The Fascist
Il federale | |
---|---|
Italian film poster | |
Directed by | Luciano Salce |
Produced by | Dino De Laurentiis |
Written by |
Franco Castellano Giuseppe Moccia Luciano Salce |
Starring |
Ugo Tognazzi Georges Wilson Stefania Sandrelli |
Music by | Ennio Morricone |
Cinematography | Erico Menczer |
Edited by | Roberto Cinquini |
Release dates |
1961 (Italy) 17 June 1965 (U.S.) |
Running time | 100 Min |
Country | Italy |
Language | Italian |
The Fascist (Italian: Il federale) is a 1961 Italian film directed by Luciano Salce.[1]
It was coproduced with France. It was also the first feature film scored by Ennio Morricone.
Plot
Enthusiast militant Primo Arcovazzi (played by Ugo Tognazzi) to take into custody professor Bonafè, a noted anti-fascist philosopher, from the rural location where he was confined in and to lead him to Rome (at the time controlled by the RSI).
Equipped with a motorcycle-sidecar combination Arcovazzi picks up the professor and heads towards the Eternal City; along the way the couple wrecks its vehicle to avoid running over a girl (Stefania Sandrelli) who turns out to be a confidence trickster and petty thief; and, after having scammed the professor out of 150 lire, she disappears.
Without a mean of transportation Arcovazzi asks help to a truckload of Wehrmacht soldiers passing by, only to have his sidecar confiscated and to be made prisoner (along with his original prisoner) by the German forces.
Ending up in a Nazi-controlled jail the couple makes good its escape thanks to an allied air raid, donning German uniforms to pass unnoticed during the commotion but, while Arcovazzi is stealing a Schwimmwagen Bonafè tries to desert him.
But the POWs seem to be a bit too loud and relaxed and, after some inquiry, Arcovazzi is horrified at the discovery that he is, actually, behind the enemy lines (and dressed as a party boss, nonetheless).
The partisans, seeing his high-rank uniform, are however inclined to shoot Arcovazzi on the spot; seeing the spirits much too inflamed to be convinced otherwise Bonafe asks for a pistol and the dubious "honour" of shooting his former jailer himself.
Leading the wannabe-"Federale" behind a ruined wall he, throws the weapon away, helps Arcovazzi in removing the uniform which was about to seal his fate and lets him go.
Cast
- Ugo Tognazzi: Primo Arcovazzi
- Georges Wilson: Professor Erminio Bonafè
- Stefania Sandrelli: Lisa
- Gianrico Tedeschi: Arcangelo Bardacci
- Elsa Vazzoler: Matilde Bardacci
- Gianni Agus: Head of the beam of Cremona
- Luciano Salce: German Lieutenant
- Renzo Palmer: Partisan Taddei
See also
- Military history of Italy during World War II
- Allied invasion of Italy
- Rome, Open City, Paisà, General della Rovere, Violent Summer, Long Night in 1943, Escape by Night, Two Women, Everybody Go Home, The Four Days of Naples, Salò o le 120 giornate di Sodoma