Salvatore Giuliano

Salvatore Giuliano

Directed by Francesco Rosi • 1962 • Italy
Starring Salvo Randone, Frank Wolff, Pietro Cammarata

July 5, 1950—Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano’s bullet-riddled corpse is found facedown in a courtyard in Castelvetrano, a handgun and rifle by his side. Local and international press descend upon the scene, hoping to crack open the true story behind the death of this young man, who, at the age of twenty-seven, had already become Italy’s most wanted criminal and celebrated hero. Filming in the exact locations and enlisting a cast of native Sicilians once impacted by the real Giuliano, director Francesco Rosi harnessed the facts and myths surrounding the true story of the bandit’s death to create a startling exposé of Sicily and the tangled relations between its citizens, the Mafia, and government officials. A groundbreaking work of political filmmaking, Salvatore Giuliano established Rosi’s reputation and assured his place in cinema history.

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Salvatore Giuliano
  • Salvatore Giuliano

    Directed by Francesco Rosi • 1962 • Italy

    July 5, 1950--Sicilian bandit Salvatore Giuliano's bullet-riddled corpse is found facedown in a courtyard in Castelvetrano, a handgun and rifle by his side. Local and international press descend upon the scene, hoping to crack open the true story behind ...

Extras

  • SALVATORE GIULIANO Commentary

    Recorded in 2003, this commentary features Peter Cowie, author of numerous books on European cinema founding editor of the annual “International Film Guide.”

  • Witness to the Times

    Director Francesco Rosi and film critic Tullio Kezich, who chronicled the production of SALVATORE GIULIANO, discuss the filmmaker's start in cinema and his touchstone film, in this 2003 program.

  • Il cineasta e il labirinto

    An intimate view of Francesco Rosi’s life and career, this 2002 Italian documentary is guided by the director himself, at home and on location around Sicily, with special appearances by filmmakers Giuseppe Tornatore and Martin Scorses, writer Michel Ciment, and others.

  • Italian Newsreel

    An example of how the Italian press presented the death of the real-life Salvatore Giuliano is provided by this clip from a newsreel dated July 12, 1950—seven days after the body of the infamous bandit was found.