In Nome Del Papa Re (In The Name Of The Pope-King)

Nino Manfredi turns in an inspired performance in this madcap tale of morality. As Don Columbo, a magistrate of the Papal State, circa 1867, Manfredi is on the eve of resignation, when he discovers that one of the three youths charged with bombing a barracks is the son he never knew he had. Instead of resigning, the Don saves his son--only to discover that ideals can sometimes be stronger than fleshly concerns. The son wants to stay in jail with his cohorts, even though it will mean certain death. The Don does what he must--coldcocks his son and kidnaps him. Father, son, Countess (the mother), and the Don's housekeeper all have differing views on what should be done, and the comedy and tragedy naturally unfold. This is a wonderful film, made more so by the fact that the video transfer is in the letter-box format--so that all of the picture and, more importantly, all of the subtitling appears on the screen. Highly recommended. (See BELLISSIMO for availability)