Based on the true story of Cesare Mori, the Iron Prefect who was sent to Sicily for an Eliot Ness-in-The Untouchables style clean up of the mafia. Mori approaches organized crime on the island with uncompromising force even in the face of mass murders designed to scare him off. Pasquale Squitieri (The Climber) directs this stunning period piece which won the David di Donatello award for best film and features spaghetti western icon Giuliano Gemma brilliantly playing against type as the titular hero, winning him an award for his performance at the prestigious Karlovy Vary Film Festival. Alongside Gemma are the cream of international film from the period with co-stars Claudia Cardinale (The Day of the Owl) and Francisco Rabal (Sorcerer), the key surveyor of Italy’s civic cinema screenwriter Ugo Pirro (The Working Class Goes to Heaven) and legendary composer Ennio Morricone (Once Upon a Time in America).

For thoughts on The Iron Prefect, please check out our discussion on The Video Attic:

[youtube https://youtu.be/-PPneOXXT6M?t=2006]

Video Quality

The Iron Prefect debuts on Blu-Ray courtesy of Radiance Films with a 2K restoration of the Original Camera Negative. The new transfer maintains the natural grain structure that preserves the gorgeous aesthetic of the experience. This allows for subtle details to shine through in the clothing, production design and natural environments. You may spot quick instances of softness, but this is far from a common occurrence as the material holds up well. A few fleeting specks remain in the new transfer, but there is no doubt this source has been given a delicate and thorough clean-up. The colors are pleasantly saturated with hues saturating the screen. The contrast is firm in all environments with crisp highlights and no egregious instances of black crush. The shadowy moments present some fine depth to the image. Radiance Films has delivered a top notch visual presentation that maintains the quality they have been churning out.

Audio Quality

This Blu-Ray comes with an LPCM 1.0 mono track in the original Italian (with optional English subtitles) and an English dub (with optional English SDH subtitles) which both handle the material admirably. The dialogue always holds up with nice clarity and without any hint of distortion. Conversations never get overwhelmed by the sound effects or the score. The measured approach to the narrative allows for a precise deployment of environmental sounds and other textural elements. The score from the great Ennio Morricone comes through with a flattering fidelity. This audience experience allows for authenticity with grand fidelity and nearly nothing in the way of age-related wear and tear. Radiance Films has done well here.

Special Features

The first-pressing of the Radiance Films Blu-Ray of The Iron Prefect includes a booklet featuring new writing by Italian cinema expert Guido Bonsaver and an original article on the real-life Cesare Mori and his Mafia raid as depicted within the film. The on-disc special features are as follows:

Pasquale Squitieri and Giuliano Gemma: A 35-minute documentary from 2009 in which the director and star discuss the origins of this film, establishing the tone they wanted the narrative to take, getting into the character, the real-life details behind the story, the shooting locations, the film’s legacy and more.

Domenico Monetti: A new 40-minute interview with Squitieri biographer Domenico Monetti in which he discusses where this film falls in the director’s output, the scramble to find the right performer for the lead role, the reception of the film, the depictions of violence, the impact of the score, the director’s life in his later years and more.

Alex Cox: A new nearly 12-minute piece from the filmmaker who discusses his appreciation for star Giuliano Gemma, his background, his early work, the power of his performance in The Iron Prefect, his legacy as a performer and more.

Trailer: The three-and-a-half minute trailer is provided here.

Final Thoughts

The Iron Prefect is a good execution of the biographical crime tale genre which especially captivates given the lack of material focusing on this era. It feels a bit unexpected to mix the mafia with the horseback-riding justice of the western, but it works really well. The lead performance from Giuliano Gemma is a steady powerhouse, and he is complemented by a worthy parade of performers. Radiance Films has released a Blu-Ray featuring a great A/V presentation and some nifty special features. If you are looking for a novel entry into the mafia subgenre, give this one a shot. Recommended

The Iron Prefect will be available to purchase on Blu-Ray on July 18, 2023.

Note: Images presented in this review are not reflective of the image quality of the Blu-Ray.

Disclaimer: Radiance Films 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.