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L'abbaglio
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“Even imposters are useful”. So speaks the wise, wily Colonel Orsini (a brilliant performance from Toni Servillo) who leads an army from Northern Italy on its way to liberate Sicily from French Bourbon rule and bring about the unification of the country. The attitudes and behaviour of Sicilians are, however, often mysterious to Northerners, and that’s why Orsini values game-like strategies of deception, indirection and silence as part of his campaign. He even has a soft spot for two deserters, explosives expert Domenico (Salvatore Ficarra) and cardsharp Rosario (Valentino Ficone), who escape to pursue their own adventures. When Garibaldi sends Orsini on what may be a suicidal detour into a Sicialian small town – while the General, in glory, rides into Palermo – then every tactic is allowed … Cleverly using the historic canvas of the Expedition of the Thousand in 1860, Palermo-born writer-director Roberto Andò (La stranezza, 2022) weaves a canny, richly novelistic tale around themes of chance, fortune, and the need for an abbaglio – a lapse or mistake – in the affairs of a turbulent nation. Rich in suggestive parallels to other times, places and events, this is classical, large-scale storytelling at its most refined and entertaining. The Risorgimento has been the basis for many works across all media, but Andò brings a refreshing perspective to chronicling its significance. © Adrian Martin 16 December 2024 |
