Hands Over the City (1963)

Prior to a city council election, the collapse of a building leaves a land developer and his political backers defending themselves against a scandal.

Director:

Francesco Rosi

Writers:

Francesco Rosi (idea), Raffaele La Capria (idea)

Stars:

Rod Steiger, Salvo Randone, Guido Alberti

2 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Rod Steiger	...	Edoardo Nottola
Salvo Randone	...	De Angelis
Guido Alberti	...	Maglione
Marcello Cannavale	...	Amico di Nottola
Dante Di Pinto	...	Presidente della Commissione
Alberto Conocchia	...	Amico di Nottola
Carlo Fermariello	...	De Vita
Terenzio Cordova	...	Commissario
Gaetano Grimaldi Filioli	...	Amico di Nottola
Angelo D'Alessandro	...	Balsamo
Vincenzo Metafora	...	Sindaco
Dany París	...	Dany - Amante di Maglione (as Dany Paris)

Storyline

Prior to a city council election, the collapse of a building leaves a land developer and his political backers defending themselves against a scandal.

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Plot Keywords:

poliziottesco | scandal | city council | election | land developer | 

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Genres:

Drama

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

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

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Crazy Credits

Western Electric is misspelled ('Elettric').

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Connections

Referenced in It's a Hard Life (1964)

User Reviews

An outstanding masterpiece of political cinema

I don't recollect giving many 10s. This film has to get the gong: it has it all, great acting, great scenario, brilliant direction, it's one of those films that feels like a slice of life rather than a drama. It could have been made yesterday, although not in the USA, I hasten to add, which is a shame because it really describes the post-WW2 dispensation imposed on Italy by the USA, with the aid of the Comorra, the criminal tribal system of greater Naples. The quintessential American figure, the property developer, played by US icon Rod Steiger, stands at the centre of this maelstrom of a movie, denounced daily on all fronts by the leader of the Left forces, De Vita (Carlo Fermariello), and catered to by the assortment of running dogs and capos on the Right. This movie performs nothing less than open-heart surgery on a great city at a turning point in its history: the eloquence, the in-fighting, the soul-searching. It also contains some great film-making, particularly the initial fatal building collapse that triggers the narrative. This film gets to the heart of what went wrong with the modern city, and it has attained the status of universality. In my opinion, every American high-school student should be obliged to view it in order to graduate from High school.

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

7 November 1963 (France)

Also Known As:

As Mãos Sobre a Cidade

Filming Locations:

Via Nuova Marina, Naples, Campania, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Galatea Film, Societé Cinématographique Lyre

Technical Specs

Runtime:

101 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1