The Sicilian (film)

Infobox Film
name = The Sicilian


image_size = 200px
caption = DVD cover
director = Michael Cimino
producer = Michael Cimino
Bruce McNall
writer = Mario Puzo
Gore Vidal
starring = Christopher Lambert
Terence Stamp
Joss Ackland
music = David Mansfield
cinematography = Alex Thomson
editing = Françoise Bonnot
distributor = 20th Century Fox
released = October 23, 1987
runtime = 115 Mins
Theatrical
146 Mins
Director's Cut
country = flagicon|USA
language = English
budget = $4 million
gross = $5,406,879
imdb_id = 0093966

"The Sicilian" is a 1987 action film based on the novel of the same name by Mario Puzo, directed by Michael Cimino and starring Christopher Lambert and Terence Stamp.

Tagline: "Only one man ever tried to stand alone"

Plot

Patriot and real-life Robin Hood Salvatore Giuliano, the infamous bandit who, together with his rag-tag band of guerrillas, attempted to liberate early 1950s Sicily from Italian rule and make it an American state. Giuliano robs from the rich conservative landowners to give to the poor, servant-like peasants, who in turn hail him as their savior. As his popularity grows, so does his ego, and he eventually thinks he is above the power of his backer, Mafia Don Masino Croce. The Don, in turn, sets out to kill the upstart by convincing his cousin and closest adviser Gaspare to assassinate him.

Production

Cimino sued the producers of the film in an attempt to prevent them from releasing an edited and shortened version of it to theatres, though the suit failed. [http://movies.nytimes.com/mem/movies/review.html?res=9B0DE6D91331F930A15753C1A961948260 Review] , Vincent Canby, The New York Times, October 23, 1987] An extended director's cut was later released on DVD (see "Alternate versions" below).

Reception

Critical reaction to the film was mixed to negative. It holds a rating of 13% on Rotten Tomatoes, based on eight reviews [ [http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/sicilian/ Reviews] , Rotten Tomatoes] . Vincent Canby of The New York Times said, "Cimino's fondness for amber lighting and great, sweeping camera movements are evident from time to time, but the film is mostly a garbled synopsis of the Puzo novel." Roger Ebert of the Chicago Sun-Times praised Cimino's direction, but felt the film was "dark, gloomy, brooding, and completely confusing." [ [http://rogerebert.suntimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/19871023/REVIEWS/710230303/1023 Review] , Roger Ebert, Chicago Sun-Times, October 23, 1987] Hal Hinson of the Washington Post felt it was "unambiguously atrocious, but in that very special, howlingly grandiose manner that only a filmmaker with visions of epic greatness working on a large scale with a multinational cast can achieve." [ [http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-srv/style/longterm/movies/videos/thesicilianrhinson_a0c92d.htm Review] , Hal Hinson, Washington Post, October 24, 1987]

Cast

*Christopher Lambert as Salvatore Giuliano
*Terence Stamp as Prince Borsa
*Joss Ackland as Don Masino Croce
*John Turturro as Pisciotta
*Barbara Sukowa as Camilla, Duchess of Crotone

Novel

The novel is a spin-off of "The Godfather" (set during Michael's exile in Sicily), however, all references to the Corleones are omitted from the film due to copyright issues.

Alternate versions

Originally released at 115 minutes in the USA. A 146-minute director's cut is available on video and at least in Europe as a region 2 DVD.

References

External links

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