The film shows how Italy's historic national hero Giuseppe Garibaldi (embodied by Renzo Ricci) leads a military campaign known as Expedition of the Thousand in 1860 and conquers Sicily and Naples. When the Bourbon monarchy has left Southern Italy, he supports Victor Emmanuel II of Italy who achieves a lasting unification under the aegis the House of Savoy. Roberto Rossellini has said he was prouder of this film than of any other film he ever made.
Giuseppe Garibaldi
Nino Bixio
Giuseppe Bandi
Rosa
Menotti Garibaldi
Giuseppe Sirtori
Major Sforza
French Journalist
Fabrizio Plutino
Giuseppe Mazzini
Captain Pietro G.B. Spangaro
Luigi Gusmaroli
Francesco Crispi
Lieutenant De Laurentiis
Alexandre Dumas
Rosa's Father
Colonel Pallavicino
Lieutenant Adolfo Faconti
Francesco Montanari
General Landi
Captain-at-Arms
Lieutenant Modignani
King Francesco II
King Vittorio Emanuele II
Captain Annibale Lapini
Queen Maria Sofia
French Journalist
Narrator (voice) (uncredited)
Telegraph Operator (uncredited)
(uncredited)
Bellintrino (uncredited)
Reverend (uncredited)
Secretary (uncredited)
Giuseppe Missori (uncredited)
(uncredited)
Giuseppe La Farina (uncredited)
Peasant Giving Food to Garibaldi (uncredited)
Garibaldino (uncredited)
(uncredited)
(uncredited)
Captain-at-Arms (uncredited)