Plot: What’s it about?
The urban landscape of Naples has structures of all types sprawled out in all directions, which some take as a sign of progress. After all, someone has to live and work in all those buildings, not to mention build them and to a lot of people, such construction signals prosperity. But there is a sense of ruin within the landscape, both in terms of the buildings and those involved in the process. The politics of real estate and construction are intricate and in truth, often quite corrupt. Not all the buildings were constructed with proper materials and designs, which only furthers the atmosphere of urban decay. One such building, the product of rushed construction and cutting corners, comes crashing down. Of course, someone must be accountable for the disaster and as such, an inquiry is began to determine the responsible parties. At the lead of the investigation is De Vita (Carlo Fermariello), a man with political aspirations who plans to use this inquiry to further his own career. The investigation leads De Vita to building speculator Notolla (Rod Steiger), a powerful man with political pull. De Vita finds neglect and corruption in Notolla’s projects, so a conflict is soon underway. But as the two men struggle for power, does either man have the public’s best interest in mind, or just their own personal gains?
I had never heard of this film before this release, but with Rod Steiger involved, I figured I’d trust Criterion and give Hands Over the City a chance. The movie is focused on the politics of social and commercial corruption, not the kind of stuff I often want to explore. I can appreciate that this speaks volumes of what transpired at the time, but that doesn’t mean I have to love the movie. I can also appreciate a movie that strives to inform or expose, as opposed to entertain, but I do want to be drawn into the film’s world. In the case of Hands Over the City, I just wasn’t drawn in. I can tell the film is well made, but it doesn’t speak to me and since it couldn’t hold my attention, I wasn’t that impressed. I did like Rod Steiger’s performance, which was loaded with intensity, though the dubbed Italian voice was a distraction. Another element in the movie I liked was that it didn’t try to offer easy answers or concrete solutions, often leaving judgment to the audience. So in the end, I applaud the efforts involved, but Hands Over the City just wasn’t my cup of tea. I can see why it is revered however, so for those interested, this Criterion release is worth a look.
Video: How does it look?
Hands Over the City is presented in 1.85:1 anamorphic widescreen. I knew this would look good, but it is even better than expected, some terrific work here indeed. I wouldn’t say this is a pristine, reference level treatment, but it is the best I’ve ever seen the flick look on home video, so I am most pleased. The print looks very clean, with minimal debris and other problems, so the image is allowed to shine and that it does. The black & white looks great and shows more sharpness than expected, which is always good news. Another great looking transfer from Criterion, who continues to be a great friend to cinema.
Audio: How does it sound?
There just isn’t much to discuss here, as the included Italian mono option is good, but won’t turn any heads, of course. This is a dialogue driven movie and that means mono is more than adequate, no real problems seem to surface here. I heard no hiss or distortion of any kind, which is good news with a flick of this age, to be sure. No errors in terms of dialogue either, which is crucial and all, since this is a movie dominated by dialogue, to be sure. Not much else to report to be honest, although optional English subtitles were included.
Supplements: What are the extras?
The major inclusion here is Neapolitan Diary, Rosi’s 1992 sequel to Hands Over the City. I didn’t watch the entire film, but I sampled some scenes and it seems in line with the original. Few studios would offer a feature length film as a supplement, so kudos to Criterion. This release also includes some interviews and a discussion about the film with a movie critic.
