Gianni Amelio
Porte Aperte

Based on a story by Sciascia, Amelio directs and writes the screenplay for "Porte Aperte" (1990), a judicial-themed film set in Palermo in 1937. Scalia, not exactly a model employee, freshly fired and frustrated (brilliantly portrayed by Ennio Fantastichini), kills his boss, a colleague, and his wife in the span of one day. He is quickly arrested, and faces the death penalty (which he himself requests), but a judge (Gian Maria Volontè, skillful and intense as ever) is evidently ideologically opposed to this type of sentence, and does everything possible to alter a verdict that seemed already foregone, delving into the intricacies of a case that, moment by moment, appears less and less trivial.

The film, which at the time received critical acclaim and was nominated for an Oscar, represents more than a judicial adventure; it's a fresco of 1930s Sicily, and Amelio is skillful in avoiding slipping into easy anti-fascist rhetoric. Instead, he remains partially detached, narrating events strictly from a human perspective, focusing the objective on a solitary and reserved Volontè, a meticulous and loyal official attempting to achieve his goals in the most formally correct manner possible. On the other side of the bar, Fantastichini offers an equally memorable performance, outlining a character diametrically opposed to the judge: irascible, violent, impulsive, not seeking approval; on the contrary, doing everything to worsen his position in the eyes of the jury and citizens. The other face of solitude. There are no plot twists, no compelling suspense, and, in the end, despite the verdict, there's a sense that the plot hasn't been fully revealed. The film's purpose is something else: the facts are clear, except for some details, and it doesn't matter if something escapes in a Sicily that always has something to hide (even if it might be trivial things), but what truly matters is the attention to people more than to codes and judicial proceedings, which must proceed almost mechanically. That's why the actors are of vital importance in "Porte Aperte," and not just the two protagonists, but R. Giovampietro and R. Carpentieri should also be mentioned. The direct sound recording, though less polished on one hand, enhances the popular dimension and almost neorealistic cut (with the necessary distances), a stylistic hallmark of Amelio. The cinematography alternates between sunlit exteriors of natural landscapes, warm and calm, and dark, gloomy offices, sparse or overly opulent apartments, glimpses of a popular and decadent Palermo. A key scene of the film, which I consider one of the most enlightening and gives the title to the work, is the lunch for three involving the Judge (Volontè), the president, and another official, where different political, judicial, and social ideas are put on the table, ultimately representing the forces battling during the story.

"Porte Aperte" is, in my view, an unjustly forgotten film, perhaps due to the missed Oscar, perhaps because it doesn't quite reflect the modern cinema standards that must have a certain pace and almost always provide answers; certainly, I find it more tied to a cinematic tradition (entirely Italian) closer to the films of Rosi or Petri. Must see.