Feeling depressed? This is one for lifting your spirits. Most of the action takes place in an ill lit abattoir with death lingering everywhere – and you are not there. It gets full marks for an original screenplay.
It is good natured – even its aggressive moments are good natured. There are some good chuckling segments but above all it doesn't forget that it is Samoan.
Swank and Sevigny are perfectly cast and give impressive performances – they are well supported by Arnette, Sarsgaard and Goranson. The dramatisation of events is believable and well handled.
It has one great scene – the crowd at the Bastille Day Celebration – plus throughout there is the beautiful use of colour. The wardrobe department does an outstanding job.
It is not an easy watch but sprinkled throughout are Fellini trademarks in plot and character. There is a great opening dream sequence but this is surpassed by a classic final scene in which Nino Rota's music score reaches a climax.
For about the first hour the screenplay is very strong – you would bet that you were watching an Irish comedy – but then it weakens out. Being shorter could have helped.
70 years on and this drama is still holding up well. There is a palpable feeling of tension between the opposing forces. Edward G Robinson looks the part and all the other characters feed off him.
The above average casting extends deep into the supporting roles. It is a good screenplay but not unusual for this kind of dramatisation it does not have a surprise factor because the story is well known.