Alle Origini della Mafia

Origins of the Mafia, also known as Alle Origini della Mafia, is a fairly engrossing five-part English-Italian TV co-production from 1976. If you're like me, you've watched just about every mob movie that's come down the pike, but it's rare to see one that examines the very beginnings of the Mafia, back in Sicily, over four hundred years ago. I understand that some historians doubt a mediaeval start date for la Cosa Nostra, and I'm certainly no expert on Sicilian or mob history (like any good American, most of my history background comes from the movies). But the all-star Origins of the Mafia makes a pretty good case for its origins beginning during the mid-16th century.

Separated into five, 50 minute episodes that span over three hundred years of Mafia history in Sicily, Origins of the Mafia, in a straightforward, TV miniseries manner, details not only milestones in the organization, but more interestingly, gives the viewer background on what external forces and social conventions may have created the Sicilian culture that has allowed the Mafia to flourish for over four hundred years. Whenever I see The Godfather or The Godfather Part II, I always wonder who those Sicilian guys are, walking around with berets and shotguns, guarding their dons, on the huge Sicilians estates. How did the system of patronage, extortion, and violence start there? The Mafia, at least in modern movies, always seems to be this monolithic entity that just is, that exists without a start or stop. Origins of the Mafia does a rather nice job of giving the viewer the background necessary to appreciate all the other mob movies, while telling a good story on its own.

Episode One takes place in 1556, where the corrupt Gramignano family holds absolute power over the small island of Sicily, which is ruled at this time by Spain. Bartolomeo Gramignano (Lee J. Cobb), the head of the family, is an informer for the Ecclesiastic Court -- the Spanish Inquisition -- and as such, enjoys almost unlimited power, and is answerable only to the King of Spain, or his Envoy. The King's Envoy (Joseph Cotton), comes to Sicily to investigate the Gramignanos, particularly the crimes of Bartolomeo's son, Giuseppe (Claudio Camaso), a sadistic killer who terrifies the village. Unfortunately, the Envoy and his impetuous aid, Sebastian (Edward Albert), cannot find one witness who will testify against the Gramignanos. The Spanish Army captain (Renato Salvatori) has long given up trying to bring the crime family to justice, and now actively works with them to save his own neck. When Sebastian tries to protect a bride from being raped on her wedding night by Giuseppe, both he and the Envoy, despite the influence of their office, come to realize who the real power is in Sicily.

Episode Two sees Sicily, in 1785, controlled by the Bourbons of Naples. A crusading Viceroy, Caracciolo (Massimo Girotti), works to reform Sicily, but meets opposition on all sides. The aristocracy, such as Don Armando Della Morra (Mel Ferrer) despise him for trying to limit the power of their class, while the gilds, such as the bakery guild, hate him for trying break up their control of consumer prices. Further weakening the Viceroy's power is the reliance of the Sicilian people on private organizations such as the Beati Paolos (the "Beautiful Pauls"), who offer justice to the weak, but at a terrible price for those who go against the group. This episode tells the story of Angelo La Parma (Biagio Pelligra), a peasant who was unjustly imprisoned by Della Morra when he discovered that Della Morra killed his own brother, the true prince. Aided by Pietro (John McEnery), a nobleman who belongs to the Beati Paolos, Angelo joins the organization. When Della Morra tries to intervene in the murder of a baker who had threatened the influence of the guilds, he learns of the real power that controls 1785 Sicily.

Episode Three begins in 1835, when the Bourbons still control Italy. The jaded aristocracy, such as Baron Della Spina (Fernando Rey), employ tax collectors to not only gather money from the peasants that live off their vast estates, but to actually run the estates for the absentee landlords -- and to keep the peace with the oppressed peasants. These tax collectors have their own private armies of overseers and guards who exploit the peasants – and even the landlords if their power becomes great enough. Nicu Borello (Fausto Tozzi), steals Baron Della Spina's cattle, without his knowledge, and then presents them to the Baron, asking to take on the role of his tax collector. Spina agrees, and after twenty-five years of extortion and secret theft, Borello dies rich, and Spina dies penniless. Borello's son, Michele (Tony Musante) is now a powerful, wealthy merchant with ties to politicians and judges, while Spina's son, Antonio (Remo Girone), wastes away as an indolent gambler with a title and no money. As Garibaldi's forces move to take over Sicily, Michele and his own "mafia" wait to see the inevitable fall of the Bourbon aristocrats. Michele, now part of the emerging bourgeoisie, takes Spina's sister Barbara (Rejane Medeiros) as his wife, in a bid to gain respectability.

Episode Four finds Sicily, in 1861, now part of the Kingdom of Italy. But Garibaldi's promises of a peasant revolution have failed to come true. The peasants are not allowed to own the land they work on, and the government is powerless to enforce its own laws, particularly when the Mafia has such a strong hold on the populace. At the center, like a spider, lies Don Consalvo Saccone (Trevor Howard), who pulls the strings for all who come to him for help. Prefect Mieli (Giancarlo Sbragia), new from Italy, finds he doesn't understand the ways of the Sicilians, and unwisely lets Saccone in on a family secret. Marquis Tarcone (Massimo Serato), a sadistic, wealthy landowner, refuses to work with the peasants who are organizing into an angry mob, led by Bernardino Campo (Tom Skerritt), who demands his right to own land and not be treated like a serf. La Monica (Spiros Focas), who is running for political office, is controlled as well by Don Saccone. As events lead to an inevitable tragic end, the only remaining constant is the power of the Mafia, under Don Saccone.

Episode Five opens in 1875, when the government of Italy first officially investigates the crimes of the Mafia in Sicily, which has become a national scandal. A senator (Amedeo Nazzari) is sent down to investigate the murder of an orange grower who was killed for undercutting the prices of other farmers – who are protected by the Mafia. A witness to the killing, Vincenzo Biscetta (Paolo Bonacelli), has been driven mad by the death of his own don, Don Antonio Mastrangelo (Renzo Montagnan). Don Antonio, who controlled the water source that flowed to fellow Don Felice Balsamo's (Claudio Gora) property, decides to buck the Mafia system and shut off the water to Don Balsamo's property. He is promptly killed, and his bodyguard, Nino Sciallacca (Tony Lo Bianco) is immediately charged with the crime. Vianisi (James Mason), a famous lawyer, is engaged by Don Antonio's widow, Rosa (Katherine Ross), to get Nino off. But why does she do that?

Working within the miniseries framework, Origins of the Mafia has the time to tie in several theories about how the Mafia began, as well as nicely detail the evolving social and political conditions that may have encouraged its growth. The first episode sets up the notion that Sicilians, long ruled by foreign powers, came to distrust anyone but other Sicilians, while they relied on their own to take care of their own, as well as dispense their own justice. Episode Two details the further retreat of Sicilians from foreign rule, as well as their reliance on secret societies to right wrongs within in their communities. Episode Three illustrates the failure of the aristocracy to address the peasants concerns, with the nascent Mafia stepping in to provide justice – while lining their own pockets and consolidating their own power – in the vacuum created by a distant government and an uncaring, dissipated, decadent gentry. Episode Four shows the newly middle class Mafia moving into the world of politics, providing the "juice" by buying politicians and keeping order – as long as it consolidates their power. And Episode Five shows the depth of the Mafia's hold over ordinary peasants, and their reach within every single transaction – whether business, political, or personal – in the lives of Sicilians.

Origins of the Mafia's miniseries format doesn't offer great "cinematic" moments that you're likely going to remember. It's isn't that kind of film. Storytelling comes first and last here; watching Origins of the Mafia is like diving into a really long, good book that, while not stylistically compelling, is dramatically most satisfying. It's a good yarn, plan and simple, and it's straight-ahead, flat TV style perfectly suits the material. Spectacular location shooting in Sicily aids enormously in recreating the historic atmosphere (it's apparent real interiors, not sets, were used as well). Where one might quibble is in the film's use of name Hollywood actors to anchor the various episodes. The Italian actors, of course, fit in perfectly. And while some of the American actors acquit themselves quite well (that fantastic, underrated actor Tony Musante is near-perfect in his role), others flounder (what the hell is Joseph Cotton doing here playing a Spaniard, and even more mind-boggling, Katherine Ross playing a vengeful Sicilian?). As well, the final episode, while benefitting from the presence of always marvelous James Mason (as an Italian?), doesn't fit in nearly as well as the previous episodes in detailing specific evolutions of the Mafia throughout Sicilian history. But it's a small point. The four and a half hour, two-disc Origins of the Mafia, directed in a clean, concise fashion by Enzo Muzii, is an absorbing, entertaining history lesson that moves confidently within its potboiler framework.

The DVD:

The Video:
The full-frame video image for Origins of the Mafia looks good, but some of the colors have gone a little muddy, a little faded. Dirt and scratches occasionally appear, but overall, it's fair transfer.

The Audio:
The Dolby Digital English 2.0 stereo mix is adequate, but unspectacular. This is a dialogue-driven production, but it would have been nice to hear that Nino Rota score in a stronger mix. No subtitles or close-captioning are available.

The Extras:
There are no extras for Origins of the Mafia.

Final Thoughts:
If you love Mafia movies, Origins of the Mafia is necessary viewing, if only for the background you can get on the mob's beginnings in Sicily. But even if you're not in the mood for a history lesson, Origins of the Mafia is a leisurely paced, confident, cleanly executed TV miniseries that tells five absorbing Mafia-related stories. I recommend Origins of the Mafia.

Thanks to Paul Mavis

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The Untouchables

"The Untouchables" is one of the few television shows I really missed on DVD. I loved watching it when I was younger and would eat up every single episode of Eliot Ness fighting the Chicago Mob. Accordingly my excitement was high when Paramount Home Entertainment finally announced a DVD version of the series and dropped this little package in my lap.

"The Untouchables" tells the relentless fight of Eliot Ness and his special squad of policemen against the Chicago mob during the Prohibition era in the 1930s. In the one corner was Ness and in the other corner was mobster legend Al Capone and their countless battles have been well documented by history. Ness and his squad of incorruptible agents managed to infiltrate Capone's corporations and damage its illegal operations of alcohol distribution on countless occasions making him the number one enemy of the mob. But despite all efforts, Capone was never able to buy off any of the "Untouchables" or to kill Eliot Ness. But the focus of Ness' work was not only Capone - in fact his antics are covered in the pilot episodes - but also many other infamous mobsters, all of which make appearances in this television series, adding to the breadth of the show.

"The Untouchables" was running from 1959 until 1963 and made for some great entertainment that was pretty gritty given its subject matter. Borrowing heavily from the film noir genre that was popular in the days the series has an ominous and dark look to it and doesn't go easy on the violence or bullet-count. The acting is also in line with some of the best noir classics where men were portrayed as super-tough guys without too many words and always ready to pull an automatic gun out of their overcoats. Robert Stack plays Eliot Ness and he plays the character to the hilt and he is supported by a great cast, including guest stars such as Peter Falk, Telly Savalas, Lee Van Cleef, Lee Marvin and many others over the years.

As a cool extra the release actually contains the seamless theatrical version of the show's two pilot episodes. While initially broadcast separately these episodes were later spliced together without their TV introductions and shown in theaters. That is the version you will find here. The original TV introductions are also included, both now running in front of the pilot.

Here now we have the first 14 episodes of the show on DVD as Paramount release "The Untouchables: Season 1 Volume 1." I am not quite sure why Paramount decided to split the season in half – my guess would be to keep the retail price per DVD set down and more attractive as opposed to trying and sell a DVD set at twice the price. Be that as it may the quality of the presentation on this DVD set is "untouchable" – excuse the pun. I was truly amazed at the quality of this show that is almost 60 years old. Paramount cleaned up the transfer and you will be hard pressed to find any blemishes, scratches or other defects in the presentation. What's more, there's not even a hint of grain. I found myself staring at the screen unable to believe that what I was watching was really created in 1959! The black and white presentation is rich and runs the entire gamut of contrast with bright highlights and solid, deep blacks. Grays are balanced and fall off nicely creating a balanced picture that never looks harsh or dated. Without compression artifacts or edge-enhancement, this is truly a classic TV presentation to behold.

The audio presentation has also been cleaned up and is free of hiss or defects. However, given the age, the frequency response is limited giving the presentation a harsh-sounding edge. On top of that the dialogue elements are in varying states of quality and thus the audio presentation can change quite a bit from scene to scene. Still, to me it adds to the vintage feel of the show and I wouldn't want it any other way.

Paramount Home Entertainment blew me away with the quality of this release. It is simply amazing what modern technology and a little TLC can do to something like a 60-year old television show. I know that for the next couple of nights I will be glued to the screen watching episode for episode of this great TV series and then eagerly expecting the second volume and other season box sets. Let's just hope Paramount's won't be taking too long to bring them on.

Thanks to DVD Review

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Bones Likely from a Mob Hit

Friends of ours: Gerald Scarpelli
Friends of mine: Robert Hatridge, Michael Oliver

Visible injuries to bones found this week in west suburban Downers Grove Township have led investigators to believe the victim could have been the target of a gangland slaying, law-enforcement sources said Thursday.

The bones, which construction workers discovered Tuesday morning buried more than 5 feet underground, have not yet been positively identified, but are those of an adult male, the DuPage County coroner's office said. Investigators think the bones may have been in the ground for 20 years or more.

Law-enforcement sources said the Federal Bureau of Investigation is now involved in the inquiry, and that a possible connection to organized crime has arisen because of the manner of death and obvious injuries to the body.

Three of the deceased male's fingers were sheared off, possibly with a bolt-cutting type tool. The man also had suffered a broken shoulder and two gunshot wounds in he back of the head, law-enforcement sources said.

The coroner's office said only that authorities are working to identify the male, whose approximate age couldn't be determined. The man was not an "old person," however, said DuPage Coroner Pete Siekmann. Authorities are trying to identify the remains based on fingerprints and a tattoo visible on the body, he said.

DuPage County State's Atty. Joseph Birkett said the case is being investigated as a possible homicide.

Construction workers laying sewer pipes for a new townhouse development found the bones near Bluff Road and Illinois Highway 83. The bones were wrapped in a blue tarpaulin.

The location of the bones had neighbors speculating this week that they could be linked to organized crime. The bones were found less than a half-mile from a purported mob victim burial ground, where two bodies were found in 1988 and later identified as low-level organized-crime figures. A task force formed in the 1980s to solve cold mob cases got the tip for the location from an informant, and at the time sources believed searchers might find as many as seven bodies. But after five months of digging, they found only two bodies—those of Robert Anthony Hatridge, a minor associate of Gerald Scarpelli, 51, a crime syndicate killer-turned-informant who later committed suicide; and Mark (Michael?) Oliver, another minor organized-crime figure.

Investigators said part of the process of identifying the body would include working off a list of missing persons with connections to the Chicago Outfit.

After the bones were found, Darien authorities considered that they might belong to Xu "Sue" Wang, a Darien doctor who disappeared in 1999.

Thanks to Jeff Coen and Angela Rozas

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Mob Burial Ground Reveals Another Body

Friends of mine: Robert Hatridge, Michael Oliver

A new body was discovered at an old mob burial ground. CBS 2's Mike Parker explains: the FBI believed they'd closed the case two decades ago until a construction crew was surprised by human remains.

There are growing signs that this plot of land, just off Route 83 on Bluff Road, has been used again as a burial site for victims of the mob. “It's an interesting puzzle that's been opened up here," said Jim Wagner of the Chicago Crime Commission.

DuPage County officers are still guarding the scene where crews digging a sewer for a townhouse project found a body enclosed in a plastic tarp Tuesday. It was buried beneath the freshly turned earth.

The FBI tells CBS 2 there are signs the body could have been placed there as recently as five years ago.

Acting on a tip almost two decades ago in 1988, the FBI dug up the very same location for five days. They found two bodies buried there. Both were men, and both were described as low-level soldiers in the Chicago outfit. The bodies were identified as Robert Hatridge and Michael Oliver. Both men had been shot to death are their murders remain unsolved.

The latest discovery seems to suggest the possibility that the mob has moved back to its old, unofficial cemetery in more recent years. "If this has anything to do with organized crime then you suspect that somebody had a favorite spot they were going to continue to use, because they felt comfortable and safe," Wagner said.

When the body was found Tuesday, authorities believed it was within a half mile of the old discovery scene. Today, they realized it is the same spot.

The FBI says it is monitoring the case, waiting to see if the DuPage County coroner can identify the latest body and pinpoint the cause of death.

Thanks to Mike Parker

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Anthony Pellicano Worked for Mobster Lombardo?

Friends of ours: Joseph "Joey the Clown" Lombardo, Frank Cullotta
Friends of mine: Anthony Pellicano

Private investigator Anthony Pellicano shot to fame working for Hollywood stars. But when he worked in Chicago 30 years ago, Pellicano hustled for an alleged rising star of a different kind: Infamous Chicago mobster Joseph "Joey The Clown" Lombardo.

Pellicano's investigative work from 1974 on Lombardo's behalf could provide Lombardo an alibi for the brutal murder of Daniel Seifert, who was to be a key witness against Lombardo in a Teamster fund embezzlement case. Lombardo is charged in Seifert's death in the upcoming Family Secrets mob trial in Chicago.

These days, Pellicano has his own problems as he sits in jail awaiting trial on charges he illegally wiretapped the conversations of the enemies of his rich and famous clients. Those allegations have rocked the Hollywood elite. But in 1974, Pellicano was working for Lombardo, compiling information to show Lombardo was far away when Seifert was gunned down the morning of Sept. 27 outside his Bensenville factory.

Prosecutors are expected to tie Lombardo to the Seifert murder by pointing to his fingerprint on a title application for a car used in the slaying.

Pellicano's investigation, though, contends Lombardo was at the International House of Pancakes in the 2800 block of West Diversey the morning of the murder. After Lombardo left the restaurant, he noticed someone had stolen his wallet from his car's glove compartment. Lombardo went back inside the IHOP and reported the theft to two cops having breakfast. They wrote a report, which is included in Pellicano's work. There's a signed statement from one of the cops and another from a driver's license facility supervisor who says Lombardo came in the morning of the murder for a duplicate license.

Lombardo's attorney, Rick Halprin, called his client's alibi "rock solid." He said Pellicano's current difficulties have no impact on his work for Lombardo.

In another court document obtained by the Sun-Times, a government informant, former mobster Alva Johnson Rodgers, a Lombardo associate, alleges in late 1973 or early 1974 that Pellicano asked him to burn down a Mount Prospect building. Rodgers alleges he did just that, but Pellicano was never charged.

Pellicano is being held in custody because he allegedly asked unnamed Chicago mobsters to put a hit on a witness against him, according to a government court filing.

Pellicano's attorney, Steven F. Gruel, disputed the allegations and said he's seen nothing to buttress claims his client is tied to the mob.

Also, on Monday, Lombardo's attorney filed a motion asking the feds for a pre-publication copy of a book by a government informant, mobster Frank Cullotta. Cullotta may be a witness at the Family Secrets trial, and his book could provide fodder for the defense.

Prosecutors should have access to Cullotta, who is hiding under a new identity, Halprin noted. "For all I know, he's Ann Coulter," Halprin quipped.

Thanks to Steve Warmbir

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