It was directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and produced by Scalera Film, and stars Alida Valli as Kira Argounova, Rossano Brazzi as Leo Kovalensky, and Fosco Giachetti as Andrei Taganov.

The nominally anti-communist, but de facto anti-authoritarian film was made and released in Italy during World War II, before being banned by the Fascist government and pulled from theaters.

Rand's novel was considered a political hot potato by Fascist authorities in Rome, but was approved for filming due to the intervention of dictator Benito Mussolini's son.

[2] Goffredo Alessandrini, one of Italy's leading directors, and his young associate director, Anton Giulio Majano, knew that We the Living touched on volatile political issues, but they hoped they would be safe from repercussions because of the story's negative portrayal of the Soviet Union, Italy's wartime enemy.

Ironically, in spite of the film's anti-Communist subject matter, Vallone was actually an ardent leftist and member of the banned Italian Communist Party.

At the same time the film was being shot, Vallone was a secret agent for the anti-fascist Italian resistance, as a member of the Communist-affiliated 'Brigate Garibaldi' partisans.

Rand was later told that the films were "released in Italy, played for two months with great success - and then the Italian newspapers began objecting to it and saying that it was anti-Fascist, which it was, essentially.

[9][10] Rand liked and was impressed by the films, but she resented the use of her story for Fascist propaganda and the addition of pro-Fascist and antisemitic dialogue.

[11][12] Initial efforts to re-release the film with Rand's approval were ended when she declined to grant the literary rights.

[3] In 1961, Rand settled her legal claims for damages from the adaptation and received a payment of 14 million Italian lire.

[3][13] Shortly thereafter, Duncan Scott began working with Rand on re-editing the films Noi Vivi and Addio Kira.