La scorta (1993)

Director:

Ricky Tognazzi

Writers:

Graziano Diana (story) and
Simona Izzo (story) ...
(more)

Release Date:

8 July 1994 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Thriller

Plot:

An honest Judge, with marriage problems, volunteers for a job, in a corrupt area of Sicily, the previous...

Plot Keywords:

Sicily | Mafia | Assassination | Carabinieri | Police

Awards:

6 wins & 8 nominations

Cast

Claudio Amendola	...	Angelo Mandolesi
Enrico Lo Verso	...	Andrea Corsale
Carlo Cecchi	...	Judge Michele de Francesco
Ricky Memphis	...	Fabio Muzzi
Tony Sperandeo	...	Raffaele Frasca
Lorenza Indovina	...	Lia Corsale
Ugo Conti	...	Nicola
Rita Savagnone	...	Angelo's Mother
Giovanni Alamia	...	Nino Carabba
Francesca d'Aloja	...	Anna Spano
Giovanni Pallavicino	...	Padre Virzi
Giacinto Ferro	...	M.P. Nestore Bonura
Guia Jelo	...	Rosalia Carabba
Benedetto Raneli	...	President Caruso
Francesco Siciliano	...	Policeman Marchetti
Angelo Infanti	...	Judge Barresi
Leo Gullotta	...	Policeman
Luigi Maria Burruano	...	Informer
Claudia Bonivento	...	Roberta de Francesco
Davide Gavino Cannas	...	Davide Corsale
Nunzia Greco	...	Bonura's Wife
Salvo Mangione	...	Magistrate
Mimmo Mignemi	...	Marshall
Marco Magnesia	...	Mattia Corsale
Antonino Pensabene	...	Vice-Prefect Scavone
Ninni Picone	...	Janitor
Elda Alvigini	...	Milena
Maurizio Romoli	...	Judge Pollara
Santi Bellina	...	Salvatore Genna
Claudio Spadaro	...	Farina
Tony Sperandeo Jr.	...	Igor Corsale

Directed by
Ricky Tognazzi

Writing credits
Graziano Diana		(story) and
Simona Izzo		(story)
Stefano Sudriè		(idea) and
Gianni Romoli		(idea) (as Giovanni Romoli)
Graziano Diana		(screenplay) and
Simona Izzo		(screenplay)

Produced by
Claudio Bonivento	....	producer

Original Music by
Ennio Morricone

Cinematography by
Alessio Gelsini Torresi		(as Alessio Gelsini)

Film Editing by
Carla Simoncelli

Production Design by
Mariangela Capuano

Costume Design by
Katia Dottori		(as Catia Dottori)

Makeup Department
Iolanda Angelucci	....	hair stylist
Stefano Fava	....	makeup artist
Onoria Serangeli	....	assistant hair stylist
Giovanna Turco	....	assistant makeup artist

Production Management
Mauro De Salve	....	unit manager
Anna Maria Galvinelli	....	unit manager
Giorgio Innocenti	....	production manager
Massimo Martino	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Daniele Cascella	....	assistant director
Ferzan Ozpetek	....	assistant director
Maria Sole Tognazzi	....	assistant director

Art Department
Claudio Di Gregorio	....	property assistant
Marcello Fida	....	property assistant
Cinzia Milani	....	assistant production designer
Angelo Pain	....	property assistant

Sound Department
Angelo Amatulli	....	sound recordist
Filippo Bussi	....	digital sound editor
Danilo Moroni	....	sound mixer
Gruppo Trenta	....	dubbing sound
Remo Ugolinelli	....	sound

Special Effects by
Danilo Bollettini	....	special effects
Giovanni Corridori	....	special effects

Camera and Electrical Department
Stefano Alessi	....	electrician
Massimo Barbona	....	grip
Roberto Calabró	....	still photographer
Dante Dalla Torre	....	Steadicam operator
Umberto Dessena	....	grip
Mauro Pezzotti	....	key grip
Roberta Sacrofano Orlandi	....	camera operator
Marco Sticchi	....	gaffer
Maurizio Zampagni	....	assistant camera
Simone Zampagni	....	assistant camera

Costume and Wardrobe Department
Alfredo Bocci	....	wardrobe supervisor
Rosa Palma	....	assistant costume designer

Editorial Department
Giancarlo Barberi	....	color technician
Andrea De Angelis	....	first assistant editor
Fabio Ferranti	....	assistant editor
Fabrizio Ferranti	....	second assistant editor

Other crew
Silvia Ferri	....	assistant dubbing
Monica Gradella	....	production secretary
Anna Pesaresi	....	accountant
Mario Piscini	....	production secretary
Anastasia Santarelli	....	accountant
Ianni Saverio	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• Claudio Bonivento Productions

Distributors

• A.B.I. Films (1994) (France) (theatrical)
• First Look International (1994) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Laurenfilm (1995) (Spain) (theatrical)
• Blue Underground (2006) (USA) (DVD)
• Front Row Filmed Entertainment (2004) (United Arab Emirates) (all media) (Middle East)
• Meteor Home Video (1994) (Netherlands) (VHS)
• Warner Home Video (1995) (Germany) (VHS)

Also Known As:

Runtime:

USA:92 min | France:92 min | UK:92 min | Spain:96 min | Germany:93 min | Sweden:95 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Certification:

Australia:M | Finland:K-12 | Germany:12 | Spain:13 | Sweden:15 | UK:15 | Iceland:12 (original rating) | Iceland:14 (1995) | Singapore:PG | Canada:13+ (Quebec)

Company:

Claudio Bonivento Productions

Movie Connections:

Edited into Lo schermo a tre punte (1995) (V)

Soundtrack:

Symphony No. 7 in A Major op. 92

Realistically tense

Angelo and Corsale are two of a team of escorts for a Judge in Sicily. They replace a Judge who was murdered with his escorts by the mob. As Judge De Francesco continues his predecessor's investigations the escorts are put under increasing pressure as the threat from the mob become greater.

This film is an excellent look at two things, one is the macho world of escorts and the stress that they are under. The second is the world of corruption and organised crime in Sicily. The two lead escorts are of different worlds - Angelo is more aggressive while Corsale is a family man who is more precise and organised. The men are not the focus of the story and they don't bounce off each other in the way they would in a Hollywood movie - they have conflict but it is not of the major sort and isn't merely a plot driver. The most exciting element of their work is the fact that they have to be on edge constantly - a parked car on their escort route leads to a dramatic build up in case it's an ambush - they constantly need to be on guard and expect an attack at any time.

This constant tension is well put across and you find yourself expecting action through the whole film. When the violence does come it is sudden and unexpected - just as it would be in real life. The tension is fed by Ennio Moricone's pumping urgent score that plays for many of the escort scenes and makes a film low on action seem absolutely action packed!

The lead performances are mixed - Claudio Amendola is a little of a caricature as Angelo, but Enrico Lo Verso is good as Corsale. Carlo Cecchi is also good as Judge De Francesco who must cope with the fact that his job puts his life in daily danger.

Overall a dramatic little film that looks at the risks related to the job of being an escort, but also leaves you with a downbeat conclusion about the effect that the mafia has on life in Sicily as the full extent of the corruption is made clear.