Mafioso (1964)

96% of critics liked it
(51 reviews)
81% of users liked it
(650 ratings)

In this crime comedy with heavy neorealist influence, Antonio (Alberto Sordi) is a Sicilian auto plant worker who has almost completely forsaken his southern Italian roots by marrying a fair-haired girl from the north and conceiving two children with her. As the movie opens, Antonio prepares to… More In this crime comedy with heavy neorealist influence, Antonio (Alberto Sordi) is a Sicilian auto plant worker who has almost completely forsaken his southern Italian roots by marrying a fair-haired girl from the north and conceiving two children with her. As the movie opens, Antonio prepares to round up the family and take them on a vacation to his native town of Calamo, Sicily. Before he leaves, however, his boss summons him in and asks him to pass along a little gift to Don Vincenzo, a mob boss in Calamo. Antonio agrees to the plan, tentatively at first, but as the family gets closer and closer to the isle of Antonio's childhood, and shares lodging with Antonio's eccentric family, Sicilian pride and enthusiasm well up inside of this family patriarch, and he is,ultimately confronted with a request to carry out a hit for Vincenzo. Dino DeLaurentiis produced and Alberto Lattuada directed. Though the film was long forgotten, it received a U.S. theatrical release by Rialto in 2007 and netted absolutely stunning reviews. ~ Dan Pavlides, Rovi

Directed By: Alberto Lattuada
Written By: Marco Ferreri, Rafael Azcona, Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli
Genres: Drama, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Jun 30, 1964 Wide
On DVD: Mar 18, 2008
Studio: Rialto Pictures

Critic Reviews

Ben Kenigsberg, Time Out
Director Lattuada was reportedly acclaimed for his oddball tonal shifts, which Mafioso offers in spades.
Colin Covert, Minneapolis Star Tribune
Director Alberto Lattuada balances the satirical and shocking aspects of the story on a stiletto's edge.
Chris Vognar, Dallas Morning News
The transitional gears never grind. They just keep clicking until you know you're along for the entire ride.
Eleanor Ringel Gillespie, Atlanta Journal-Constitution
The film ripens in an unanticipated way, nimbly shifting from near farce to something quite a bit darker.
Amy Biancolli, Houston Chronicle
Mafioso may be 45 years old, but it's as bracingly relevant as anything else in theaters today. Even in the heat of a dry Sicilian summer, the film looks fresh as a lemon tree. And when you bite down hard, it's just as bitter.
G. Allen Johnson, San Francisco Chronicle
If you crossed Meet the Parents with The Godfather and filmed it 45 years ago in Italian, you might come close to Mafioso, a black-and-white gem from 1962 whose appearance in local theaters is inexplicable but most welcome.
Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
Brilliant neglected and underappreciated film about the Sicilian mafia.
Michele Kenner, Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
A gentle Italian comedy from 1962 that takes a sobering, chilling turn that would make Michael Corleone proud.
Phil Villarreal, Arizona Daily Star
Director Alberto Lattuada's seriocomic 1962 look at the Sicilian mob lifestyle broke the omerta, providing a look at the sordidly fascinating life of the wiseguy.
Chris Hewitt (St. Paul), St. Paul Pioneer Press
No wonder Mafioso vanished without a trace when it was released in 1962; the mordant mobster comedy was about 45 years ahead of its time.
Shawn Levy, Oregonian
It feels like a comedy, and then a dark drama, and then, no, wait . . . a semicomic documentary, right? The effect, carried brilliantly by Sordi, is delightful.
Robert W. Butler, Kansas City Star
Some viewers may feel betrayed when the film's light-hearted and gently mocking attitude suddenly turns deadly serious. I thought it was breathtaking.
Jack Garner, Rochester Democrat and Chronicle
If you're curious to see the roots of Mafia-related cinema (or even if you simply enjoy a well-made, well-acted film), don't miss Mafioso, a fresh, and still engaging comedy-drama.
Marc Savlov, Austin Chronicle
The sort of masterpiece that will obliterate memories of lesser, later efforts in the 'meeting the parents' comedy lineage. Brilliant.
Jean Lowerison, San Diego Metropolitan
Mafioso is one of those quirky little films that grow on you as time goes by. Wonderfully shot in black and white by Armando Nannuzzi, whimsically played by Sordi and Bengell, Mafioso will remind you again why you like movies.
Robin Clifford, Reeling Reviews
...a masterpiece film that readily rivals the best modern American gangster film.
Cynthia Fuchs, PopMatters
The black American offers a brief, sharp bit of tragicomic business that only appears unrelated to Nino's dire plot. He has no idea who he is, and even when he finds out, he's committed to silence.
Jim Emerson, RogerEbert.com
Nothing quite prepares you for the unique experience of this film. It's an offer that you ... well, you know. Leave the gun, take the cannolis. Mangiate bene.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Randy T

Antonio Badalamenti; factory supervisor, loving husband, devoted father, reluctant hit-man.
AJ V

It is surprising and strange to us how the mafia works in Italy, which is shown in this movie, but this movie is exciting and very funny. I enjoyed it.
Stefanie C

darkly funny. great role for alberto sordi. bravo!
Walter M

[font=Century Gothic]In "Mafioso," Antonio Badalamenti(Alberto Sordi) is an efficiency expert about to take his blonde wife Marta(Norma Bengell) and two children to visit his family in Sicily for the first time. But before he can make his escape, his boss Dr. Zanchi(Armando… More
[font=Century Gothic]In "Mafioso," Antonio Badalamenti(Alberto Sordi) is an efficiency expert about to take his blonde wife Marta(Norma Bengell) and two children to visit his family in Sicily for the first time. But before he can make his escape, his boss Dr. Zanchi(Armando Tine) asks him to deliver a small package to Don Vincenzo(Ugo Attanasio) when he sees him.(While Zanchi is originally from America, his parents are also from Siciliy.) Antonio happily agrees as he rushes home to catch a train that will get them to Sicily by the following morning.[/font] [font=Century Gothic][/font] [font=Century Gothic]While not quite the comedy I was expecting, there is still much to recommend in "Mafioso." Don't get me wrong. There are certainly comedic elements but they are subtly downplayed as the movie barely avoids several stereotypes at once while utilizing a parallel storyline to its best advantage. What is accentuated are the cultural differences between the traditional, laid back Sicily versus the more modern, fast-paced Milan.(I don't have the ear for it but I am sure the dialects are quite different also.) It does not take Antonio long to get used to the slower rhythms of his old hometown but he is shocked by the darkness that infuses the last half hour of the movie. Throughout, he is reminded that most of his old friends are dead, in jail or perpetually unemployed, his university education allowing him to escape this fate. But there are worse things than hanging out at the beach all day.[/font]
Dimitris S

The times and ironies of a person's boring felicity.What a paradox.Antonio ought to have shown some gratitude being in a position of taking charge for once as action comes up to his doorstep.Brilliant portrayal of the Sicelian carefree living and hurdles in between with a… More
The times and ironies of a person's boring felicity.What a paradox.Antonio ought to have shown some gratitude being in a position of taking charge for once as action comes up to his doorstep.Brilliant portrayal of the Sicelian carefree living and hurdles in between with a slightly avoidable manner.The case is Mafioso arguably displays the consequences of trust and devotion to something,family in the movie as the chain of ever-after strength.Sordi's performance is the real Oscar-winner.

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Cast

Alberto Sordi
as Antonio Badalamenti
Ugo Attanasio
as Don Vincenzo
Norma Bengell
as Marta
Cinzia Bruno
as Donatella
Michele Bally
Gabriella Conti

Mafioso (1964)

Critic Reviews

Featured Audience Ratings

Randy T

AJ V

Stefanie C

Walter M

Dimitris S

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