Notable Cast: Marcello
Mastroianni, Micheline Presle, Cristina Gajoni, Salvo Randone, Marco Mariani,
Franco Ressel, Giovanna Gagliardo, Paolo Panelli, Toni Ucci
As the second film from director Elio Petri that we are
reviewing this month, The Assassin is also his debut and it’s a doozy. Playing
out like a kind of murder mystery with noir elements, the film is not nearly as
upfront with its layered commentary as the other film we just reviewed (the
very awesome Property Is No Longer a Theft), but the effective way that it
unravels its story in a leaping structure and the crisp manner that the film
builds into its third act makes it one that we cannot recommend enough. It may
not be the most original film out there, but the execution is immaculate and this
Arrow Academy release belongs in any self-respecting cinephile’s collection.
When the police arrive at Alfredo’s (Mastroianni) home, he
has no idea why they are there. He thinks perhaps they are there to buy some
antiques from his store. Soon he finds out that he’s the main suspect in a
murder that is going to have his entire life ruffled, torn, and investigated.
Is he going to like what they show him about how he lives?
 |
| The third degree. |
As
The Assassin
played out, there was one term that continually came to mind throughout the
entire thing: balance. While Elio Petri would later become known for his efficient
style in crafting film, this debut of his indicates that this is an innate
talent he used right from the beginning. The balance always seems in check with
the film. Plot to character, style to substance, pacing to atmosphere, these
are all things that
The Assassin
understands in connective ways and utilizes them to produce a film that’s easy
to watch while still being an effective film for the audience which leaves them
inherently engaged. A large portion of this feat is derived from the plethora of
resonating performances from the cast. Marcello Mastroianni is the cornerstone
that bears most of the weight of the film as we see him broken down from an
almost offensively engaged police force that are looking at him as the prime
suspect in his lover’s death. His character arc, subtle at first and
increasingly emotional and abrasive as the film dives the into past details and his
life is the crux of the film’s core thematic material which calls into question
the gray moral areas of a modern business focused young man. However, it’s a
lot of the phenomenal secondary casting that really deepens his work and the
work of the narrative that gets the audience to where they need to be emotionally and attached to the film’s final destination. In particular Micheline Presle as
his lover, shown only in flash backs in leap frogging sequences, steals a lot of
the moments with what I might call ‘fierce subtlety.’
The Assassin could often come off as a character study for its
lead, but it’s a lot of the supporting efforts of the atmosphere and secondary
characters that sell the whole.
 |
| Romance is dead. |
To add to engaging effect of the story,
The Assassin also features fantastic use of structure to its
narrative to push and pull its audience along for the ride. Since the film is
centered around the police investigation of a woman’s murder and her lover who
remains the prime suspect, it very much plays out as a mystery meant to be
unveiled for the audience…an audience who is not sure whether the main
character did it or not. To build this foundation, it flashes back to develop
their relationship and showcase the various pieces of the investigation that
the police are looking into. While the leap frogging time approach is used
often in cinema, it’s impressively smooth here and it allows the film to balance
its noir type plotting with an artistic and emotionally driven atmosphere that
works wonders for the characters and engrosses the audience. If there is any
trick in the sleeve that works more impressively than expected in
The Assassin, then it is this approach.
 |
| A new kind of road kill. |
Truly, as a debut,
The
Assassin proves just how insightful and strong Petri is as a director. A
grossly overlooked piece of Italian cinematic art, this film deserves a lot
more credit than I have seen it receive in the cinephile community as a strong
film that uses impeccable balance to execute its intent. The Arrow Academy
release of the film, featuring a restored version of the film, is highlighted
nicely by its features too – once again topped by a fantastic piece of writing
in the booklet from Camilla Zamboni that is a must read as a companion piece
for the film. The rest of the features are listed below. Take our word for it
though,
The Assassin is a diamond too
often buried by the director’s more famous later works and it should be on the
list for any cinephile to rediscover and appreciate. The film and this robust
release come with the highest recommendation.
ARROW VIDEO FEATURES:
2K digital restoration from the Cineteca di Bologna
Uncompressed Mono 2.0 PCM Audio
Elio Petri and L'Assassino, an introduction by Italian cinema expert Pasquale Iannone
Tonino Guerra: A Poet in the Movies: Nicola Tranquillino's documentary about the great Italian screenwriter
Theatrical Trailer
Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Jay Shaw
FIRST
PRESSING ONLY: Booklet featuring writing on the film by Petri expert
Camilla Zamboni, Petri's own critical analysis of 1950s Italian cinema,
plus a selection of contemporary reviews
Written By Matt Reifschneider
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