Valeria Sabel Movies
- 1993
This biographical drama is an attempt to tell the story of the life of St. Joseph (Diego Abatantuono), the father-figure of the young Jesus' life, the long-suffering husband of the much younger Mary (Penelope Cruz). In this story, Joseph, a mature man, has courted any number of other women, but has not married any. Mary shows up back at his home village several months pregnant after he courted her some months before. Although he knows better, everyone in the village assumes he must have gotten her in that condition, and he marries her. This helps clear the air and his reputation. The poor carpenter is rather puzzled at Mary's insistence that he remain celibate, and eventually goes mad. No magical events appear onscreen, and the only mystery is how Mary managed to give birth to Jesus' younger brothers without the help of her husband. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diego Abatantuono, Penélope Cruz, (more)
After a break of more than 15 years, director Francis Ford Coppola and writer Mario Puzo returned to the well for this third and final story of the fictional Corleone crime family. Two decades have passed, and crime kingpin Michael Corleone (Al Pacino), now divorced from his wife Kay (Diane Keaton), has nearly succeeded in keeping his promise that his family would one day be "completely legitimate." A philanthropist devoted to public service, Michael is in the news as the recipient of a special award from the Pope for his good works, a controversial move given his checkered past. Determined to buy redemption, Michael and his lawyer B.J. (George Hamilton) are working on a complicated but legal deal to bail the Vatican out of looming financial troubles that will ultimately reap billions and put Michael on the world stage as a major financial player. However, trouble looms in several forms: The press is hostile to his intentions. Michael is in failing health and suffers a mild diabetic stroke. Stylish mob underling Joey Zaza (Joe Mantegna) is muscling into the Corleone turf. "The Commission" of Mafia families, represented by patriarch Altobello (Eli Wallach) doesn't want to let their cash cow Corleone out of the Mafia, though he has made a generous financial offer in exchange for his release from la cosa nostra. And then there's Vincent Mancini (Andy Garcia), the illegitimate and equally temperamental son of Michael's long-dead brother Sonny. Vincent desperately wants in to the family (both literally and figuratively), and at the urging of his sister Connie (Talia Shire), Michael welcomes the young man and allows him to adopt the Corleone name. However, a flirtatious attraction between Vincent and his cousin, Michael's naïve daughter Mary (Sofia Coppola) develops, and threatens to develop into a full-fledged romance and undo the godfather's future plans. ~ Karl Williams, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Al Pacino, Diane Keaton, (more)
- 1974
After several years of television work, Italian director Roberto Rossellini returned to the big screen with 1974's Anno Uno. The film recounts the life and career of postwar Italian Christian Democrat political leader Alcide de Gasperi (here played by Luigi Vannucchi). Gaspari gained considerable stature as politician and newpaper editor opposed Mussolini: he was imprisoned by the fascists, and after his release in 1929 spent many of his next years working quietly in the Vatican. During World War Two, already a man in his sixties, he was active in the Resistance movement. In this film, Gasperi's activities are traced from the moment of "Liberation" in 1945 to his death in 1954. He was the Italian Prime Minister in eight postwar governments from 1947 to 1953, and was a master consensus-builder. Despite his close ties to the Catholic Church, he worked hard to keep the Vatican from overly influencing postwar Italian politics. Most of the film's dialogue comes directly from public documents. Anno Uno might have gotten wider American play had Rossellini been able to realize his dream of casting Gregory Peck as Gasperi. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- 1969
This comedic political satire lampoons Russian communist leader Josef Stalin and ridicules the brief period of communism in Italy following World War II. The leader has sex on a bedspread with his own likeness. A hammer and sickle, along with a swastika, is prominently displayed on the posterior of his lovely mistress. The film continues with a series of sight gags, puns and short sketches with some brief interludes of female nudity. The finale finds Stalin's coffin being removed from the mausoleum in Red Square in Moscow and Italy finding another government. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Helmut Berger
- 1967
This bloody spaghetti western (filmed entirely in Spain) tells the tale of how an Indian (Burt Reynolds), whose entire tribe was slain by Anglo outlaws, gets gruesome revenge upon them. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Burt Reynolds, Nicoletta Machiavelli, (more)
