Compared to others in this excellent series, GLI ARANCINI DI MONTALBANO is rather slight. This time the focus of attention is on the double murder of an elderly financier and his much younger spouse, who fall into a deep pit in their car. The plot involves a disinherited son (Ludovico Caldarera), a car mechanic, plus cameos from other characters appearing in other episodes such as Don Balduccio Sinagra (Francesco Sineri), the local Mafia leader who expresses surprise when Montalbano (Luca Zıngaretti) comes to him for information. Set in and around the New Year, this episode includes several plots involving Mimi's (Cesare Bocci's) on-off relationship with latest flame Beba (Carmela Gentile), and Montalbano's decision about whether to spend the holiday in Sicily or in Paris with Livia (Katharina Böhm). Alberto Sironi's production illuminates the sense of community existing in Montalbano's town at this particular time of year - even though the police never give up in their pursuit of the murderer, they inhabit a fundamentally generous world. Agente Catarella (Angelo Russo), so often the butt of Montalbano's and Mimi's scorn, has a more substantial role here, and has the chance to participate in the festivities, suggesting that his fellow-officers do not despise him as much as they pretend to.
