Accattone

Accattone is a 1961 movie directed by Pier Paolo Pasolini.

WHAT HAPPENS?

A pimp’s reality becomes a struggle after his prostitute goes to jail.

ONE LINE REVIEW

Accattone is an inventive, raw, funny portrait of a lost post-war generation.

THE ACTORS

Franco Citti plays Accattone, a pimp who floats through life. When his prostitute lands in jail, his life unravels. Citti brilliantly portrays this degradation, as his gold adornments are pawned off and the cocky youth transforms into a sullen shell. Citti’s acting is centralized in his expressive eyes – there’s both a spark of mad, cruel genius and a vacant depression. It’s an intriguing performance, as you want to empathize with Accattone’s fate – despite his often despicable actions.

THE DIRECTOR

Pasolini’s debut is impressive – you can feel his influence on Coppola and Scorcese. His camera cleanly pans to the faces of Accattone’s peers, revealing both their taunts and sadness. Pasolini makes brilliant use of the decaying, bombed out surroundings – Citti is often framed against washed out, sun-drenched isolation. Towards the movie’s end, Pasolini introduces some intriguing Neo-realist dream concepts before leaving the viewer with a jarring ending.

THE BEST – Gallows Humor

Death is comically foreshadowed throughout the movie, particularly as Accattone’s life slowly falls apart. Accattone’s crew of friends all possess a similar disdain for work and exist by taking advantage of weaker people. As Accattone declines, the jokes at his expense grow. Similarly, their plight is often contrasted and exaggerated with atrocities far greater than their existence. Accattone’s one day of real work loading scrap iron is compared to prisoners at Buchenwald.

THE BEST Part 2 – Accattone the Saint

Pasolini creates a daring and subversive analogy by suggesting Accattone is a modern day saint. As the chaste Stella struggles to prostitute herself, Accattone laments, “Madonna, make me a saint. I’ve already done my penance.” Throughout the movie, Accattone is often cast as a victim of his surroundings and his self-indulgent acts are interpreted as heroic. It’s a wonderfully provocative narrative.

THE BEST Part 3 – The Bets

Throughout the movie, narrative scenes are interrupted by Accattone’s “fits”, where he offers dares to jump off bridges or dive into lakes. Again, it’s a bit of jest – the “saint” miraculously survives swimming after eating a meal.

THE BEST Part 4 – Starvation

It’s not exactly a fun topic, but Pasolini expertly presents the struggle to eat as 8 people obsess over a boiling pot of spaghetti.

THE WORST – Women’s Rights

A story about 1950’s Italy and prostitution can’t end well for its victims. Unfortunately, the prostitutes involved – namely Silvana Corsini’s Maddalena is abused and abandoned. Similarly, Accattone treats the women in his life in a cruel, taunting manner

THE WORST Part 2 – Accattone and His Son

Without spoiling the movie’s events, a starving and scheming Accattone uses his unwitting son to further his own gains. It’s the moment where the audience likely loses all hope for Accattone.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING – 4.5/5

Accattone is a raw, dreamy movie that makes a statement that is equally desolate and whimsical. A must watch.

FOX FORCE FIVE RATING