Hands Over the City (1963) Le mani sulla città (original title)

Director:

Francesco Rosi

Writers:

Francesco Rosi (idea) &
Raffaele La Capria (idea) ...
(more)

Release Date:

9 October 1963 (Italy)

Genre:

Drama

Plot Keywords:

Lie | Photograph | Telephone Call | Real Estate | Eviction

Awards:

1 win & 5 nominations

Cast

Rod Steiger	...	Edoardo Nottola
Salvo Randone	...	Professor De Angelis
Guido Alberti	...	Maglione
Marcello Cannavale	...	Friend of Nottola
Dante Di Pinto	...	President of Inquiry Committee
Alberto Conocchia	...	Friend of Nottola
Carlo Fermariello	...	De Vita
Terenzio Cordova	...	Prosecutor
Gaetano Grimaldi Filioli	...	Friend of Nottola
Angelo D'Alessandro	...	Balsamo
Vincenzo Metafora	...	Mayor
Dany París	...	Dany
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Alberto Amato	...	City Councillor (uncredited)
Renzo Farinelli	...	Jounalist (uncredited)
Pasquale Martino	...	Head of the archive (uncredited)
Mario Perelli	...	Head of the technical office (uncredited)
Franco Rigamonte	...	City Councillor (uncredited)
Renato Terra	...	Jounalist (uncredited)

Directed by
Francesco Rosi

Writing credits
Francesco Rosi		(idea) &
Raffaele La Capria		(idea)
Enzo Forcella		screenplay
Raffaele La Capria		screenplay
Enzo Provenzale		screenplay
Francesco Rosi		screenplay

Produced by
Lionello Santi	....	producer

Original Music by
Piero Piccioni

Cinematography by
Gianni Di Venanzo

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei

Art Direction by
Massimo Rosi

Set Decoration by
Sergio Canevari

Costume Design by
Marilù Carteny

Makeup Department
Franco Corridoni	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Gaetano Amata	....	unit manager
Roberto Cocco	....	unit manager
Enzo Provenzale	....	production manager

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Nando Cicero	....	assistant director (as Fernando Cicero)
Mario Forges Davanzati	....	second assistant director
Marco Guarnascheli	....	second assistant director
Roberto Pariante	....	assistant director

Art Department
Carlo Agati	....	assistant decorator
Carlo Gentili	....	set dresser
Carlo Rossi	....	set dresser

Sound Department
Fausto Ancillai	....	sound assistant
Giuseppe Muratori	....	boom operator
Vittorio Trentino	....	recording director

Camera and Electrical Department
Vittorugo Contino	....	still photographer
Pasqualino De Santis	....	camera operator
Mario Dolcetti	....	still photographer
Emilio Loffredo	....	assistant camera
Osvaldo Massimi	....	assistant camera
Marcello Mastrogirolamo	....	assistant camera

Editorial Department
Eva Latini	....	assistant editor

Other crew
Lamberto Pippia	....	continuity

Production Companies

• Galatea Film
• Societé Cinématographique Lyre

Distributors

• Warner Bros. (1963) (Italy) (theatrical)
• atlas Film (1965) (West Germany) (theatrical)
• Criterion Collection, The (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Divisa Home Video (2011) (Spain) (DVD)
• Homescreen (2007) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Warner Bros (1964) (USA) (subtitled)

Other Companies

• RCA Italiana  music recording
• RCA Liberty  music editing

Also Known As:

"Le mani sulla città" - Italy (original title)

Runtime:

105 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | West Germany:12 (f) | Portugal:(Banned) | USA:Not Rated

Filming Locations:

Naples, Campania, Italy

Company:

Galatea Film

Trivia:

Italian censorship visa # 41137 delivered on 10-9-1963.

Movie Connections:

Referenced in La vita agra (1964)

world of corruption

Francesco Rosi's movie "Le mani sulla città" ("Hands Over the City" in English) is about a developer (Rod Steiger) whose building collapses, leading to political fallout. While it looks like a simple story of corruption in Naples, it could be anywhere on earth. Any time that someone skimps on something, the people are going to suffer. People who insist that there should be no government involvement in anything don't realize (or refuse to realize) that they might be the ones suffering.

If the movie has any downside, it's that we don't get to hear much from the people who suffered from the collapsed building. After the collapse, there are some scenes of protests, but most of the movie looks at the inner workings of the city government and how accusations fly in all directions.

Rod Steiger (speaking perfect Italian) is particularly interesting as the developer-turned-city councilman. The guy looks like he could be any working stiff, but he has all sorts of Machiavellian plans. The last scene shows the various buildings throughout Naples, forcing the viewer to wonder if the whole thing will soon start over. All in all, it's a really good movie.

PS: One scene inadvertently portends political crises to come in Italy. Towards the end of the movie, a character walks by a poster of Aldo Moro. Moro later got kidnapped and executed by the Red Brigades.