It is remarkable the dynamic way Zampa works with themes, style and genres completely different. At same time this movie leads with typical characteristics of the investigative kind and appoints for the societal corruption, something very uncommon at that time. In a certain way it anticipates a political filmography of names as Francesco Rosi (and particularly Le Mani sulla Città) and it is no coincidence that Rosi is one of the the authors of the basic plot. The fact that is a historical drama is less important than a description of a corrupted society, almost inducting the spectator to think it lasting until the days of the film production. Its visual style and narrative plot structure its deep influenced for Welles'"Citizen Kane", something that could be particularly noticed in some sequences as the deep focus use of the restaurant that serves as momentary place for the suspects arrested by the police. Amedeo Nazzari, a lead actor that peak his career under fascist years lives a sophisticated judge with irreproachable ethical values and obsessive desire for justice in opposition to the nervous and violent policeman of Paolo Stoppa. Both are very well casted.Its prologue, with two poor kids running on the beach could be read wrongly as another neo-realist movie, although the way that movie approaches politics is more mature than most of the movies labeled as such.
Review of Processo alla città
