Daily Archives: July 20, 2017

Mafioso
Directed by Albert Lattuada
Written by Rafael Azcona, Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, story by Bruno Caruso
1962/Italy
Compagnia Cinematografica Antonio Cervi/Dino de Laurentiis Cinematografica
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental

[box] Antonio Badalamenti: I may live in Milan, but I’m still Sicilian.[/box]

Antonio Badalamenti (Alberto Sordi) has made good by Sicilian standards.  He moved to Milan where he became a factory foreman and acquired a beautiful blonde wife and two angelic little girls.  After years of waiting, Antonio gets 15 days off for a vacation.  He is excited to introduce the wife and kids to his extended family.  Before he goes, his American boss gives him a letter for the local Don in his home town.

The affable Antonio rapidly adjusts to Sicilian life – his wife less so.  But even she relaxes into the earthy culture.  Antonio’s first duty call is on the Don, who helps him resolve a family land dispute.  But in Sicily all favors must be repaid and Antonio is unfortunately the best shot the town has ever known.  Before long he finds himself in a packing case off to perform some unknown mission for the Don.

Sordi’s charisma and the warmth and beauty of a small Sicilian town made this very pleasant viewing.  Before everything gets deadly serious, there’s also plenty of wry humor to enjoy.

Hands of a Stranger
Directed by Newt Arnold
Written by Newt Arnold
USA/1962
Glenwood-Neve Productions
First viewing/Netflix rental

[box] “Behold the hands, how they promise, conjure, appeal, menace, pray, supplicate, refuse, beckon, interrogate, admire, confess, cringe, instruct, command, mock and what not besides, with a variation and multiplication of variation which makes the tongue envious.” ― Michel de Montaigne[/box]

If you are in the mood for a hand transplant movie, do yourself a favor and watch Mad Love (1935).

Vernon Paris is a genius concert pianist.  He is about to see all his dreams come true. Then the cab he is riding in crashes and he finds himself with completely mangled hands. His manager begs a surgeon to save his hands and the only answer is a hand transplant from a recently dead corpse.

Vernon is appalled rather than grateful to wake up with new mitts.  Instead of giving his new hands a chance to rehabilitate and practice, he goes about murdering everybody connected with his tragedy or his surgery.

Contrary to anything you may read on the poster, we never do find out whom the hands belonged to.  Thus we are never sure whether the hands or the pianist’s bitterness is responsible for his murderous tendencies.  This is moderately OK for a B-movie but nothing special.

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