Le mani sulla città
In this film, a corrupt city councilman seeks a huge profit
in a suburban real estate deal.
Nottola manipulates corrupt local government officials in
the political instability that plagues Italy following WWII.
The only councilman who tries to block the shady deals is
the lone communist elected to the board.
Cast:
Rod Steiger, Guido Alberti, Marcello Cannavale, Alberto Canocchia,
Salvo Randone
Director:
Francesco Rosi
Salvatore Giuliano
This is a documentary-style Italian drama chronicling the
rise and fall of the title character, a real-life Mob chieftain
who rose to prominence in post-WWII Sicily.
Salvatore Giuliano himself is almost unseen and his career
is recalled in flashbacks after his assassination in 1950.
With the help of his right-hand man and cousin Gaspare Pisciotta
(Frank Wolff), Salvatore becomes a guerilla leader whose resistance
to the corrupt politicians dominating his post-war nation
leads to his popularity among the Sicilian peasant class.
As time passes, though, Salvatore becomes more of a criminal
than a rebel, threatening Mafia income.
Even Salvatore's own devoted followers begin to doubt him,
and when he orders the slaughter of communist supporters at
a rally, a bloody shootout with police ensues.
Salvatore Giuliano (1962) was such an effective anti-organized
crime film that it inspired a real-life investigation into
Mob activities in Sicily.
The Giuliano story was later filmed as The Sicilian (1987)
starring Christopher Lambert as the title character.
Cast:
Frank Wolff, Salvo Randone, Renato Pinciroli, Massimo Mollica
Director:
Francesco Rosi
Il Caso Mattei
Well-known actor Gian Maria Volonte carries this Italian biographical
film almost single-handedly in his role as the industrialist
Enrico Mattei.
Mattei gave Italian industry a much-needed shot in the arm
in the postwar era and died under suspicious circumstances
in 1962.
However, like many larger-than-life figures, he was not without
his flaws. He created a giant monopolistic industry, which
he is thought to have maintained free from interference by
the government through the application of generous bribes.
When he set out to make Italy a power in the petroleum world,
however, he ran into serious difficulties.
Cast:
Gian Maria Volonté, Peter Baldwin, Luigi Squarzina,
Renato Romano, Dario Michaelis
Director:
Francesco Rosi |
