Accattone

Infobox Film
name = Accattone


caption = Promotional Poster
director = Pier Paolo Pasolini
producer = Alfredo Bini
Cino Del Duca
writer = Sergio Citti
Pier Paolo Pasolini
starring = Franco Citti
Franca Pasut
Silvana Corsini
music = Johann Sebastian Bach
cinematography = Tonino Delli Colli
editing = Nino Baragli
distributor = Brandon / Cino del Duca
released = 31 August 1961
runtime = 120 min.
country = Italy
language = Italian
budget =
preceded_by =
followed_by =
amg_id = 1:675
imdb_id = 0054599

"Accattone" is a 1961 Italian film written and directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini. Despite being filmed from an original screenplay, academics perceive "Accattone" as a cinematic rendition of Pasolini's earlier novels, particularly Boys of Life and A Violent Life [cite web | last = Moliterno | first = Gino | title = Accattone | publisher = Senses of Cinema Inc | date = February 2004 | url = http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/04/accattone.html | accessdate = 2007-09-26 ] . It is Pasolini's first film as director, employing what would later be seen as trademark Pasolini characteristics; a cast of non-professional actors hailing from where the movie is set, and thematic emphasis on impoverished individuals.

While many people were surprised by Pasolini's shift from literature to film, he had considered attending the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia in Rome before WWII. Pasolini had cooperated with Federico Fellini on "Le notti di Cabiria" and considered cinema to be writing with reality. The word "Accattone" is a slang term, referring to people who never do well, who are lazy, and who rarely hold down a job.

Accattone is a story of pimps, prostitutes and thieves, the same topic as his novels. Peasant culture is celebrated, in contrast to Italy's postwar economic reforms. Pasolini’s choice of topics was scandalous, as was his blurring of the lines between the sacred and the profane. Although Pasolini tried to distance himself from neorealism, the film is considered to be a kind of second neorealism, with one critic believing it "may be the grimmest movie" he'd ever seen. [cite news|last = Barbaro|first = Nick|coauthors = |title = Che Bella: Italian Neorealism and the Movies -- and the AFS Series -- It Inspired|work = |pages = |language = English|publisher = The Austin Chronicle|date = January 19 2001|url = http://www.austinchronicle.com/gyrobase/Issue/story?oid=oid%3A80268|accessdate = 2006-12-13]

Plot

Vittorio (Franco Citti), nicknamed "Accattone" (from Italian "accatare", meaning to acquire, often through dishonest means), leads a mostly serene life as a pimp until his prostitute, Maddalena, is hurt by his rivals and sent to prison. Finding himself without a steady income, and not much inclination for working himself, he discovers the naive Stella and tries to lure her into prostituting herself for him. Hesitant at first, she later embraces her new profession (and her clients) more willingly. However, it is too late for Accattone, who, after a bizarre vision of his own death, is killed in a traffic accident when he tries to evade the police on a stolen motorcycle.

Cast

*Franco Citti as Vittorio "Accattone" Cataldi. Citti, the star of the film, eventually became a professional actor, starring in many of Pasolini's later films.
*Franca Pasut as "Stella"
*Silvana Corsini as "Maddalena"
*Paola Guidi as "Ascenza"
*Adriana Asti as "Amore"
*Luciano Conti as "Il Moicano"
*Luciano Gonini as "Piede D'Oro"
*Renato Capogna as "Renato"
*Alfredo Leggi as "Papo Hirmedo"
*Galeazzo Riccardi as "Cipolla"
*Leonardo Muraglia as "Mammoletto"
*Giuseppe Ristagno as "Peppe"
*Roberto Giovannoni as "The German"
*Mario Cipriani as "Balilla"
*Roberto Scaringella as "Cartagine"
*Silvio Citti as "Sabino"
*Monica Vitti (uncredited) as "Ascenza" (voice)

Awards

Franco Citti was nominated for the BAFTA Award for Best Foreign Actor in 1963 for his title role. [ [http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0054599/awards Accattone (1961) - Awards ] ]

References in popular culture

The singer Morrissey refers to "Accattone" in a song called "You Have Killed Me" on his 2006 album "Ringleader of the Tormentors". The first verse of the song is: "Pasolini is me, 'Accattone' you'll be..."

References

External links

*imdb title|id= 0054599 |title=Accattone
* [http://www.allmovie.com/cg/avg.dll?p=avg&sql=1:675 All Movie Guide: "Accattone" entry]
* [http://www.sensesofcinema.com/contents/cteq/04/accattone.html Senses of Cinema essay on "Accattone"]