bygone left‑wing intellectual, offering sharp commentary that sketches the ideological backdrop without ever feeling heavy‑handed.
Stylistically, the film blends whimsical fantasy with a stark, almost documentary‑like observation of society’s layers. Pasolini mixes mythic storytelling—referencing saints and friars with a modern, Marxist twist—against a backdrop of real‑world textures. The score, a breezy melody by Ennio Morricone, and the opening cantata sung by Domenico Modugno, wrap the picture in a musical glow that feels both nostalgic and freshly inventive, underscoring each scene with a tone that is at once ironic and affectionate.
Through the simple act of wandering, the duo and their feathered companion become lenses for exploring class tension, ideological discourse, and the human appetite for connection. The film’s charm lies in its ability to keep the audience curious, never quite sure where a casual remark or a fleeting sight will lead, while always reminding us that even the most ordinary walk can reveal the extraordinary complexities of the world around us.
What Happens in The Hawks and the Sparrows?
The complete story of The Hawks and the Sparrows, from the first scene to the last, in 505 words (about 2 minutes). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 2 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
Totò and his son Ninetto Davoli wander through the streets and countryside around Rome, a journey that blends quiet humor with a stark look at struggle. Their stroll leads them to witness a body being carried from a house after a murder, a small moment that opens up a larger world of ambition, poverty, and memory. The pair’s walk is interrupted by a talking crow, who appears with intertitles that frame it as a left-wing intellectual of the kind that existed before Palmiro Togliatti’s death, setting up a tone that is at once philosophical and playful.
The Crow then recounts the story of Fra Ciccillo and Fra Ninetto, two Franciscan friars who are sent by Saint Francis to preach the Gospel to the hawks (the powerful) and the sparrows (the weak). After persistent misfires, the friars discover the language of birds and manage to deliver the commandment of love to the hawks and to the sparrows separately, but they cannot persuade the two groups to love each other. Saint Francis explains the relationship between the two factions from a Marxist perspective, inviting them to persevere in their mission even as the social divide remains painfully clear.
Back in the present, the journey continues with the Crow still in tow. Totò and Ninetto encounter a sequence of encounters that satirize different social strata. Landowners who order them off their land when they are caught defecating, a family living in absolute poverty with no food who face eviction, and a group of traveling actors who embody many of society’s margins—women, LGBTQ people, the elderly, racial minorities, and the disabled—persuade the pair to push the group’s Cadillac for them. The narrative juxtaposes humor with hardship, turning each small episode into a meditation on power, need, and solidarity.
A later segment shows a wealthy man waiting for the money Totò owes him, a contrast to the earlier demand for rent. The film then shifts to a montage of news footage, including the funeral of Palmiro Togliatti, which punctuates the satire with a real-world moment of political significance. The odyssey reaches a shocking close when, after a fateful encounter with a prostitute, Totò and Ninetto kill and eat the Crow, exposing a grim turn that reframes the entire journey as a brutal, unsettling moral parable.
Throughout this bold voyage, Pasolini threads social critique with fable-like fantasy, using the humor and warmth of its two leads to explore class tension, ideology, and the human appetite for meaning. The film’s opening mood is intensified by Ennio Morricone’s score, highlighted by a sung credits sequence performed by Domenico Modugno, which gives the movie a cantata-like welcome that lingers long after the final frame.
This layered narrative invites viewers to read the shifts between the fable told by the Crow and the larger, often harsher realities that Totò and Ninetto encounter on the road. It remains a distinctive blend of satire, myth, and social commentary, anchored by the enduring chemistry between its two stars and the provocative ideas that Pasolini threads through every scene.
The Hawks and the Sparrows Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
14 key events in the order they happen, from “Opening credits and theme” to “The Crow is killed and eaten”. 14 events name a place, across 12 locations.
- 1
Opening credits and theme
The film opens with Ennio Morricone's score accompanying the credits as Domenico Modugno sings. The music and imagery establish Pasolini's playful, satirical tone. This opening frames Totò and Ninetto's world before the narrative truly begins.
When:opening Where:Film opening sequence
- 2
Totò and Ninetto wander Rome and countryside
Totò and his son Ninetto roam the streets around Rome and wander into the surrounding countryside. They observe a body being removed from a house after a murder, reacting with curiosity rather than fear. The scene blends everyday life with a sense of societal violence and absurdity.
Where:Rome and surrounding countryside
- 3
The talking crow appears
A crow talks to them, introduced by intertitles that declare it a left-wing intellectual of the old school. The bird becomes a guide through the film's satire and fables. Its antics mix political commentary with surreal humor.
Where:on the road
- 4
The Crow's parable of Fra Ciccillo and Fra Ninetto
The Crow recounts a tale in which two Franciscan friars are sent by Saint Francis to preach to hawks and sparrows. The parable explores language, love, and social division with a Marxist-inflected lens. It sets up a critique of power and solidarity that threads through the movie.
Where:the Crow's storytelling sequence
- 5
Birds learn their speech but fail to love each other
The friars manage to communicate with both hawks and sparrows by discovering their language, and they preach the commandment of love to each group separately. Yet hawks and sparrows remain divided, continuing to prey on one another. Saint Francis offers a hopeful, but unresolved, path toward reconciliation.
Where:birds' realm (within the tale)
- 6
Saint Francis and the Marxist perspective
Saint Francis explains the relationship between hawks and sparrows from a Marxist perspective and urges the friars to keep preaching. The scene bridges religious symbolism with social critique. It reinforces the film's provocative melding of spirituality and politics.
Where:story's frame within the parable
- 7
Return to the journey; Crow stays with them
After the tale, Totò and Ninetto continue their journey and the Crow remains by their side. The episodic road trip unfolds with a mix of street comedy and political satire. The Crow's presence keeps a running thread through the film.
Where:on the road
- 8
Landowners confront them
They are chased off by landowners who order them off their land when caught defecating. The scene uses crude humor to critique property relations and social power. It sharpens the film's edge against hypocritical authority.
Where:landowners' property
- 9
Poverty-stricken family episode
The duo encounters a family living in absolute poverty with no food. Totò threatens to drive them out if the rent isn't paid, turning on the audience with a satirical portrayal of economic desperation. The moment highlights vulnerability within the social order.
Where:poverty-stricken home
- 10
Traveling actors and their Cadillac
A group of traveling actors representing marginalized groups persuades the pair to push the group's Cadillac car along the road. The sequence satirizes social labels and solidarity through comedic collaboration. It also underscores the performative nature of societal roles.
Where:roadside with troupe
Show the other 4 events of The Hawks and the Sparrows Hide the last 4 events
- 11
The rich man and the debt
They meet a wealthy man who waits for the money Totò owes him, in contrast to the rent-demand earlier. The encounter critiques capitalist relations and the randomness of debt in the duo's surreal journey. It adds another social type to the film's panorama.
Where:rich man's setting
- 12
News footage of Palmiro Togliatti's funeral
The film interrupts with news footage of Palmiro Togliatti's funeral, juxtaposing the travelers' light episodes with a real-world political moment. The moment anchors the satire in contemporary Italian history. It disrupts the episodic flow with a stark, ceremonial image.
Where:television news sequence
- 13
Prostitute encounter
They encounter a prostitute, and the Crow remains a companion in their wandering. The encounter adds another layer of social observation to the film's mosaic. It foreshadows the Crow's fate as the path grows harsher.
Where:street
- 14
The Crow is killed and eaten
Following the prostitute episode, Totò and Ninetto kill and eat the Crow, ending the bird's presence in their journey. The act underscores the film's bleak, surreal humor and the duo's ultimate moral drift. The ending emphasizes Pasolini's provocative, boundary-pushing storytelling.
Where:on the road
Who Are the Main Characters in The Hawks and the Sparrows?
4 characters, among them Totò Innocenti / Frate Cicillo, Ninetto Innocenti / Frate Ninetto and The Crow: who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
- TI
Totò Innocenti / Frate Cicillo
Played by Totò
A streetwise, larger-than-life character who roams with his son and tests social boundaries. His impulsive actions—such as pressuring others over rents—highlight class tensions and the fragility of everyday power. He blends comic bravado with a sharp, skeptical view of authority.
- 🎭 Lead
- 🧍♂️ Comic antihero
- 💬 Social critic
- NI
Ninetto Innocenti / Frate Ninetto
Played by Ninetto Davoli
Totò’s son, a playful, curious presence who participates in the Saint Francis fable. His naivety and companionship with Totò anchor the film’s exploration of faith, innocence, and social satire. He often serves as a mirror to Totò’s world-weary pragmatism.
- 🧒 Childlike
- 🧭 Innocence
- 🤝 Sidekick
- TC
The Crow
Played by Francesco Leonetti
A talking crow who narrates the frame story and guides the audience through the fable. The Crow embodies a critical observer, delivering social and political commentary with wit. Its presence bridges the real world and the allegorical tale.
- 🪶 Narrator
- 🗣️ Satirical commentator
- TB
The Balladeer (voice)
Played by Domenico Modugno
Domenico Modugno’s vocal presence introduces the film with a musical, guiding energy. The Balladeer frames the credits and mood, lending a lyrical layer to the satire. His voice anchors the film’s blend of cinema and music.
- 🎤 Narrator
- 🎵 Musical guide
Where and When Is The Hawks and the Sparrows Set?
The Hawks and the Sparrows is set in Rome, Italy (neighborhoods and surrounding countryside) (1960s). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1960s
Set in 1960s Italy, the film blends contemporary urban life with social and political commentary. The narrative unfolds amid postwar modernization, labor struggles, and the rise of leftist discourse, punctuated by news footage of Palmiro Togliatti’s funeral. The juxtaposition of the parable and real-world events situates the action in a period of intense social change.
Where
Rome, Italy (neighborhoods and surrounding countryside)
The story unfolds across Rome’s busy streets and nearby rural landscapes, reflecting a society in flux. The city serves as a stage for everyday encounters with landlords, the poor, and traveling performers, highlighting class differences. The countryside scenes counterbalance the urban hustle, underscoring the film’s satirical take on Italian life.
- 🏛️ Italian urban setting
- 🌳 Rural outskirts of Rome
- 💸 Socioeconomic contrasts
What Are the Themes of The Hawks and the Sparrows?
4 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Class Struggle, Marginalization and Music and Mood.
-
01
Class Struggle
The film stages a fable where hawks (the powerful) and sparrows (the weak) struggle for dominance, using Saint Francis’ message to critique hierarchies. It combines satire and political commentary to question property, power, and marketplace values. The Marxist framing invites viewers to reexamine social relations through humor and parable.
-
02
Marginalization
The pair encounter groups marginalized by society, including traveling performers and other outcasts, which the film portrays with empathy and humor. These episodes explore how society treats the vulnerable and the demand for solidarity beyond norms. The humor foregrounds the humanity of those on the fringes.
-
03
Music and Mood
Ennio Morricone’s score and Domenico Modugno’s opening song shape the film’s tone, blending music with on-screen satire. The music guides the audience through shifts between realism, fable, and fantasy. It unifies the disparate tones of political critique and whimsy.
-
04
Religious Allegory
Saint Francis’ commission to preach to birds frames a religious allegory about compassion and universal love. The friars’ failures and eventual realization mirror a critique of dogmatic certainty. The allegory elevates partisan critique to a spiritual dimension, inviting reflection on moral responsibility.
What Kind of Film Is The Hawks and the Sparrows?
Whimsical in tone, with steady pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Whimsical
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- Medium
- Ending
- Bleak
A whimsical yet stark allegorical journey that blends quiet humor with sharp political satire, leading to a darkly unsettling moral conclusion that reframes the entire wandering narrative.
- whimsical
- allegorical
- contemplative
- philosophical
- unsettling
- satirical
- social commentary
- class struggle
- allegory
- political satire
Content notes: murder, poverty, body shaming, animal death.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Hawks and the Sparrows? Test yourself on the story.
