Having found the series after long search, I am viewing all the seasons with my wife. Partly thanks to sentiment and partly thanks to enhanced interest in the movies of the genre, the story of the Commissario appears to be seen at a slightly different, a more in-depth manner. Personally, I, as a viewer, am more experienced and have a far more focused eye on details than I used to have as a kid (it was on Polish TV in the 1980s). Since my review on PIOVRA I was very general, I decided to write reviews on separate six episodes of season one. Since it is where it all began, an absolute must-see and an engrossing continuation is what we get here...
Written by Ennio de Concini again but directed by Florestano Vancini (not Damiano Damiani as it was with the first season), LA PIOVRA II more or less meets the expectations of its fans. First, it nicely continues the plots of the major characters, no actors are changed as it has been the case with so many serials, and it retains the major atmosphere of the previous episodes. Most importantly, however, it fluently continues with the story of the Commissario and his family. Though the locations...
The locations become broader and move not only to more cities but to more countries of Europe. The first scene that we have is set in Geneve, by the lake in Switzerland where Corrado Cattani (Michele Placido) seems to have resigned from his struggle against the mafia in Sicily, wants to stay with his family, particularly his seriously harmed daughter and wife Elsa (Nicole Jamet) who really underwent trauma in Sicily. Yet, one Ettore Ferretti (Sergio Ceccetto) tries to persuade the commissario to come back and undertake the task. What seems to be the motivation for him is to pursue vengeance and justice on the people responsible for his daughter's harm. But soon, the personal motives change into a more complicated fight...against different levels and different schemes of those in power of higher and lower rank. What he will have to cope with is treason, corruption, insecurity, wretchedness, terrible loss all to be totally alone in the end...
It would not be the case to spoil much of the content, I can say one thing: every episode, some lasting for 54 minutes, some a bit longer keep a viewer in a chair and can really make one totally absorbed in what is going on. Let me look at the strengths of the season:
Firstly, it is characters that make it an engrossing drama. Characters that make for hunters and victims. Let me start with the goodies: Corrado Cattani, having gone through a lot of difficulties and threats so far, seems to be indefatigable but torn between his job and private life: both demand much sacrifice and bring forth much suffering. His friend and aid Altero (played by Renato Mori) and a judge Bordonaro appearing only in the first episode are unforgettable. An important mention must be made ofthe aforementioned Ferretti, whom we come to like in time, yet, who experiences quite a tragic end. He is portrayed brilliantly by a veteran Italian actor Sergio Ceccetto. I also quite liked a journalist, Maurili (Victor Cavallo) for whom 'la sicurezza' is the key thing. At first, we look at him as a sort of man with no solid values, for whom money is important but in time, he is truly one of the victims. A banker Sorbi (Daniel Ceccardi), a sort of successor of Ravanusa (Geoffrey Copleston) also combines certain good and bad qualities of it all. He seems to be a hunter but also a victim of a game he has been thrown into. The same might be said about Sebastiano Cannito (Jaques Dacqmine), a politician involved in a wicked game and suddenly finding no way out. And, of course, one of the greatest characters still appears to be Corrado's wife, living in a small town in Switzerland, who is ready for another chance of reconciled love. Will she find courage and time for that?
And the baddies...the mafia...Here, we have the old villains along with some new ones: Avvocado Terrasini (Francois Perrier). It is just incredible to realize that whenever I watch this guy playing any role, I see this one. He is just immortal in this role, the movements, the tone of voice, the eyes that look at all the people around with a special restrain. Then, we have Countess Olga Camastra (Florinda Bolkan). She will be with us for some time, will appears out of the blue in one of the consecutive episodes as 'Ms lack of evidence', yet here this much I can spoil. She is a mistress of the commissario...the relation they are having is, of course, for some specific reasons... A very interesting character that also broadens the story and sets the tails of the octopus overseas is Mr Carrisi (played by memorable Martin Balsam). He comes from New York, he is an Italian who, as a matter of fact, despises Italy yet loves Sicily. He is a sort of man who wants profit, who dislikes sheer talk and who knows that Palermo means really much in New York. I love their scenes, especially when they meet at banker Sorbi's villa and they have a meeting with two major politicians: one is Cannito and the other is the head of a mysterious association Itala, Professor Laudeo (Paul Guers) - a man full of slogans for the public, full of secret intentions for his fellows. Consider the camerawork at the scene: who is within the frame of the screen is the one in power of the moment...
Secondly, it is the music score that makes the season so good. After Riz Ortolani's haunting tunes in the first season and Titti's theme that really remained in memory, we have wonderful Ennio Morricone. You have melodies that you can listen over and over again. They really correspond to the action and the different plots so well. Being heard while watching the episodes, they enhance interest, being heard alone, they bring me to a very specific atmosphere apart from the content of the series. Just to name the subtle "Canzone per la sera" which can be translated as "a song for the evening" or vibrant 'Giustizia" - "justice or "La Morale dell'Immorale" - "morals of the immoral" It all fits the content of the story perfectly.
Thirdly, these are particular moments that make the season so interesting to see and feel the story. As it might spoil the content, I will refer to some just briefly: one of the scenes that will always remain in our memories is the one when Corrado comes to his daughter's room in episode 2 and he takes Paola's things one by one. These are the feelings of a true father: no panic, no yelling, just deep inner pain of loss. No words but the picture says for itself. Another scene that is worth attention is Ferretti trying to talk to 'Eccellenza" and he waits and waits and everything is in vain. Here, we somehow see a man bound to tremendous strength of corruption and correctness that is ready to victimize everything and everybody for keeping mouths shut. There are also wonderful moments when Corrado visits his wife and his daughter: the two are, obviously, in totally different places and at totally different dimensions of reality but these are the moments when he changes tremendously, he becomes a different man. Michele Placido embodies that really well. As it is impossible to mention all, some of the pearls among the scenes are the meetings of Sorbi, Terrasini, Cannito, Laudeo and Carrisi. They depict the true world of mafia and the mechanisms that govern their world. A very well written script and lovely acting! A wider range of locations used here also makes the season more interesting, including the aforementioned Switzerland, the city of Rome and the beautiful landscape of Tuscanny except for Sicily which is the mainstay, of course.
Some flaws of the season include some slow pace in certain scenes and Olga-Corrado love scenes. They are just fake and the actors are so different that they do not feel like being a couple neither in life not on screen. Two various worlds...
Hunters and victims...who is who? Well recommended to see the whole season that is surely as interesting as the first one. Once you come to like it, you are there and willing to see it to the end. The final moment of episode 6 which is the last one in the season is worth careful attention - Corrado Cattani's mind is revealed.
Written by Ennio de Concini again but directed by Florestano Vancini (not Damiano Damiani as it was with the first season), LA PIOVRA II more or less meets the expectations of its fans. First, it nicely continues the plots of the major characters, no actors are changed as it has been the case with so many serials, and it retains the major atmosphere of the previous episodes. Most importantly, however, it fluently continues with the story of the Commissario and his family. Though the locations...
The locations become broader and move not only to more cities but to more countries of Europe. The first scene that we have is set in Geneve, by the lake in Switzerland where Corrado Cattani (Michele Placido) seems to have resigned from his struggle against the mafia in Sicily, wants to stay with his family, particularly his seriously harmed daughter and wife Elsa (Nicole Jamet) who really underwent trauma in Sicily. Yet, one Ettore Ferretti (Sergio Ceccetto) tries to persuade the commissario to come back and undertake the task. What seems to be the motivation for him is to pursue vengeance and justice on the people responsible for his daughter's harm. But soon, the personal motives change into a more complicated fight...against different levels and different schemes of those in power of higher and lower rank. What he will have to cope with is treason, corruption, insecurity, wretchedness, terrible loss all to be totally alone in the end...
It would not be the case to spoil much of the content, I can say one thing: every episode, some lasting for 54 minutes, some a bit longer keep a viewer in a chair and can really make one totally absorbed in what is going on. Let me look at the strengths of the season:
Firstly, it is characters that make it an engrossing drama. Characters that make for hunters and victims. Let me start with the goodies: Corrado Cattani, having gone through a lot of difficulties and threats so far, seems to be indefatigable but torn between his job and private life: both demand much sacrifice and bring forth much suffering. His friend and aid Altero (played by Renato Mori) and a judge Bordonaro appearing only in the first episode are unforgettable. An important mention must be made ofthe aforementioned Ferretti, whom we come to like in time, yet, who experiences quite a tragic end. He is portrayed brilliantly by a veteran Italian actor Sergio Ceccetto. I also quite liked a journalist, Maurili (Victor Cavallo) for whom 'la sicurezza' is the key thing. At first, we look at him as a sort of man with no solid values, for whom money is important but in time, he is truly one of the victims. A banker Sorbi (Daniel Ceccardi), a sort of successor of Ravanusa (Geoffrey Copleston) also combines certain good and bad qualities of it all. He seems to be a hunter but also a victim of a game he has been thrown into. The same might be said about Sebastiano Cannito (Jaques Dacqmine), a politician involved in a wicked game and suddenly finding no way out. And, of course, one of the greatest characters still appears to be Corrado's wife, living in a small town in Switzerland, who is ready for another chance of reconciled love. Will she find courage and time for that?
And the baddies...the mafia...Here, we have the old villains along with some new ones: Avvocado Terrasini (Francois Perrier). It is just incredible to realize that whenever I watch this guy playing any role, I see this one. He is just immortal in this role, the movements, the tone of voice, the eyes that look at all the people around with a special restrain. Then, we have Countess Olga Camastra (Florinda Bolkan). She will be with us for some time, will appears out of the blue in one of the consecutive episodes as 'Ms lack of evidence', yet here this much I can spoil. She is a mistress of the commissario...the relation they are having is, of course, for some specific reasons... A very interesting character that also broadens the story and sets the tails of the octopus overseas is Mr Carrisi (played by memorable Martin Balsam). He comes from New York, he is an Italian who, as a matter of fact, despises Italy yet loves Sicily. He is a sort of man who wants profit, who dislikes sheer talk and who knows that Palermo means really much in New York. I love their scenes, especially when they meet at banker Sorbi's villa and they have a meeting with two major politicians: one is Cannito and the other is the head of a mysterious association Itala, Professor Laudeo (Paul Guers) - a man full of slogans for the public, full of secret intentions for his fellows. Consider the camerawork at the scene: who is within the frame of the screen is the one in power of the moment...
Secondly, it is the music score that makes the season so good. After Riz Ortolani's haunting tunes in the first season and Titti's theme that really remained in memory, we have wonderful Ennio Morricone. You have melodies that you can listen over and over again. They really correspond to the action and the different plots so well. Being heard while watching the episodes, they enhance interest, being heard alone, they bring me to a very specific atmosphere apart from the content of the series. Just to name the subtle "Canzone per la sera" which can be translated as "a song for the evening" or vibrant 'Giustizia" - "justice or "La Morale dell'Immorale" - "morals of the immoral" It all fits the content of the story perfectly.
Thirdly, these are particular moments that make the season so interesting to see and feel the story. As it might spoil the content, I will refer to some just briefly: one of the scenes that will always remain in our memories is the one when Corrado comes to his daughter's room in episode 2 and he takes Paola's things one by one. These are the feelings of a true father: no panic, no yelling, just deep inner pain of loss. No words but the picture says for itself. Another scene that is worth attention is Ferretti trying to talk to 'Eccellenza" and he waits and waits and everything is in vain. Here, we somehow see a man bound to tremendous strength of corruption and correctness that is ready to victimize everything and everybody for keeping mouths shut. There are also wonderful moments when Corrado visits his wife and his daughter: the two are, obviously, in totally different places and at totally different dimensions of reality but these are the moments when he changes tremendously, he becomes a different man. Michele Placido embodies that really well. As it is impossible to mention all, some of the pearls among the scenes are the meetings of Sorbi, Terrasini, Cannito, Laudeo and Carrisi. They depict the true world of mafia and the mechanisms that govern their world. A very well written script and lovely acting! A wider range of locations used here also makes the season more interesting, including the aforementioned Switzerland, the city of Rome and the beautiful landscape of Tuscanny except for Sicily which is the mainstay, of course.
Some flaws of the season include some slow pace in certain scenes and Olga-Corrado love scenes. They are just fake and the actors are so different that they do not feel like being a couple neither in life not on screen. Two various worlds...
Hunters and victims...who is who? Well recommended to see the whole season that is surely as interesting as the first one. Once you come to like it, you are there and willing to see it to the end. The final moment of episode 6 which is the last one in the season is worth careful attention - Corrado Cattani's mind is revealed.