FISTS IN THE POCKET |
| CREDITS: Director: Marco Bellocchio. Cast: Lou Castel, Paola Pitagora, Marino Mase,
Lihiana Gerore & Pier Luigi Troglio. Italy 1965. INTRODUCTION: Bellocchio,s stunning debut, one of the classics of Italian cinema, is back in a new print courtesy of the BFI. SYNOPSIS: Focusing on Augusto and his standard familial group of blind mother, retarded elder brother, incestuous sister, sociopathic brother and incontinent cat, no disabled dog oddly enough, the film follows his attempts to break away from the family unit. REVIEW: Although the film starts off focusing on Augusto it quickly looses interest in him and switches to Allesandro, the sociopathic younger brother, and his attempts to help Augusto break free by knocking off himself and the rest of his relatives. Castel is brilliantly understated as the deranged but loveable Allesandro, Pitagora is charming if somewhat unstable as the sister Gulia and Gerore and Troglio puts in excellent supporting turns as the rest of the family. The one disappointment is Mase who is so staid and pallid as Augusto one must wonder why Allesandro is willing to go to such great lengths for him, but then it is never an easy job to play the straight character in a world of lunacy. The film is flawed, a little slow at the beginning, some wavery performances and at time uninspired cinematography, the film is nonetheless a classic, indeed it made it into the BFI's list of the 360 greatest classic (i.e. made before 1982) films. Bellocchio's stunning debut really should of lead to more, one not to be missed. Mutt's Rating: **** |