Francesco Rosi
La sfida

It is with “La sfida” from 1958 that Francesco Rosi, with his second feature film, captures the attention of critics and the public.

Indeed, because La sfida is a film-denunciation and denunciation will be a hallmark of Rosi's filmmaking.

It will be followed by “I magliari” “Salvatore Giuliano” and “Le mani sulla città” (his masterpiece).

Because as he himself said:

The life of a director is their films. Not their entire life, of course, but that part of it through which they expressed their relationship with the world, with ideas, and with people.

The challenge is the one that will be launched by Vito Polara (José Suárez), a small-time cigarette smuggler, but one day something goes wrong, and his partners bring him vegetables instead of cigarettes, and he realizes that there’s money to be made with the cucuzzielli…

Vito is unscrupulous; he wants everything right away. He is resolute and determined and immediately heads to the countryside to buy the cucuzzielli or whatever is there, but he still doesn’t know that no one can sell him the vegetables because there, in the countryside, everything is controlled by Ferdinando Aiello (José Jaspe). It’s curious that two mobsters are played by two Spanish actors, yet if you didn’t know, you wouldn’t notice because they are so good…

The Camorra, therefore.

In the immediate post-war period, it had already gotten organized and, go figure… was already laying down the law… obviously in its own way.

The Camorra system was exactly what we would find in many other films to follow. The modus operandi, the personal relationships, the concept of “family”…

Rosi doesn't beat around the bush; he shows everything as it is, and you can sense that his cinema moves at another pace, another walk… that Rosi belongs to the group of directors so to speak modern. Even from the opening credits, we can notice a sober and dynamic style in the font instead of the usual gigantic characters, often accompanied by pompous music, announcing this or that actor…

And modern or at least unconventional is also Vito Polara, who, in defiance of tradition, does not hesitate to court and conquer, causing a scandal, the beautiful and very young Assunta (a Rosanna Schiaffino to be stunned by). See the “courtship” scene.

And so this young and impetuous criminal quickly rises through the ranks of the underworld, soon becoming rich and powerful … but the challenge is not yet over.

The film benefits from a highly respectable cast. After all, in those days, there were certain character actors who were outstanding, sometimes better than the leading actors. Brilliant dialogues, sustained rhythm – it’s the rhythm of Vito Polara, a man who stops at nothing…

Post-war Naples, the people on the streets, the “organized” chaos, the shouts of street vendors, the big car that needs to pass and honks…

A great film.

Accateteve e 'cucuzzielli!