As we slowly take steps back into the career of the beloved Italian director Francesco Rosi, we gain a greater appreciation for his particular brand of political commentary. While our initial entry point was the meditative epic Christ Stopped At Eboli, a recent viewing of Illustrious Corpses showcased how immediate his work could feel. Once again we go one film back to the 1973 crime drama Lucky Luciano which shows how an artist like Rosi subverts the expectations of a conventional biopic. Sicilian-American gangster Charles “Lucky” Luciano hails as one of the most infamous mobsters the world has ever known as he took the mafia from a more close-knit family affair to something more on a global scale that impacted the economy and political regimes more than anyone would probably be comfortable knowing. His rise-and-fall is one hell of a story, yet Rosi eschews sole focus on Luciano in favor of a dual narrative that also acts as an investigative piece of how Luciano’s crime empire impacted various parties around the globe. Rosi understands there are much more important aspects than surface-level facts.
Our titular figure is brilliantly underplayed by Gian Maria Volonté (Investigation Of A Citizen Above Suspicion, Christ Stopped At Eboli), who makes this mafioso all the more mysterious with his enigmatic, expressionless face outside of a quick, disturbing smile when he lets his guard down during a press conference. Volonté knows exactly what he is doing as he embodies this figure in a time well after his initial rise in the 1920s and 1930s; this period is shown in shorthand through a stylish recreation of the “Night of the Sicilian Vespers” in 1931 in which 40 mafiosos were murdered and Luciano was left to become the “boss of bosses.” The film very much follows a non-linear structure, but most of the activity takes place post-1946 after Luciano was acquitted from a 30-year jail sentence thanks to a secret deal with the U.S. government and which subsequently saw the boss extradited to Italy. This is not a young-bullish Luciano; Volonté is aware of how image-conscious Luciano is post-incarceration and he plays him appropriately reserved. He is camouflaging himself from the outside world.
The early-life of Luciano may hold the most potential for grand acts of violence and mafia drama, but Rosi is more interested in how the big time crime he was involved in was tied to Italy’s economic bounce back along with how America factored in behind the scenes. There is much exploration of how the US government relied on Luciano to maintain order at the docks of New York, and later arrange safe passage through Sicily with the mafia. There is no question that Luciano got preferential treatment from Governor Thomas Dewey no matter how much history would like to bury that fact. The connections between Luciano and high-powered politicians are most keenly felt by Federal Bureau of Narcotics agent Charles Siragusa, the real-life agent who dedicated his life to taking down the mafia boss and who plays himself in the film. Every single pathway to a conviction is held up by some invisible political obstacle. Siragusa shows his limitations as a performer against the actual actors, but having him in this picture brings an added layer of authenticity to the picture that really works.
While this film came about between the first two Godfather films, the approach could not be more different from Rosi. Director Francis Ford Coppola skillfully explores the deep-seated emotions of his primary characters, which allows you to empathize with them on some level even at their most grotesque. Rosi does not come anywhere close to lifting up the iconic figure; at no point is Luciano someone you understand on a deep psychological or emotional level. The film is about him, but more broadly about the larger political machine in which he operates and how everyone plays their part. Rosi has long used his films to tackle politics head on, and Lucky Luciano aims to expose a truth about far-reaching power that is more intellectually satisfying than emotionally resonant. Even the conclusion of the film ends with a relative whimper rather than a bang. Luciano as a public figure loomed larger than most, but corruption and shady deals continued long after he took his last breath. Francesco Rosi approaches biopics like few others, which is likely why his endure long after the credits have concluded.
Video Quality
Lucky Luciano comes to Blu-Ray with a new digital AVC encoded 1080p transfer in its original OAR derived from a 4K restoration from the original camera negative. The new restoration looks really excellent throughout most of the runtime in a way that will impress fans who have been anxiously awaiting this one. There are interior shots of restaurants and various interiors that are packed with little details in the production design that are easily noticeable thanks to this transfer. Colors are well saturated and do not present with any unnatural hues. Skin tones are natural and consistent with subtle facial details easily noticeable in closeup. Black levels hold up well with next to nothing in the way of crush. Digital noise also does not present as an issue here. There are occasional minor specks of print damage, but overall clarity and detail is very impressive. The picture can have the slightest bit of softness in long shots, likely to be contributed to the source material, but this does not prove to be a major issue. This new presentation is magnificent from beginning to end. Kino Classics has really made this film shine.
Audio Quality
The Blu-Ray disc comes with an excellent DTS-HD 2.0 Master Audio track in the original Italian and English with optional English subtitles. There does not seem to be any noticeable instances of age-related wear and tear anywhere throughout this one. The lovely score sounds great throughout the duration of the film as it establishes a distinct atmosphere for the story. There is never a moment where it threatens to trample the dialogue, as the track maintains a good balance so that information comes through clearly. Environmental sounds such as car noises or gunshots are rendered well alongside everything else. Kino Classics has delivered an excellent audio presentation for this film.
Special Features
- Audio Commentary: Film Critic and Author Simon Abrams provides an informative commentary track in which he discusses the place of this film in Rosi’s filmography, the way in which the story conflicts with real-life events complete with passages from various books on Luciano, how Rosi plays with his image, the performances in the film, the film’s legacy and more. This is worth a listen to get a more well-rounded picture of the titular figure.
- Trailers: There are trailers provided for Illustrious Corpses, The Don Is Dead, Prime Cut, Newman’s Law, Bring Me The Head Of Alfredo Garcia and Street People.
Final Thoughts
Lucky Luciano is an atypical biopic from the great Francesco Rosi which skillfully weaves a tale of power in its many forms. There are moments of brutal violence, but even more compelling is the depiction of corruption and intrigue. Gian Maria Volonté gives a understated powerhouse performance in the titular role which Rosi complements with an impeccably crafted narrative. Kino Classics has given this feature a new Blu-Ray featuring a stupendous A/V presentation and a great commentary track. Fans of Rosi or mafia movies in general should find a great deal to love with this one. Recommended
Lucky Luciano will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray, DVD and Digital on September 28, 2021.
Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.
Disclaimer: Kino Classics has supplied a copy of this disc free of charge for review purposes. All opinions in this review are the honest reactions of the author.
Dillon is most comfortable sitting around in a theatre all day watching both big budget and independent movies.
