Bella Mafia (1997) (TV)

User Rating:

6.8/10   

Director:

David Greene

Writers (WGA):

Lynda La Plante (novel)
Lynda La Plante (teleplay)

Release Date:

16 November 1997 (USA)

Genre:

Crime | Drama

Tagline:

Hell hath no fury like the women of... [Bella Mafia]

Plot:

When Sofia marries into a Mafia family, she doesn't know what she's getting into. When her husband, all her brothers-in-law...

Plot Keywords:

Revenge | Mafia | Prison | Son | Filicide

Awards:

Nominated for Golden Globe. Another 2 nominations

Cast

Vanessa Redgrave	...	Graziella Luciano
Dennis Farina	...	Don Roberto Luciano
Nastassja Kinski	...	Sophia Luciano
Jennifer Tilly	...	Moyra Luciano
Illeana Douglas	...	Teresa Scorpio Luciano
James Marsden	...	Luka
Gina Philips	...	Rosa Luciano
Richard Portnow	...	Anthony Moreno
Franco Nero	...	Mario Domino
Peter Bogdanovich	...	Vito Giancamo
Carmen Argenziano
Michael Hayden	...	Michael Luciano
Richard Joseph Paul	...	Constantino Luciano
W. Earl Brown	...	Fredrico Luciano
Tony Maggio	...	Alfredo

MPAA:

Rated R for some violence.

Runtime:

UK:105 min (2 parts) | 117 min (short version)

Country:

USA

Language:

English | Italian

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.33 : 1

Sound Mix:

Stereo

Certification:

Spain:18 | UK:15 | USA:R | Iceland:16

Filming Locations:

Los Angeles, California, USA

Company:

The Königsberg Company

Goofs:

Continuity: In the scene where Sofia has Lucas tied to the chair he does not have the necklace on. However, in a later scene she discovers the necklace on him.

Quotes:

Giorgio Corolla: [referring to the gun in Luka's hands] Where in God's name did you get that, Luka?
Luka: Where we get everything... Mail order! Charged to your Papa. Now tell me about the poisons. Stricknai... Nice word... Like music!

Soundtrack:

Bella Luna

This movie should be renamed: Oh the Bitter Irony

Never in all my years of film enjoyment have I passed 3 hours watching such painfully good, yet bitter irony. Although, at the begging one automatically considers this a sad failed remake of The Godfather storyline, one soon comes to the realization that this film has nothing to do with the weakness or shortcomings of the Don and the future patriarchs of the Luciano family. No, this film is about the mistakes of everyday human beings and the most stinging, biting irony one could ever imagine. Even though much of the film is predictable there were twists that added to the pain and were completely unexpected. If you enjoy irony that draws out every last sweat drop, this is the film to watch and remember not the judge this book by its cover --or first scenes.