Gone with the Pope (2010)

Famed nightclub performer Duke Mitchell is Paul, a paroled gangster with an unholy scheme: to kidnap the Pope and 'charge a dollar from every Catholic in the world' as the ransom. Shot in ... See full summary »

Director:

Duke Mitchell

Writer:

Duke Mitchell

Stars:

Duke Mitchell, Lorenzo Dardado, Jim LoBianco

Cast

Credited cast:
Duke Mitchell	...	Paul
Lorenzo Dardado	...	The Pope / The Old Man
Jim LoBianco	...	Luke
Peter Milo	...	Peter
John Murgia	...	John
Giorgio Tavolieri	...	Giorgio
Jeanne Hibbard	...	Jean
Rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Bill Boyd	...	Bill
John Bruno	...	John
Carl Cocomo	...	Carl
Paul DiAmico	...	Bartender
Steve DiBiaso	...	Vatican Bishop
Nola Hand	...	Fat Woman
Jeffrey Mitchell	...	Junkie
Zep Mizner	...	Self

Storyline

Famed nightclub performer Duke Mitchell is Paul, a paroled gangster with an unholy scheme: to kidnap the Pope and 'charge a dollar from every Catholic in the world' as the ransom. Shot in 1975, GONE WITH THE POPE was unfinished at the time of Duke Mitchell's death in 1981, and finally completed in 2009 from a rediscovered, unfinished print.

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Plot Keywords:

prison | criminal | abducted pope | topless female nudity | bare breasts | 

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Taglines:

You're either in, or you're in the way!

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Genres:

Crime

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Did You Know?

Trivia

The film negative and unfinished cut work print were discovered in Mitchell's parking garage several years after his death.

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Crazy Credits

At the end of the credits, you can hear Duke Mitchell say, "OK, cut it."

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Connections

Featured in Gone with the Pope: The Players (2015)

User Reviews

The Mafia Man Meets the Pope

Gone with the Pope (2010)

** (out of 4)

Wiseguy Paul (Duke Mitchell) agrees to kill seven people so that his friends can live a better life with the money once they're released from prison. Once out, Paul and his friends take a cruise around the world when he gets an idea to kidnap the Pope and request a dollar from every Catholic in the world for his return.

GONE WITH THE POPE was produced, written and directed by Mitchell but the film was never complete and after Mitchell's death in 1981, the film pretty much remained unseen until the folks at Grindhouse Releasing discovered a print and took the next fifteen years trying to piece it together. It's clear that there's stuff missing but I'm not sure if this is due to a few reels being missing or the fact that it seems Mitchell was just filming stuff for the sake of filming and in the end none of it added up to much. This film is no where near as entertaining as MASSACRE MAFIA STYLE but fans of the (now) cult filmmaker will still want to check it out.

If you're expecting the over-the-top craziness of MASSACRE MAFIA STYLE then you're probably going to be disappointed. This movie here is pretty laid back in its approach and there's really nothing too crazy outside the entire kidnapping of the Pope storyline. Even that there is somewhat deceptive considering that plot point only takes about thirty-minutes worth of running time if that. There are a few Mafia hits throughout the picture that contain some blood but nothing too graphic. There's some bizarre humor scattered throughout aimed at women, which is certainly something you'd only see from a movie in the 1970s. This includes a black woman who gets some racist jokes thrown her way and then there's a really bizarre sequence dealing with an obese woman.

The film certainly isn't what you'd call well-made but there's no doubt Mitchell had something that is..... Well, I'm not sure what it is but there's no doubt that his two films as writer-director have given him some fame that sadly he never saw in his lifetime. GONE WITH THE POPE is going to be hated by most people and you know who you are. Fans of cult movies will find some mild entertainment here thanks mainly to Mitchell. Even his performance as his plays this tough guy is charming to say the least. This certainly isn't a masterpiece but it's got a certain Mitchell charm. Not to mention, the actor manages to turn in a good performance and especially during a more dramatic moment where he breaks down speaking with the Pope.

Details

Official Sites:

Official site

Country:

USA

Language:

English

Release Date:

12 March 2010 (USA)

Also Known As:

Kiss the Ring

Filming Locations:

Lake Arrowhead, San Bernardino National Forest, California, USA

Box Office

Budget:

$100,000 (estimated)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Grindhouse Releasing

Technical Specs

Sound Mix:

6-Track Stereo

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1