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IN PREPARATION
Mean Streets (1973) follows a group of young delinquents as they
drift through their pointless lives, similar in scope and tone to
Visconti’s Rocco and His Brothers . Scorsese, however, wed
Italian neorealism with film noir to sculpt these
multiple parallel character studies in an
orgy of psychological and physical violence.
In the first few scenes we are introduced to three types of the mafia:
Tony, the psychotic owner of a night-club,
Michael, the business-man who buys a shipment of wrong parts,
Johnny Boy (Robert DeNiro), who blows up a mailbox.
Last but not least there is Charlie (Harvey Keitel), a devout Catholic.
They all meet in Tony's club. Michael complains with Charlie that Johnny owes
money to everybody and is behaving like a fool. Charlie has always protected
Johnny, but Michael opens his eye. Charlie humiliates Johnny in front of his
girls and then takes him in a private room to scold him. Johnny confesses that
he has lost money gambling, that he has not paid Michael and that he spent
what little money he had to buy a new wardrobe. Charlie cannot resist the
manners of the scoundrel and gives him money to entertain the girls.
When Michael sees Johnny, Charlie signals that everything is ok and they
drink together.
Charlie works for his uncle Giovanni, collecting debts, and the old Giovanni
looks a lot more compassionate than the young ones.
The boys go visit a "friend" who owes money. First they chat like friends,
then they get into a colossal fight, then they have to bribe the cops t let
them go, then they drink together with the debtor like good friends again,
then they get the money, then they fight again.
It turns out that Charlie is having a romance with Johnny Boy's sister Teresa,
but they keep it secret. Teresa is epileptic.
His uncle tells him that he doesn't like to see Charlie taking Johnny Boy's
side and doesn't like Teresa either.
Michael is losing his patience with Johnny Boy, who still hasn't paid his debt,
and tells Michael that he will break Johnny Boy's legs if he doesn't pay.
One night Johnny Boy gets on the roof of a building and starts shooting in
the air. When Michael stops him, Johnny Boy throws dynamite in the air.
Then they run to a cemetery and chat, but Johnny Boy is clearly getting out
of control.
The night that Michael expects the payment, while the neighborhood is getting
ready to celebrate a Catholic festival, Johnny cannot be found. Finally he
shows up in Teresa's room, catching her with Charlie.
The two men have an argument and almost hit each other, but Teresa has a fit.
Later, feeling bad, Charlie gives Johnny some money, but it's not enough
to pay Michael.
When they meet at Tony's club, Michael is upset and Johnny threatens him
with a gun. Michael walks out of the club, but Johnny is now in danger.
Charlie calls Teresa and then drives both Johnny and Teresa out of town.
While they are driving, a car drives next to them: Michael is at the
steering wheel. A hitman in the back of the car shoots Johnny repeatedly.
Charlie crashes the car. Charlie and Teresa are wounded in the accident.
Johnny stumbles outside, bleeding copiously from the neck.
Alice Doesn't Live Here Anymore (1974) is a picaresque story about
a woman who needs to reinvent her life. It occasionally makes use of
avantgarde techniques, in particular the hand-held camera.
Filtered in hallucinated red light, we see a child, Alice, singing outside
her California home. Many years later she is a devoted housewife with a child. Her
husband Don is abusive and insensitive, despite her kindness and tenderness.
One day Don dies in a truck accident. Alice decides to sell everything and
drive with her son Tommy to California. She was a singing talent before getting
married and has dreams of returning to that art. However, they don't make it
to California because they run out of money, and she has to look for a job in
a small town. Nobody needs a singer. She's getting desperate when the owner
of a bar feels pity for her and decides to give her a chance. She starts
singing every night and men are attracted to her. One of them, Ben, is particularly
stubborn. She rejects him because he is eight years her junior, but eventually
his sweet manners win her over, and even her son understands that she has
a boyfriend.
It lasts only one week because suddenly a woman shows up at Alice's place:
she is Ben's wife. She tells Alice how Ben cheats on her and neglects their
child. Right then Ben shows up. His sweet manners are gone and Alice sees
his real temper: Ben is a psychotic brute who beats his wife and threatens
to cut her throat if she dares interfere with his affairs. After kicking
his wife out of Alice's place and promising to pick up Alice as usual at the
bar, Ben calmly leaves. Alice, terrified, decides to pack and run away.
She is still broke and has to take an even humbler job in the next town:
waitress in a diner. She hates the idea but it turns out that the owner and
chef, Mel, is a good man, the old and outspoken waitress Flo has a good heart,
and the shy, inept Vera is actually a honest soul. One of the customers is
interested in Alice. He is a handsome divorced rancher, David
(Kris Kristofferson),
who befriends
her boy Tommy. Tommy, in turn, is hanging out with an older masculine girl,
Audrey (Jodie Foster), who spends the day alone because her mother
mother works as a prostitute and who introduces him to alcohol and to
shoplifting. Alice finally accepts David and they sleep together. David
is serious about Tommy's education, but Tommy has been spoiled by Alice.
When David finally loses his patience and gives Tommy a long-deserved
spanking, Alice gets furious and leaves him. However, a few minutes later
Tommy is back to his arrogant behavior. Alice tells him to get out of the car
and walk home. Tommy instead walks to Audrey's place, where the two children
drink alcohol. It gets dark and Tommy is still missing. Alice drives around,
terrified that something may have happened to her son.
Eventually the police station calls her that they have found the two kids
intoxicated. Alice is devastated, because Tommy just proved to her that
David was right, but David is gone.
Flo, who has now become Alice's adviser, cheers her up.
David comes back and begs her to forgive him. In front of the whole clientele
of the restaurant, they have a big argument. She screams that she wants to be
a singer in California. He tells her in front of everybody that he's willing
to sell the ranch and move to California with her. The customers give them a
round of applause. She's finally happy.
Taxi Driver (1976) is a fresco of urban alienation.
A young taxi driver,
Travis (Robert DeNiro), is lonely in the big city, especially since he works
the night shift. His only hobby seems to be porn theaters, but he also writes
a diary (the plot of the film). His apartment is poor, and the only reference to
his past is a war flag (he is a war veteran).
He falls in love with a kind and polite girl,
Betsy (Cybill Shepherd), who works for a politician, but makes the mistake of
taking her to see a porn movie. She feels insulted and dumps him.
In his job as a taxi driver Travis is exposed to the worst of humankind:
punks, misfits, whores, maniacs, madmen. A crowd without identity populates
his cold metropolis. Every day is the same, an empty parade of faces.
Slowly he matures the idea of cleaning up the city. He arms himself and
starts training like a cop. He is morbidly fascinated by Betsy's boss, the
politician. He stalks the girl without talking to her.
One night Travis stumbles into a robbery and shoots the black robber.
The store owner helps him run away and then finishes the black robber with
a club.
Travis then tries to redeem a child prostitute, Iris (Jodie Foster), who
initially gets into his taxi to run away from her pimp, Sport (Harvey Keitel).
Travis buys her time in order to talk her out of her life.
They meet again the following morning and Iris tells him that she actually
likes that lifestyle.
Travis is finally to assassinate the politician but a body guard prevents the
attempt. Travis drives to the brothel and shoots the pimp, the bouncer and
a customer. The girl, terrified, is crying. Travis tries to shoot himself,
but runs out of bullets. The cops arrest him.
(We don't hear any more sounds, although we keep seeing what is happening).
However, the media treat him like a hero. Iris' parents are grateful that
he saved the girl from the brothel. Released from jail, he returns to his night
job. One night Betsy takes his taxi. She heard of his heroic act, but he
doesn't take advantage of his fame. After she gets off the taxi, he just
continues to drive around.
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If English is your first language and you could translate my old Italian text, please contact me.
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New York, New York (1977) is a sentimental comedy that is mildly
entertaining, but bogged down by too many musical skits.
La folla Time Square festeggia la fine della guerra. In un night-club si
balla per il ritorno dei soldati.
La cantante
Francine (Liza Minnelli) e il sassofonista Jimmy (Robert DeNiro), entrambi reduci,
si incontrano li`. Lui cerca di sedurla ma lei non gli da` retta.
L'amico di lui riesce invece a portare a letto l'amica di lei nella camera
d'albergo di lui. Il giorno dopo Francine va a cercare l'amica in albergo e a causa
dell'incidente Jimmy viene buttato fuori.
Se non altro Francine accetta di accompagnare Jimmy a un'audition e lo salva
accompagnandolo anche al canto. Vengono assunti entrambi , e lei si lascia
baciare. Lei pero` trova una scrittura in Carolina e lui, perso il posto,
le corre dietro finche' la ritrova.
Jimmy e` presuntuoso, irascibile e squattrinato. Lei e` disincantata, ma in
fondo non indifferente alla sua testarda corte. Assunto anche lui nella stessa
orchestra, i due si mettono finalmente insieme. Di gig in gig i suoi assoli
lo mettono in luce. Una sera Jimmy scopre che lei ha composto una poesia
per lui. Le dice di vestirsi in fretta e la porta dal giudice di pace per
sposarsi. Ma l'era delle big bands e` la tramonto e il direttore decide di
ritirarsi, lasciando il posto a Jimmy. Arriva comunque il successo, ma
Francine rimane incinta e deve abbandonare l'orchestra. Senza di lei e` la
rovina, e Jimmy alla fine cede l'orchestra. Jimmy torna a New York da Francine
e trova lavoro in un'orchestrina di colore. Mentre e` ancora incinta,
Francine viene scoperta da un discografico che le offre un contratto.
Durante un litigio in auto Francine ha le doglie.
Lui la lascia. Entrambi diventano celebri e ricchi, lei come cantante e lui
come sassofonista. Un giorno lei decide di cantare il successo che lui ha
scritto, e lo fa nel night-club in cui si conobbero. Lui chiede di fare pace,
ma lei all'ultimo momento si tira indietro, e Jimmy rimane solo nella
strade di New York.
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The King of Comedy (1982) is a bitter farce on the uncontrollable
lust for success in the USA society. Even a criminal can become a star, not
because he has the talent of the artist, but because, in that society,
anybody who becomes famous, is, by definition, promoted to artist.
In the crowd watching a show by famous comedian Jerry (Jerry Lewis) is
Rupert (Robert DeNiro). He sneaks into the car of the star and, claiming to
be a great comedian himself, begs for a chance.
Jerry does not help him, but Rupert deludes himself that he is about to
become a star himself.
He tells a beautiful bartender all sorts of incredible stories, that she listens to
more out of pity than duty.
Jerry refuses to see him, and Rupert can't even go beyond the secretaries.
At home Rupert prepares a demo for an audition.
His ugly and hysterical girlfriend believes that he is indeed working with
Jerry and lends him money.
The only voice that brings him back to reality is the voice of his mother,
that he frequently hears.
His demo is rejected. When Rupert shows up in person, the guards of the studio
don't let him enter.
He goes to Jerry's villa with his beautiful friend but the body guards kick
him out.
But Rupert always gets up again, as if nothing had happened.
Rupert and the ugly girl kidnap Jerry.
Rupert does not want money: he wants a chance to show the whole nation how
good a comedian he is. He wants to appear on Jerry's tv show.
The woman is no less crazy than Rupert. She dresses up as if she is going
to the opera. Then she makes obscene proposals to Jerry. Then she tells him
everything about her miserable life, as if it was the first time that
someone listens to her. Jerry outsmarts her: she unties him and he runs
away. Rupert has already recorded the show and is at the bar of the beautiful
girl, ready to watch the show with her (and proud to demonstrate to her that
he was not just dreaming).
Arrested and convicted, he is sentenced to six years in jail. However, the show
made him famous. He gets out of jail after only three years, and is already
a rich man because the media have purchased the rights on his story.
The network brass, lawyers, and the FBI agree, with the understanding that Langford will be released once the show airs nationally. Between the taping of the show and the broadcast, Masha has her "dream date" with Langford, who is duct-taped to a chair in her parents' Manhattan townhouse.
Rupert's stand-up routine is well-received. He closes by confessing to the audience that he kidnapped Jerry Langford in order to break into show business. The studio audience laughs, thinking that it's a part of his act. Rupert responds by saying, "Tomorrow you'll know I wasn't kidding and you'll all think I'm crazy. But I figure it this way: better to be king for a night, than schmuck for a lifetime."
The movie closes with a news report of Rupert's release from prison, set to a montage of storefronts stocking his "long awaited" autobiography, King For A Night. The report informs that Rupert still considers Jerry Langford his mentor and friend, and that he and his agent are currently weighing several "attractive offers."
The final scene shows Rupert taking the stage for an apparent TV special with a live audience and an announcer enthusiastically introducing and praising him.
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If English is your first language and you could translate my old Italian text, please contact me.
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After Hours (1985)
racconta la notte apocalittica di un modesto impiegato di Manhattan, le cui giornate scorrono monotone e meccaniche.
"Quella" sera comincia quando, uscito dall' ufficio, va a sedersi in un caffe', proprio difronte ad una bella ragazza (Rosanna Arquette) che attacca discorso e gli lascia il numero di telefono.
Con una scusa qualsiasi le telefona e si fa invitare a casa sua.
Prende un taxi, il cui guidatore e' talmente spericolato da fargli volare fuori dal finestrino una banconota da venti dollari, per cui non lo puo' pagare.
Nell' alloggio trova soltanto'la roommatep una scultrice le cui opere sono ricoperte di carta di giornale.
Quella a cui sta lavorando e' la sagoma di un uomo e fra i pezzi di giornale c'e' anche una banconota da venti dollari.
In attesa della ragazza, aiuta e massaggia la scultrice finche' lei gli si addormenta fra le braccia.
Quando A.
arriva e' molto inquieta.
Lui capisce che c'e' qualcosa che non va.
Lei si cura delle bruciature di nascosto, gli racconta di essere scappata dal marito dopo tre soli giorni ma che si amano ancora, che il suo boyfriend una volta la lego' al letto e abuso' di lei per sei ore.
Nella stanza accanto la scultrice sta facendo l' amore con il suo boyfriend.
Lui, disturbato da cio' che ha sentito, trova una scusa e scappa.
Non puo' tornare a casa perche' e' rimasto senza soldi: proprio quella sera hanno aumentato la tariffa.
Entra in un bar per ripararsi dalla pioggia.
La cameriera tenta di adescarlo, ma il padrone sŤ offre di aiutarlo a tornare a casa dandogli dei soldi.
La cassa pero' non si apre e le chiavi sono in casa.
Lui si offre di andarle a prendere ma deve lasciargli in pegno le chiavi di casa propria.
Va e trova le chiavi della cassa, ma per poco non lo scambiano per un ladro che si aggira nei dintorni.
Sulla via del ritorno vede due ladri che stanno caricando su un furgoncino la scultura.
Li rincorre, ma loro scappano abbandonando la scultura.
Purta la rifurtiva alla scultrice, che trova legata,e imbavagliata per qualchegioco erotico.
Il boyfriend lo invita ad andare a chiedere scusa a A.
per come e' scappato.
Lui entra nella camera di A.
comincia a parlarle, ma si accorge che e' morta, suicida.
Chiama la polizia, poi scopre la ragazza come se cercasse le bruciature; trova invece un tatuaggioe simile a quello del portachiavi del barista.
Si ricorda allora che deve restituirgli la chiave della cassa e se ne va, lasciando cartelli per la polizia e prendendosi dalla scultura la banconota da venti dollari.
Il bar e' chiuso.
La cameriera, che si e' licenziata, lo invita a casa sua, un appartamento infestato dai topi.
E' un' isterica che vuole essere corteggiata.
Gli fa il ritratto, gli racconta che di giorno lavora ad una fotocopiatrice.
Il bar riapre e lui si precipita a restituire le chiavi.
All' interno due omosessuali si stanno baciando.
Squilla il telefono, il barista si accascia: la sua ragazza si e' suˇcidata, e dalla descrizione si capisce che si tratta della stessa.
Torna dalla ex cameriera ma la lascia subito disgustato.
Il bar e' ora chiuso e lui si e' dimenticato di farsi restituire le chiavi di casa.
Va a cercare la scultrice in un locale punk, ma rischia di essere tosato.
Ferma un taxi, ma e' lo stesso di prima che ora gli ruba i venti dollari.
Scendendo, la passeggera lo ferisce al gomito.
Lo invita a casa per curarlo.
Prende in giro il suo stato d' ansia e quando lui decide di andarsene gli offre di accompagnarlo.
LI isterica ha pero' deciso di vendicarsi di lui appendendo ovunque fotocopie del suo ritratto con su scritto che lui e' un ladro.
Neppure a farlo apposta, la ragazza e' una vigilante e non esista a soffiare nel fischietto per attirare i suoi compari ed iniziare una caccia all' uomo nei confronti del disgraziato, mentre i due ladruncolˇ in furqoncino continuano a coloire indisturbati
Cerca il barista a casa sua: non solo non lo trova, ma nel palazzo e' appena stao compiuto un furto e gli inquilini gli si lanciano dietro.
Continua a scappare nei vicoli buii, sotto la pioggia.
Incontra un uomo timido e gl chiede aiuto.
A casa sua telefona alla polizia ma quelli riappendono la cornetta.
Trova finalmente il barista in un ristorante.
Questi fa per andare a prendere le sue chiavi, ma incontra i vigilante capeggiati dalla ragazza.
Lo braccano, si rifugia nel locale punk, ormai deserto.
C'e' soltanto una donna btutta che vive li`.
Le chiede aiuto. Lei lo fa scendere nel proprio appartamento.
Fa anche lei le stesse sculture dell'altra scultrice.
I vigilante irrompono nel locale e lei decide di nasconderlo dentro una di queste sculture.
I vigilante vengono cosi` elusi, ma, in un momento in cui la donna e' andata di sopra, i ladruncoli si calano dentro da un tombino e rubano la "scultura", con lui dentro.
Fuggono a tutta velocita' per le strade che si stanno rianimando.
Prendono una curva troppo veloce, la portiera si spalanca, la scultura cade, si rompe.
Lui ne escer tutto impolverato.
E' proprio di fronte alla sua ditta. I cancelli si stanno giusto aprendo in quel momento. Entra meccanicamente e va a sedersi al proprio terminale.
Nella metropoli computerizzata il ritmo affannoso del lavoro non lascia neppure il tempo per la lotta per la sopravvivenza, e, questa, che occupa le restanti ore, non ne lascia per l' umanita'. La vita si riduce a una disperata corsa contro il tempo. E' un grottesco sulla solitudine, una commedia nera di vita notturna, una parabola sull' esistenza umana dominata dalla forza tragicomica del destino, che si accanisce con le sue comiche coincidenze contro 11 individuo inerme, che mette insieme storie al tempo stesso epiche e ridicole come questa.
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If English is your first language and you could translate my old Italian text, please contact me.
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Raging Bull (1980) e` la
biografia romanzata del pugile Jake LaMotta.
Jack comincia dai bassifondi,
aiutato dal fratello Joey, che gli fa da manager. La moglie, una casalinga
tradizionale, invece e` insoddisfatta, e lui a sua volta non la rispetta.
Joey tenta di tenere buoni rapporti con la mafia, impersonata dal boss Tommy
e dal suo sicario Salvi, ma Jake e` scontroso. Jake si invaghisce di una
bionda, Vickie, per la quale alla fine lascia la moglie. Vickie e` amica
di Salvi e di Tommy. Nel frattempo la sua carriera pugilistica ha decollato,
nonostante ogni tanto i giudici lo derubino della vittoria. Gli anni passano,
sia Jake che Joey si sposano e fanno figli. Un giorno al ristorante incontrano
Tommy e Salvi e Vickie va a salutare le vecchie conoscenze, scatenando la
gelosia di Jake. Un giorno Joey la sorprende a tavola con Salvi e scatena
una rissa, inveendo con furia bestiale contro il gangster. Il boss Tommy
li rappacifica e chiede a Joey di convincere Jake a portargli piu` rispetto.
Tommy gli procura il match per il campionato ma in cambio gli chiede di
perdere il primo incontro. Jake si lascia colpire senza difendersi. Al
tentativo successivo, invece, massacra l'avversario. Il suo carattere sta
pero` diventando sempre piu` intrattabile, in particolare quando si tratta
della moglie. Jake e` talmente sospettoso che finisce per accusare persino
il fratello di aver approfittato di Vickie. Nonostante entrambi neghino
disgustati, Jake picchia Joey, e questo causa la rottura definitiva fra i due.
Anche senza il fratello Jake continua la sua carriera, ma presto perde la
motivazione, e dopo un incontro in cui il suo viso viene ridotto a una
maschera di sangue, decide di smettere. Apre un night club e si da` a una
vita dissoluta. La moglie alla fine lo lascia, portandosi via i figli.
Rimasto solo, grasso e ubriacone, Jake riesce a cacciarsi nei guai anche con
la giustizia. Finisce in carcere e ne esce senza un soldo. Diventa comico di
varieta` in locali di periferia. Un giorno incontra il fratello, che pero`
non gli rivolge la parola.
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The Last Temptation of Christ (1988) is a visually and aurally epic
film, based on Nikos Kazantzakis' novel, that somehow fits in the pattern of
neurotic characters of previous Scorsese films.
The opening sequence is sort of disconnected, as if the man shooting it is
in a delirium.
Jesus is continuously engaged in a dialogue with god, a voice that he hears
in his head. Jesus is not trying to
worship or obey god. Jesus is trying to make god hate him.
That's why he makes crosses for the Romans to crucify Jews
condemned for sedition.
The one we see crucified was guilty of announcing the coming of the messiah,
of him, Jesus. Jesus helps erect the cross and is stained with his blood
when the soldiers hammer the nails into the flesh.
His friend Judas hates his cowardice.
He behaves like he is mentally handicapped.
His dialogue with god is the dialogue of someone who has lost his mind.
Jesus, a cross maker, is obsessed with the idea that god wants him to die
on a cross.
Jesus follows a stranger, thinking him an angel from god, into a brothel.
He sits and waits in line while all the other men take their turn at a
prostitute, who is also a childhood friend of Jesus.
Then, when his turn comes, Jesus asks her to forgive him.
She angrily dismisses him.
Jesus confesses
that he wants to rebel against god but he is afraid.
Then asks a cobra to bite him and Judas to cut his throat.
One day he and Judas stumble into a crowd of men who are stoning the prostitute
Magdalene. Jesus saves her and converts the crowd.
The divine ego he was fighiting is slowly taking over.
Aided by an ever growing group of followers and by Judas, Jesus sets off
to spread the verb.
Judas seems more interested in
overthrowing the Romans than in spreading the Christian faith, but Jesus
can't help talk about love not hate.
Judas seems to play the role of voice of Jesus' conscience, or at least
an alter ego that represents rationality versus the irrational impulses
that turn him into a messiah.
Jesus meets John the Baptist and his crowd of fanatics who dance in the
river. After talking with John, Jesus goes to the desert to meditate,
where the cobra talks to him again.
Jesus is purified and reborn and sets off to accomplish his mission.
The transformation is ambigous: from the tone of his sermon, he sounds like
a revolutionary leader, and his followers amount to a small army.
During a wedding, faced with scorn, Jesus boasts that he is god and
screams like he is possessed, and the crowd must be restrained by the others
lest Jesus is lynched.
His mother Mary tries to stop him buy Jesus rejects her.
Jesus continues his pilgrimage and resurrects Lazarus.
Then he loses his temper again when, in temple in Jerusalem, he attacks
the money-changers.
Later, Jesus and his followers start a riot but then
his hands start bleeding, a sign from god that he is not meant to die in
a riot, and Jesus abandons his followers to the fury of the Roman soldiers.
Judas betrays Jesus out of love, in order to allow him to die and fulfill
his mission.
Jesus has to face governor Pontius Pilate.
First he is beaten and flogged and then is crucified.
As Jesus is about to die on the cross, he is saved by a guardian angel, and
is taken to his wedding with Mary Magdelene.
Jesus doesn't die on the cross, but lives a life similar to his father's,
as a humble carpenter with a wife and several children.
He hears a man telling the story of him as if he died on the cross, and attacks
him as a liar. Jesus shouts that he is a man, not a god. Jesus gets old and
witnesses a massacre. While Jesus is dying, he is visited by his ageing
disciples and
by Judas, who denounces him for not keeping his promise.
Jesus understands that the angel is Satan and asks his father to forgive him
and to crucify him.
Jesus is back on the cross and dies.
The film doesn't really offer a plot, it is more a sequence of scenes.
Plot turns are, in fact, often gratuitous.
The central theme of the film is that of a man who tries to find his true
mission.
The biggest trouble with the film is that it is terribly long.
A number of scenes are simply badly directed, and look like parodies of the
Gospels. And the scenes of preaching are terribly boring.
The director seems much more interested in the ethnic and historical
reconstruction than in building an organic film.
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(Translation by/ Tradotto da
Corrado Cantelli)
The Last Temptation of Christ (L'ultima tentazione di
Cristo)(1988) epopea visualmente e oralmente basata sul romanzo
di Nikos Kazantzakis, in qualche modo si riallaccia
ai personaggi nevrotici dei precedenti film di Scorsese.
La sequenza di apertura sembra disconnessa, come se lo spasimo
dell'uomo fosse in un delirio. Gesu' e' continuamente impegnato
in un dialogo con dio, una voce che sente nella sua testa. Gesu'
non cerca di adorare o di obbedire dio. Gesu' sta cercando di
farsi odiare da dio. Ecco perche' fa delle croci per i romani,
per far crocifiggere i giudei condannati per sedizione. Quello
che si vede crocifisso era colpevole di annunciare la venuta del
messia, di lui, Gesu'. Gesu' aiuta ad erigere la croce ed e'
macchiato dal proprio sangue quando i soldati infliggono i
chiodi nella carne.
Giuda, suo amico, odia la sua codardia. Si comporta come se
fosse mentalmente andicappato. Il suo dialogo con dio e' il
dialogo di qualcuno che ha perso la testa. Gesu', costruttore di
croci, e' ossessionato dall'idea che dio lo voglia far morire
sulla croce.
Gesu' segue uno straniero dentro un bordello, pensando che fosse
un angelo mandato da dio. Si siede e aspetta in fila mentre gli
altri uomini fanno a turno con una prostituta, che e' anche
un'amica d'infanzia di Gesu'. Poi, quando arriva il suo turno,
Gesu' le chiede di perdonarlo. Lei lo manda via arrabbiata.
Gesu' confessa che vuole ribellarsi a dio, ma ha paura. Poi
chiede a un cobra di morderlo, e a Giuda di tagliargli la gola.
Un giorno lui e Giuda s'imbattono in una folla di uomini che
stanno lapidando Maddalena, la prostituta. Gesu' la salva e
converte la folle. L'ego divino che stava combattendo prende
lentamente il sopravvento.
Aiutato da un sempre crescente gruppo di discepoli e da Giuda,
Gesu' comincia a espandere il verbo. Giuda sembra piu'
interessato nel detronizzare i romani che non nell'espandere la
fede cristiana, ma Gesu' e' incapace di smettere di parlare di
amore, e non odio. Giuda sembra giocare il ruolo della voce
della coscienza di Gesu', o almeno un alter ego che rappresenta
razionalita' contro gl'irrazionali impulsi che lo trasformano in
un messia.
Gesu' incontra Giovanni Battista e la sua folla di fanatici che
danzano nel fiume. Dopo aver parlato con Giovanni, Gesu' va a
meditare nel deserto, dove il cobra gli parla di nuovo. Gesu' e'
purificato e rinato e parte per compiere la sua missione. La
trasformazione e' ambigua: dal tono dei suoi sermoni, sembra un
leader rivoluzionario, e i suoi discepoli ammontano a un piccolo
esercito. Durante un matrimonio, essendo stato schernito, Gesu'
si vanta di essere dio e grida come fosse posseduto: la folla
dev'essere trattenuta dagli altri per timore che Gesu' venga
linciato. Sua madre Maria cerca di fermarlo ma Gesu' la
respinge. Gesu' continua il suo pellegrinaggio e risuscita
Lazzaro. Poi si incollerisce di nuovo quando a Gerusalemme, nel
tempio, attacca i cambia-valute. Piu' tardi Gesu' e i suoi
discepoli insorgono in un tumulto ma le sue mani cominciano a
sanguinare, un segno da parte di dio che non e' destinato a
morire in un tumulto, e Gesu' abbandona i suoi discepoli alla
furia dei soldati romani.
Giuda tradisce Gesu' per amore, per poterlo far morire e
compiere la sua missione.
Gesu' deve affrontare il governatore Ponzio Pilato. Prima viene
battuto e frustato e poi viene crocifisso.
Mentre Gesu' sta per morire sulla croce, e' salvato da un angelo
custode, ed č condotto al suo matrimonio con Maria Maddalena.
Gesu' non muore sulla croce, ma vive una vita simile a quella
del padre, come umile falegname, con una moglie e molti bambini.
Sente un uomo raccontare la sua storia, come fosse morto sulla
croce, e lo assale come un bugiardo. Gesu' grida che e' un uomo,
non un dio. Gesu' invecchia ed e' testimone di un massacro.
Mentre Gesu' sta morendo, riceve visita dai suoi vecchi
discepoli e da Giuda, che lo accusa di non aver mantenuto la
promessa. Gesu' capisce che l'angelo e' Satana e chiede al padre
di perdonarlo e di crocifiggerlo.
Gesu' e' di nuovo sulla croce e muore.
Il film non offre davvero una trama, e' piu' che altro una
sequenza di scene. Il corso della trama rimane spesso
ingiustificato.
Il tema centrale del film e' quello di un uomo che cerca di
trovare la sua vera missione.
Il problema maggiore del film e' di essere terribilmente lungo.
Delle scene sono semplicemente mal dirette, e sembrano parodie
dei vangeli. E le scene delle prediche sono terribilmente
noiose.
Il regista sembra molto piu' interessato nella ricostruzione
etnica della storia, che nella costruzione di un film organico.
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If English is your first language and you could translate my old Italian text, please contact me.
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The Color of Money (1986)
The brutal gangster movie
Goodfellas (1990), inspired by Nick Pileggi's novel "Wiseguy",
is actully a morality play, just a twisted one.
Furthermore, the voice-over describes the existential angst of a
sociopath, who eventually turns into sheer fear.
La prima scena mostra tre uomini (fra cui DeNiro e un giovane) in auto: sentendo un rumore, si fermano; aprono il bagagliaio; un uomo tutto insanguinato si dimena disperatamente; il terzo tira fuori un coltellaccio e lo infila ripetutamente nel petto del moribondo; DeNiro spara diversi colpi. Si rimettono in marcia.
Il giovane racconta la sua storia. Figlio di un irlandese e di una siciliana, crebbe in un quartiere povero popolato da italiani e fin da bambino sogno' di diventare gangster: guardava con ammirazione quegli uomini sfaccendati e potenti che si godevano ogni sorta di privilegi ed erano rispettati persino dalla polizia. Inizio' a lavorare per uno dei boss della zona, e, quando il padre lo frusto' per punizione, fece in modo che i gangster picchiassero lui.
DeNiro era gia' una leggenda vivente, un ladro con una reputazione enorme, e il ragazzo ne era affascinato. Ormai ricco, si trova anche una ragazza, un'ebrea passionale che non batte cigho quando scopre la sua vera professione, quando lo vede picchiare a sangue un vicino che le ha messo le mani addosso, anzi accetta di sposarlo. Anche lei entra cosi' a far parte della comunita' e scopre quanto essa sia chiusa.
Una sera il piu' violento, del giro, amico di DeNiro e quindi del ragazzo, uccide un rivale, che pero' e' protetto dalle famiglie importanti. I tre devono allora nascondere il cadavere ed e' qui che si innesta la scena iniziale. Poi lo dovranno anche dissotterrare perche' su quel terreno stanno per iniziare dei lavori.
11 ragazzo intanto si fa I'amante, mentre la moglie cresce i figli. Quando lei scopre la tresca, minaccia di ucciderlo. Saranno DeNiro e il boss in persona a intercedere affinche' il ragazzo torni dalla moglie.
Il solito violento uccide a freddo anche un cameriere del bar che gli ha mancato di rispetto.
Vengono arrestati tutti all'improvviso per la spiata casuale di una ragazza. In carcere fanno pero' una vita da re per quattro anni, poi tornano in liberta'. Lui si fa una nuova amante, bravissima nel preparare cocaina, e si da' al contrabbando di droga, nonostante il boss glielo abbia esplicitamente proibito. Si mette in societa' con DeNiro e il violento, che presto compiono la rapina del secolo. Ma i soldi della rapina danno origine a ogni sorta di guaio e presto DeNiro e' costretto ad uccidere uno per uno tutti i complici, con brutalita'. Il violento viene invece ucciso dalla Famiglia, proprio quando pensava di essere stato promosso a boss.
11 ragazzo e' tefforizzato. Sa di essere il prossimo della lista, e che sara' proprio I'amico DeNiro a farlo fuori. Un giorno nota un elicottero che lo sta seguendo per le strade della citta' e poco, dopo la polizia anti-narcotici fa irruzione a casa sua. Scarcerato su cauzione versata. dalla suocera (che lo ha sempre odiato), ora ha paura anche della vendetta del boss ed e' senza soldi. Va a fare penitenza dal boss. Poi capisce che DeNiro lo ha condannato e decide allora di andare dalla polizia e denunciarli tutti. Grazie alla sua testimonianza vengono tutti condannati e lui e la moglie possono ricostruirsi una vita con la protezione della polizia.
Scorsese also directed two classy remakes, Cape Fear (1991) and The Age of Innocence (1993).
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If English is your first language and you could translate my old Italian text, please contact me.
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Casino (1995) is a decadent gangster movie.
Nella prima scena Sam (DeNiro) salta in aria con l'auto. Comincia un flashback
raccontato da lui e dall'amico Nick (Pesci), cresciuti nei quartieri della mafia
di New York. Sam dirige un casino a Las Vegas per conto dei boss di New York,
Nick e` una guardia del corpo psicotica assegnato ai lavori piu` violenti. Fra
i due c'e` una fraterna amicizia, al punto che Nick e` pronto a massacrare
chiunque insulti Sam. I boss guadagnano una percentuale sui proventi del
casino, percentuale che viene sottratta illegalmente dalla cassaforte.
Il casino e` organizzato per scoprire ed eliminare i bari.
Un giorno scoprono un'avventuriera, Ginger (Stone), che approfitta dei clienti
ricchi. Sam se ne invaghisce, nonostante lei sia ancora affezionata al piccolo
protettore e cocainomane con cui ha trascorso la sua vita fin da quando aveva
quindici anni e nonostante questi la sfrutti e la tradisca senza molti scrupoli.
Ginger diventa la donna di Sam e aiuta il casino portando polli sempre piu`
ricchi da spennare.
Alla fine Sam riesce a convincerla a sposarlo e diventano una coppia invidiata
da tutti. Sam le spiega che il matrimonio e` un fatto di fiducia, le regala
una cassetta di sicurezza in banca piena di gioielli e le lascia l'unica chiave
per un'altra cassetta contenente due milioni di dollari per un'eventuale
emergenza. Intanto Nick ha deciso di trasferirsi a Las Vegas. Sam non e`
entusiasta dell'idea perche` sa quanto violento sia l'amico. E infatti Nick
comincia subito a imporre le sue maniere forti. In realta` e` grazie a quelle
maniere che il casino si libera di tutti gli sciacalli.
Ginger e` felice: ha una bambina, ha tutti i soldi di cui ha bisogno, suo
marito e` uno degli uomini piu` rispettati della citta`.
I guai cominciano quando Nick viene bandito dai casino. Apre una gioielleria,
che foraggia con rapine a destra e manca. Le sue maniere spietate (tortura un
irlandese schiacciandogli la testa) lo portano a diventare presto il boss
assoluto della malavita di Vegas. Sam licenzia il giovane protetto di un
influente commissioner della citta` e rifiuta di ripensarci quando questi viene
a intercedere. Altri guai arrivano da Ginger, che improvvisamente si ritrova
con il suo protettore. Sam li fa seguire e la costringe a guardare quando
i suoi sicari picchiano l'uomo. Ginger va a sfogarsi con Nick. Ginger si
droga e beve, piange istericamente di continuo, maltratta la figlia.
L'amicizia di Sam con Nick porta cattiva pubblicita` al casino e i due per la
prima volta litigano. Il commissioner inviperito ha fatto aprire delle
indagini sulla situazione di Sam (che in realta` non ha mai ottenuto il
permesso di operare un casino). I media cominciano a interessarsi di lui.
Nick e` completamente fuori controllo: ammazza a destra e manca senza pieta`,
insospettendo sempre piu` le autorita`.
Per calmare le acque i boss, che gia` non sono contenti del polverone che
Nick sta sollevando, costringono Sam a dimettersi e prendere il posto di
direttore dell'intrattenimento. Sam vuole pero` prenderesi una rivincita
sulle autorita` che l'hanno messo in ginocchio e inizia una sua trasmissione
televisiva in cui li sfida pubblicamente al dibattito. Le rotte di Nick e Sam
sono sempre piu` in collisione: si incontrano di nascosto nel deserto (l'FBI
segue tutte le loro mosse) e volano parole grosse. A Sam non piace che Nick
attiri l'attenzione dell'FBI con i suoi metodi, a Nick non piace che Sam
attiri l'attenzione dei media con il suo programma televisivo.
Ginger ha ormai perso il controllo. Con il suo amico protettore organizza
il rapimento della figlia per ricattare Sam e preleva i soldi dalla banca.
Nick la convince a non fare stupidaggini e tornare dal marito, ma il marito
non la perdona e le toglie la chiave della cassetta di sicurezza. Ginger e`
ridotta a uno straccio. Una sera Sam sente Ginger chiedere per telefono che
lo ammazzino e la butta fuori di casa. Ginger seduce Nick, e fra i due nasce
un affare segreto. Ma gli agenti dell'FBI che pedinano costantemente Nick
li fotografano. Nick continua implacabile le sue stragi. Il suo tallone
d'achille e` la donna: tenta di far si` che Sam e lei si riconcilino, poi,
quando lei, rifiutata, e` sull'orlo del collasso, se ne spaventa e la caccia
anche lui. Lei prende l'auto e piomba sulla casa di Sam scatenando un
pandemonio che attira anche la polizia. Ottiene cinque minuti per prelevare
i suoi effetti personali e li usa per scardinare i cassetti di Sam e
prendere la chiave. Si precipita in banca scortata dalla polizia. Sam la
insegue invano: lei ha il diritto legale di impadronirsi dei soldi e
andarsene sotto i suoi occhi. L'FBI la ferma pero` poco dopo. Nel giro
di poche ore vengono arrestati tutti i membri della mafia. L'unico a sfuggire
alla cattura e` Nick, che aveva subodorato il pericolo. L'FBI mostra a Sam
le fotografie di Nick e Ginger insieme. Sam comunque non tradisce la
mafia. I boss, incriminati, fanno eliminare tutti i testimoni inaffidabili.
Viene il turno anche di Ginger, che ha sperperato tutti i soldi con i suoi
amici drogati, e viene trovata morta per overdose, e viene anche il turno
di Nick, che, oltre ad aver tentato di fregare i boss, e` ora anche colpevole
di aver scopato la moglie di un altro (viene ucciso a bastonate dal suo
sicario piu` fedele, e sepolto mentre ancora respira). Viene anche la volta
di Sam, la cui auto salta in aria. Ma Sam si salva miracolosamente e comincia
una nuova carriera, in una Vegas che e` cambiata: non e` piu` controllata dalla
mafia, ma dalle corporation.
Film troppo lungo, con molte scene gratuite.
Kundun (1998)
Bringing Out The Dead (1999) is a character study, once more devoted to
a neurotic and lonely urban citizen, but also a broader allegory.
Frank e` un autista d'ambulanze che viene inviato ad assistere un anziano
colpito da attacco cardiaco. Lo accoglie la figlia Mary, in lacrime. Frank
e il suo partner riescono a riportare in vita l'uomo (suonando un disco di
Frank Sinatra) ma il cervello e` morto per qualche secondo e le probabilita`
di recupero sono bassissime. Frank porta l'uomo in ospedale ma poi deve
combattere con gli infermieri che non vogliono piu` pazienti in una sala
gremita di barelle e lettini. Mary si stabilisce praticamente nella sala
d'attesa, in quello zoo di parenti e matti. Fra i matti c'e` anche Noah,
un vagabondo che il padre aveva aiutato in passato ma che non si e` mai
ripreso dalla sua follia.
Frank e` afflitto da una crisi esistenziale. Odia il suo lavoro, non vede
l'ora di cambiare vita, anzi praticamente non ha una vita. E` ossessionato
dall'immagine di Rose, una ragazza che gli mori` fra le braccia, forse per
colpa di una sua errata diagnosi. Il quartiere in cui svolge il suo lavoro
e` quello in cui e` cresciuto e ogni angolo nasconde un fantasma.
Gran parte delle chiamate sono perdite di tempo: drogati, barboni, matti.
Uno degli autisti e` un maniaco violento, un altro e` un nero bonaccione
e religioso. Frank e` di gran lunga il piu` tetro. Sembra che il destino
lo mandi sempre a soccorrere pazienti che moriranno.
Ogni volta che torna all'ospedale, incontra Mary, e ogni volta prova piu`
tenerezza per la bella ragazza, tormentata dal rimorso di aver sempre odiato
il padre. Ogni mattina invece arriva in ritardo e incontra il capo, che lo
minaccia di licenziarlo ma senza mai farlo, nonostante Frank ovviamente
desideri proprio quello. Fra una missione e l'altra Frank guida a caso
per i bassifondi di New York e vede in tutte le ragazze il viso di Rose.
Dopo una chiamata in cui hanno aiutato una "vergine" a partorire due bambini
(uno solo dei quali e` sopravissuto, quello accudito dal partner), e dopo
un incidente in cui l'ambulanza e` volata per aria, Frank accompagna Mary
in un caseggiato diroccato in una delle zone piu` pericolose. Preoccupato
irrompe nell'abitazione e scopre che si tratta dello "studio" di uno spacciatore
che somministra droghe ai suoi "pazienti" per procurare loro relax. Per calmare
Frank, gli offre una pillola. Frank ha un incubo dal quale si risveglia con
violenza. Si carica Mary in spalle e se ne va, ignorando le minacce dello
spacciatore. Mary gli confessa di essere stata una "cliente" dello spacciatore
fino a un anno prima e di non aver resistito causa lo stress.
Frank va a trovare il padre di Mary e capisce dallo sguardo dell'uomo che
il disgraziato desidera soltanto morire. E` stanco di quelle scosse elettriche
che rimettono ogni volta in moto il suo cuore. Frank non puo` fare nulla
perche' ci sono infermieri e dottori.
Frank esce in missione con il partner maniaco. Fanno una scappata fra i
barboni di un tunnel. Poi vengono chiamati proprio all'indirizzo a cui
si era recata Mary. Trovano l'intera banda dello spacciatore massacrata
e lui e` precipitato da una finestra ed e` stato trafitto da una punta
di una ringhiera. E` li` appeso come un prosciutto, ma la punta non ha
leso nessun organo vitale. La polizia usa una fiamma ossidrica per tagliare
la punta, mentre Frank gli regge la testa. Lo spacciatore e` in lacrime
e Frank gli salva la vita quando sta per precipitare.
All'ospedale Frank va di nuovo a trovare il padre di Mary, che lo implora
sempre con lo sguardo di lasciarlo morire.
Il partner maniaco decide di compiere una "buona azione" per la comunita`
e sceglie come vittima Noah, che sta demolendo auto con una mazza di baseball.
Lo insegue nei sotterranei e lo massacra con la stessa mazza, ma Frank
lo ferma in tempo e porta Noah in ospedale.
Il padre di Mary e` ancora vivo, ma viene tenuto in vita da scosse elettriche.
Frank lo sente invocare aiuto ancora una volta e questa volta lo aiuta a morire.
Fuori l'autista maniaco sta demolendo l'ambulanza. Frank va a dare la notizia
a Mary. Mary lo invita in casa e si lascia consolare. E Frank vede Rose che lo
perdona.
Questo Taxi Driver in versione ospedaliera
indulge troppo nel documentarismo dei bassifondi. In pratica si assiste
alla stessa scena (Frank che cammina in ambienti dilapidati) una ventina di
volte. I personaggi sono appena abbozzati e la storia d'amore con Mary e`
praticamente un obolo da pagare agli stereotipi di Hollywood. Frank stesso
non e` cosi` neurotico come potrebbe essere, visto che l'intero film ruota
intorno alla sua crisi esistenziale. Questo cinico nichilista senza vita
privata (non apprendiamo nulla di dove viva, chi conosca, cosa faccia)
non sembra essere altro che una persona molto sola.
Forse il film significa soprattutto i fantasmi privati di Scorsese.
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Bringing Out The Dead (1999) is a minor film in the career of Martin
Scorsese, a sort of Taxi Driver transposed into a hospital which
indulges too much in the reportage of the lower classes. Mostly, the film
rehashes the same sequence over and over again. Characters have no depth.
The love story and the happy ending are simply a rent to pay to Hollywood.
Gangs Of New York (2002)
The Aviator (2004)
The Departed (2006) is a loose remake of
Andrew Lau's and Alan Mak's thriller Infernal Affairs (2002).
It is a lengthy and convoluted thriller. Its main appeal is the race
between two traitors to find out who the traitor is on each side.
The one fighting the criminals is a scared individual who doesn't have
a family. The one working for the criminals has been brainwashed as a child
by the mobster and is self-assured. By accident the two also share the
same woman, something a bit implausible but that adds tension to the
narrative.
The moralistic ending that restores justice is the weakest part.
Frank (Jack Nicholson) is a rising mobster. One day in a cafe he meets a
kid, Colin, and uses the money he just extorted from the cafe owner to buy
groceries for Colin's family. Colin is seduced by the mobster.
Twenty years later, Colin has graduated to police school, congratulated by
Frank who is like a godfather to him, and joins a special
unit of the police department that, ironically, investigates organized crime:
Frank has a rat in the police department.
His boss' dream is to arrest Frank, who is now the top criminal of the city.
Meanwhile, Billy too graduates from police school. When his mother dies,
he is left with an uncle with a dubious reputation, whom he disowns.
Billy joins a different unit,
a top-secret unit led by captain Queenan (Martin Sheen). Queenan is a fatherly
figure but his right arm, Dignam, is an aggressive, mean-spirited maniac
who immediately insults and attacks Billy, whose family has had frequent
runs with the justice. Despite the animosity between the two, Queenan offers
Billy a strategic job: pretend to be a criminal and infiltrate Frank's gang.
Billy is therefore sent to jail and then released on probation.
Billy approaches his cousin who sells drugs and enters Frank's territory.
He gets into a brawl with one of the patrons of a bar owned by Frank and
is confronted by Frank's right-arm man,
Meanwhile, Colin's boss tells his entire unit of the new plan to arrest Frank.
Frank is selling military microprocessors to China and the plan is to catch
him in the act.
Colin meets the police psychologist, Madolyn, in an elevator, and the two
fall in love.
Meanwhile, Billy gets into another brawl with one of Frank's men and this time
Frank meets him in person.
Colin is involved in the investigations into Frank's murders but is actually
the one who informs Frank of the police's every move.
Billy meets Frank at his place wearing a transmitter for Queenan to listen
on Frank, but gets scared when Frank shows him the hand of a man he killed.
As part of his probation, Billy is also required to meet with the same
Madolyn who is dating Colin.
Billy is scared and doesn't understand why Queenan doesn't just arrest Frank
for his many murders. Queenan explains that they are building a case and they
want Billy to continue his undercover mission for a little longer. They also
tell him that they suspect there is a "mole" (an informer) in the police
department (just like Billy is a "rat" in Frank's organization). They
reassure Billy that only the two of them, Queenan and Dignam, know his
identity.
The police prepare to catch Frank in the act of selling the microprocessors
to the Chinese. Colin secretely messages Frank that the police are watching
the transaction in a warehouse. Billy secretely tries to help the police. Despite all the
preparation, the plan to arrest Frank fails because his gang takes off in
a boat that is not surveilled like the regular exits of the warehouse.
Frank senses that there is a rat in his organization and tells Colin to
find out who it is. Colin asks Frank to collect the private information on
every person who was with Frank the night of the transaction so he can figure
out who is likely undercover cop.
Madolyn is moving in with Colin but at the same time accepts a date with Billy.
During an operation for Frank, Billy learns that Frank is an informer for the FBI and rushes to inform Queenan.
Following Colin's suggestion, Frank asks all his men to write their private
data on papers that are then put in an envelope on which an increasingly
nervous Billy himself writes the word "citizens".
Billy then visits Madolyn on a rainy night and they have sex.
Ironically, Colin is placed in charge of finding the mole in the police
department (which is really himself).
At the same time, Billy wants to find out who the mole is and follows Frank
as he delivers the envelope to the mole. The meeting between Frank and the mole
(Colin) takes place in a porno theater and Billy watches them from a seat in
the back. He then follows the mole as he walks out with the "citizens" envelope
but doesn't have a chance to see his face.
Frank confronts Billy and Billy senses that the gang is getting closer and
closer at unveiling his real identity as an undercover cop.
Colin comes up with a terrific plan to identify the rat in Frank's organization: he orders his men to
follow Queenan himself, telling them that Queenan himself could be the mole.
Queenan takes the subway to meet up with Billy and Colin's cops follow Queenan
to the appointment. Colin then tells Frank that the rat is in that building.
Frank's men enter the building but Billy finds out what is happening because
he himself is summoned to that building by Frank's men. Billy runs out in
time and Frank's men only find Queenan. They throw Queenan down the roof of
the building and the body drops near where Billy is walking away. Colin's cops
also see the scene but Colin orders them to take no action. Nonetheless the
cops start shooting at Frank's men and one of Frank's men gets fatally
wounded. Just then Billy joins them, pretending that he arrived to the
building after receiving the message to join them. The message was sent to
him by the man who is dying. But before dying the man tells him that he sent
him the wrong address and still Billy showed up at the right one: the dying
man knows that Billy must be the rat but dies seconds later.
Later the gang watches the news on television: the dead man has been found
in a marsh and the police claim him as an informer. Frank does not believe
the news: the police are trying to protect the real informer, who is still alive
and working for them.
Meanwhile, Colin has to explain why he ordered cops to follow Queenan: Dignam
does not believe his explanation and physically attacks him. Restrained by
the police chief, who is now is new boss, Dignam resigns and walks out.
Colin the corrupt cop still doesn't know who is the rat in Frank's organization,
and Billy the undercover cop still doesn't know who is the mole in the police
department: they searching for each other.
Colin uses Queenan's phone to call Billy, but Billy refuses to meet with this
new police contact. Colin also finds Queenan's notes that Frank is an FBI
informer (which potentially could mean that the FBI knows that Colin works for
mobster Frank).
This time Colin helps the cops capture Frank while he and his men are loading
their cars with cocaine. Dozens of police cars surround them, all of Frank's men are killed in the shootout.
Frank is walking away when he is confronted by Colin. Colin asks him if he
ever told the FBI about him. Frank swears that he only told the FBI about men
who were doomed anyway, but Colin still kills him, kills his own godfather.
Colin is hailed as a hero by the police department: he killed the famous
mobster. Finally, Billy reveals himself to Colin and everybody else as
the undercover cop who infiltrated the gang. Colin tells him that he will
receive a medal of honor. Billy replies that he only wants his identity back.
Colin walks into another office to get the documents done and prepare to pay
Billy's salary, but Billy sees the "citizens" envelope lying on Colin's desk
and realizes that Colin is the mole in the police department.
Billy walks quietly away. Colin, realizing that Billy now knows, erases Billy's
identity from the computer. Billy walks into Madolyn's apartment and hands her
a confidential envelope, telling her to open it if he dies.
That night Madolyn informs Colin that she is pregnant, but later she sees
a package addressed by Billy to Colin. The package contains a disc with the
recording of conversations between Colin and Frank: Frank taped all their
conversations.
She then plays the disc for Colin, who tries to come up with an explanation,
but Madolyn is not stupid. Billy left a phone number for Colin to call,
and makes an appointment in the same building where Queenan was assassinated.
There Billy proceeds to arrest Colin, although Colin is the cop and Billy is
now nobody.
Billy's plan fails because Frank had a second mole, and this second mole
kills Billy. Colin, realizing that this second mole knows his role as Frank's
main mole in the police department, kills the second mole.
Colin can now claim that this second mole was the mole that they were looking
for.
Billy is awarded the medal of honor and buried as a hero.
Colin now has no witnesses who can accuse him.
Madolyn, however, knows the truth and does not forgive him.
When Colin walks into his apartment, he finds Dignam waiting for him with a gun, and Dignam coldly kills him.
Shutter Island (2010) was a mediocre adaptation of Dennis Lehane's thriller novel "Shutter Island" (2003).
The Invention of Hugo Cabret (2011)
The Wolf of Wall Street (2013) was another gangster movie of sorts,
just not the mafia kind of gangster but the modern Wall Street kind of
gangster: written by Terence Winter, it was
based on the memoir of criminal stockbroker Jordan Belfort.
Slow and overlong, with lengthy dialogues, it tried to match the
style and tone of Casino but lacks the same tension and the emotion.
Jordan tells his story. Rased by humble parents, he
travels by bus to New York with his wife to work in the financial world.
He
is introduced by arrogant drug-addicted brokers to the high and immoral life of
Wall Street. He loses his job after the 1989 stock market crash.
He finds a job as a stock broker working for a provincial firm that sells
penny stocks to the lower middle class with high commissions. He quickly becomes
the biggest scammer in the business. A nosy neighbor, Donny, quits his job after
meeting Jordan in a coffee shop and starts working for him.
Jordan hires sleazy salesmen of any kind, including drug dealers, none of them
schooled,
and begins to make money again
His sales people sell the stock of crappy companies to families that cannot afford
to lose their savings.
His wife inspires him to use the same gang of salesmen to sell expensive stock to rich people.
The firm pretends to be based on Wall St but it still operates out of a warehouse.
They make a lot of money and the media start talking about him,
but the publicity also attracts the attention of the FBI.
Jordan is rich again, throws a company party, meets a sexy blonde model, Naomi,
his wife catches them in the act, he divorce her and marries the model.
After 18 months of happy marriage, Naomi begins scenes of jealousy.
Jordan turns the silly business of a ,Steve, into a big speculation.
a zealous FBI agent is investigating him and Jordan makes the mistake of trying to bribe him.
Afraid of what the FBI might do to his fortune, a high and drunk Jordan boards a
flight to Switzerland with his closest associates.
On the plane he needs to be restrained because he has become a drug addict.
The Swiss banker tells him that his money is safe in Switzerland only if it is
kept under a different name. Luckily, Naomi has a British aunt. Jordan visits
her and even tries to seduce her. She accepts to have the Swiss bank account
in her name.
Jordan's associate Brad has a wife who is a European stripper with a European
passport. She and her family smuggle millions of Jordan's dollars
to Switzerland flying back and forth countless times, banknotes strapped to
their bodies.
Donny and Brad get into a fight while Donny is delivering a briefcase full of
money. Brad loses his patience and grabs the case, the cops see him and arrest him.
Donny gives Jordan some exotic drugs.
His lawyer Bo calls him and tells him to call him back from a pay phone.
Bo tells him that Brad is in jail
but just then the drugs hit Jordan and he faints/
Jordan crawls to his white Ferrari and drives slowly home, thinking that
he didn't hit anything.
Jordan, who can barely crawl, realizes that Donny, also out of control due to the
drug, is on the phone with the Swiss banker creating a big mess.
Jordan fights Donny to yank the phone from his hand.
Donny collapses and Jordan saves his life with CPR.
The following morning Jordan is arrested: contrary to what he believes,
during the drive home he has caused multiple accidents and destroyed his white
Ferrari.
His lawyer advises him to plead guilty to a number of financial crimes and to
quit the firm that he founded, but at the last moment he
he gives an emotional speech to his employees and then decides to stay and
defy the authorities.
Naomi's British aunt dies of a heart attack. Jordan
has to rush to Switzerland. To make things worse,
the stock of Steve's ridiculous company is collapsing.
Jordan and his gang, always high and drunk, take their yacht from Italy to France
but get caught into a storm which they barely survive.
Two years later the Swiss banker gets arrested in the USA for other reasons,
and decides to collaborate with the FBI and tells them about Jordan's illegal
money laundering.
The FBI arrests Jordan who is released on a bail of several million dollars.
Naomi tells him she wants a divorce.
He tries to run away with his daughter but crashes the car immediately out of the
garage.
He accepts to collaborate with the FBI (ie betray his friends) to reduce his sentence.
First of the list is Donny, his best friend. When the FBI straps a microphone on
his body to get Donny in trouble, Jordan finds a way to warn Donny.
This costs him dearly: the FBI finds out and his deal is over.
His friends are arrested and he is sentenced to three years in prison.
The FBI agent, whom Jordan always mocked, takes his subway train home while
Jordan is escorted to prison.
After jail, he moves to New Zealand and becomes a salesman trainer.
Silence (2016) is an adaptation of Endo's novel "Chinmoku/ Silence" (1966), the same novel used by Shinoda.
Silence (2017), based on Shusaku Endo's novel "Silence" (1966),
is about two 17th-century Jesuit priests who travel to Japan.
The three-hour historical epic
The Irishman (2019) is based on Charles Brandt's book "I Heard You Paint Houses" (2004).
The film is overlong and mostly is a parade of
aging actors who show their age when they play younger characters.
It takes about two hours for the film to get interesting.
It takes almost three hours to generate some suspense (when we don't know
whether Frank will kill Jimmy as ordered or not).
If it was meant to be a meditation on the meaning and purpose of loyalty,
it is just too long and convoluted.
The best part of the ending is that we remain in the dark about what Frank
feels like as an old man about killing his best friend. We have no clue
whether he feels remorse or he feels that he simply did his job.
The film opens in a nursing home. An old Man, Frank, recalls when he was a humble worker and how he got involved in the Mafia and started
"painting houses" (killing people).
A flashback shows him as a retired (but younger) man when he drove
his wife, his old friend Russell and Russell's wife Carrie on a long trip
to the wedding of the daughter of Russell's cousin Bill.
Carrie asks to stop to smoke a cigarette and they happen to be near a gas station that reminds Frank and Russell of something that happened when Frank was
a truck driver. A flashback within the flashback shows Frank getting stuck on
the highway when his truck breaks down near that gas station.
At that gas station he met Russell, who helped him fix the truck.
Later Frank is introduced to a small-time mobster, Skinny, who pays him to
steal meat for him. Frank's company realizes that Frank is stealing and fires him, but a lawyer, Bill, defends him successfully and Frank is re-hired.
Bill, impressed that Frank didn't betray the mobster, takes him to lunch in
a restaurant that is popular with mafia bosses. There they meet Bill's cousin,
who is the very Russell who helped Frank with the truck. Frank realizes that
Russell is a big shot when he sees that he is dining with the famous boss of the whole crime family, Angelo.
Russell likes Frank right away.
Russell's wife Carrie descends from mafia royalty.
Frank starts working for Skinny and starts using violence.
One day he brutally beats a shopowner who accidentally touched his daughter.
Frank needs money for his growing family so he accepts a job to bomb with
dynamite and gasoline a laundry operation. He is summoned to
big boss Angelo and Russell is also there: it turns out Angelo owns part of the business. Frank, protected by Russell, apologizes and confesses who paid him for the job, and later personally kills him.
Frank becomes a hitman for Angelo's organization. He also falls in love with
a waitress and leaves his wife for her.
Russell recommends Frank to the famous Jimmy Hoffa,
one of the most powerful men in the country,
head of the union of teamsters.
The union is under attack from big business and the government.
Jimmy needs help sabotaging a rival union and Frank does the job.
Jimmy becomes a good friend and Frank becomes one of his bodyguards.
Frank's little daughter Peggy doesn't like Russell but loves Jimmy.
The mafia helps John Kennedy get elected president by making dead people vote.
Frank's voiceover tells us that Kennedy was supposed to get Castro out of Cuba
so that the mafia could get its hands on the Cuban casinos.
But the outcome is that, once elected, Kennedy appoints his brother Robert
as attorney general and Robert launches a crusade against corruption which
destroys Jimmy and targets many of the mafia bosses who helped John get elected.
Frank gets indirectly involved in the plan to get rid of Castro. Russell
instructs him to drive a truck to a concrete plant where soldiers load it
with weapons. Frank then delivers the truck to the militia that attacks Cuba
(the "Bay of the Pig" incident). But the coup attempt fails. Robert Kennedy
becomes even more determined to put Jimmy in prison.
Jimmy also has to defend himself from the competition of a rising man,
his old friend Tony Pro (who uses gangster methods), and asks
Frank to run for president of a local union in order to weaken Tony Pro.
And so Frank becomes a respected official.
When the trial against Jimmy begins,
Russell's cousin Bill defends Jimmy from the government's accusations.
They plot to blackmail the jurors.
Meanwhile, Frank watches on TV the Cuban missile crisis and then the
assassination of John Kennedy. Jimmy is clearly happy that Kennedy is dead,
hoping that Robert Kennedy loses power.
But Jimmy is condemned for blackmailing the jurors.
Even from prison Jimmy tries to control the union despite the fact that he
chose his own successor, Fitz.
But Fitz is much easier to intimidate and the mafia takes advantage.
Tony Pro, arrested for extortion, ends up in the same prison with his sworn rival Jimmy.
One day Tony Pro even attacks Jimmy in prison after Jimmy insults him.
Things start getting out of control when someone shoots a powerful mafia
boss, Colombo.
Russell guesses that the sender is Crazy Joe, a superstar of the underworld.
There is bad blood between the two and it shows up in a restaurant at Joe's birthday party.
Frank then narrates how he killed Joe in another restaurant (presumably on behalf of Russell).
Frank's daughter Peggy is now a grown-up and listens in disbelief
the news on TV of the murder.
After five years of jail, Jimmy is released from prison and immediately sets out to
regain control of the teamsters union from Fitz.
Frank explains to Jimmy that the only way to succeed is to make peace with
Tony Pro and get endorsed by him,
but Tony Pro shows up late at their appointment (which is insulting) and demands
that Jimmy instead apologizes for the brawl in prison.
It ends with Jimmy and Tony Pro fighting on the floor like in prison, despite their old age.
Jimmy asks Frank to talk Russell into killing Tony Pro but the mafia refuses to help. Jimmy attacks Fitz on TV calling out his corruption and Fitz responds
by blowing up the boat of a close associate of Jimmy, a warning to stay out of his way.
Jimmy responds by having someone blow up his car.
Fitz responds by firing Jimmy's wife from her job in the union.
Meanwhile, the Watergate trial is going on against president Nixon.
Jimmy campaigns against Fitz, accusing him of being in cahoots with the mafia,
which he is, and Jimmy was too.
A big mafia boss, Tony Salerno, gets worried that Jimmy really
wants to separate the teamsters union from the mafia.
Frank is a real friend to Jimmy and tries to warn him.
Frank asks Jimmy to be the one to present a career's award to Frank at a glamorous dinner that will feature all the mafia bosses.
At the dinner Tony Salerno convinces Russell that Jimmy is becoming an obstacle
to the mafia's business. Russell confronts Jimmy directly, gives him another warning, as a friend, but Jimmy proudly tells Russell he doesn't get intimidated: he wants back his post of president of the union.
After the speeches, Jimmy dances with Frank's daughter Peggy, who is like his own daughter to him. Jimmy watches the table where
Tony Pro, Russell and Tony Salerno are conspiring.
Russell approaches Frank asking Frank to give Jimmy a last warning.
Frank tries again to talk to Jimmy, explaining that the mafia is ready to
kill him. Jimmy laughs it away, telling Frank that he has files that would
destroy the mafia bosses. Jimmy feels invulnerable. Jimmy is obsessed to get
back the union that he calls "his" union.
This ends the flashback within the flashback. We are back at the time of the car trip (Frank is driving Russell and their respective wives), which happens when Frank is still mediating between Russell and Jimmy, but Jimmy is being stubborn.
Just when Jimmy accepts to meet with Tony Pro again, Frank is told by Russell
that the bosses have lost their patience and ordered the assassination of Jimmy.
Russell, who knows that Frank is a good friend of Jimmy, tells Frank not to call Jimmy and not to attend the meeting between Jimmy and Tony Pro.
On the last day of their car trip, over breakfast, Russell tells Frank that he (Frank) has been chosen as the killer. A private plane has been arranged that
will take him to Jimmy and back in three hours.
Jimmy lands and picks up two people: a hitman called Sally and
Jimmy's foster son Chuckie. They drive to Jimmy's place. Jimmy, who notoriously
doesn't like people to be late, has been waiting in vain for Tony Pro.
Jimmy tells him that the place for the meeting with Tony Pro has been changed and that Russell in person will attend. Despite the many obvious oddities of
this arrangement, Jimmy doesn't suspect anything and goes along.
Frank and Jimmy are the only ones to enter the house.
Frank shoots Jimmy as soon as they walk into the house.
Frank then flies back where Russell is waiting for him.
This assignment has only taken three hours.
Frank, Russell and their wives finally attend the wedding.
TV news programs talk about Jimmy's mysterious
disappearance. Back home, Frank is confronted by a resentful
Peggy: his daughter guesses that Frank knows what happened to Jimmy.
Frank's voiceover tells us that Peggy never spoke to him again.
Jimmy's body is never found because two gangsters disposed of it in a cremation facility.
The investigation on Jimmy's fate goes nowhere because all the people who knew
him refuse to testify. Frank himself kills Sally, the only witness, who killed
Chuckie.
However, most of the people involved end up in jail, although on different charges.
Tony Pro is arrested. Russell is arrested. And finally Frank gets arrested.
They all end up in the same penitentiary, and age together.
We see Russell on a wheelchair trying to play bocce and later having trouble to eat bread with his bad teeth. Jimmy's voiceover informs us that Russell went from the prison to the graveyard (although in reality Russell died after being released).
Frank is eventually released. He sees his daughter Peggy again at his wife's
funeral, but Peggy doesn't talk to him. Frank is now a lone old man, needing
a cane to walk and taking a whole arsenal of pills.
One day he falls inside his house and next we see him on a wheelchair in the nursing home from where he has been telling us this story.
This ends the main flashback.
We are back at the first scene.
One day someone drives him to the bank. He is walking on crutches and begs
Peggy to talk to him but she simply walks away.
He asks another daughter to mediate but even this one can't forgive him.
Another time he asks someone to take him to shop for a coffin, and then
to shop for a niche at the graveyard.
Two FBI agents approach him. They remind him that everybody is dead, all the
bosses and all the hitmen. There is nobody to protect with his silence.
Frank still refuses to tell them what happened to Jimmy.
Frank begins to pray with a Catholic priest.
His health is checked by a young nurse. He shows her a picture of Jimmy.
The nurse has no idea who Jimmy was.
The priest takes Frank's confession. When the priest leaves, Frank asks him
to leave the door a little open, and then stares at the door, alone, perhaps thinking of Jimmy.
Throughout the film we have seen subtitles that informed us how the characters died, most of them killed (in real life); but not how Frank died (he actually lived to be 83 and died of cancer).
The three-and-a-half-hour epic Killers of the Flower Moon
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