Salvatore Giuliano Reviews

This film is based on the true story of Salvatore Giuliano, an important Sicilian Mafia chieftain who was found shot full of holes on July 5, 1950. The film opens with the bullet-ridden remains found in a sunny courtyard. After his wake and funeral begin, the mobster's career is portrayed in flashbacks. Cammarata is the gangster who becomes involved with some guerrilla activities in postwar Sicily. When the group breaks up, a number of his men continue to follow Cammarata as he stages a minor war against legal authorities. He has a group of peasants slaughtered at a Communist rally, which triggers violent confrontations between gangsters and the law. Slowly, his men grow disillusioned with him and they abandon the man. Wolff, Cammarata's second-in-command, also abandons his boss but, like many of the outlaws, is tried and thrown in jail. There, Wolff is poisoned by members of the Mafia, a group he joined after leaving Cammarata. This is an interesting gangster picture, made in the heart of the Mafia's birthplace. The use of camera technique is excellent, coupled with a strong sense of direction. The acting is equally good, making full use of the cast's respective talents. Non-professional actors, as well as professionals, were used with fine results. However, the film is severely hampered for American audiences by the confusing plot line that was clearly designed with more local audiences in mind. The political, historical, and social references are not always clear, which can be distracting, yet this still works and works well.