Hands Over the City
Director: Francesco Rosi
Year Released: 1963
Rating: 2.0
Nasty industrialist Rod Steiger (dubbed in Italian) could care less about the fact that a building that wasn't up to code crushed two kids and mutilated another's legs - it's all about profits and politics, baby - but other members of the local government find him unethical. As if you hadn't already known, money wins in the end. Steiger plays feisty very well and Rosi does a decent job at keeping the camera placid in order to examine all the hand gestures and shouting and politicking, but sadly preaching and speeches take the place of drama, as if Rosi chose Stanley Kramer as a template. It's widely known and acknowledged that the little man always gets steamrolled by the big man, so once you get past that sentiment, this is becomes familiar territory.
