VENDETTA

US, 1999, 117 minutes, Colour.
Christopher Walken, Luke Askew, Clancy Brown, Alessandro Colla, Andrew Connolly, Bruce Davison, Joaquim de Almeida, Andrea Di Stefano, Edward Herrmann, Richard Libertini, George N. Martin.
Directed by Nicholas Meyer.

Vendetta is based on a true story, of Italian migrants during the 19th century to the United States, on those who settled in New Orleans. It is also the story of one of the largest lynchings and lynch mobs in American history.

The film was directed by Nicholas Meyer, who wrote an extensive number of screenplays in a variety of genres, who directed the Sherlock Holmes film, The 7% Solution as well is two Star Trek films.

This is a lavish production from HBO at the end of the 20th century, a recreation of 1880 New Orleans, the docks, the fruit markets, the dark streets, the homes of the wealthy, law courts and prisons.

The film focuses on one family, arriving in America, their establishing a fruit stall at the market, but experiencing the rivalries between two Italian groups, one of which is in league with the affluent leaders of New Orleans society. The police chief, played by Clancy Brown, is on the take with some but is prepared to stand up to the New Orleans establishment, characters played by Kenneth Welsh as the mayor, Luke Askew and Christopher Walken. These men are powerful, manipulative, racist, using the Italians whom they despise, setting up the assassination of the police chief and the blaming of Italians, imprisoning them, having the judge on side, controlling their prosecutor, Edward Herrmann, so that he will not lose his job.

There is a great deal of talk about the Mafia.

Bruce Davison appears as a sympathetic defence lawyer, trying to get witnesses who are being controlled by the establishment, even betrayed by one of his own investigators for money.

At the centre of the film is the young son, Gaspare (Alessandro Colla) supportive of his parents, getting to a fight with the son of the rival controllers, but, after being among the accused of the murder and spending time in jail as well as in the court, finding this young man an ally.

Interestingly, the head of the jury is Jewish – and the verdict is that they are not guilty, leading to the establishment doing rabble rousing, thugs pursuing the Italians through the prison corridors and shooting them in the courtyard, and hanging two of them publicly.

It is revealing to see a story like this and the bigotry against the Italians, their being despised, exploited, victims of racist slurs with the film made in 1999 and echoes of the time, and indicating racist themes to come during the 21st century and the Trump era.

1. the title, Italian overtones, the mafia? Sicilian background? Action in 19th-century New Orleans?

2. The city setting, the docs, the markets, the mansions of the wealthy businessman, prison, the courts? The open spaces, the musical score?

3. The plot based on a true story? The Italian migrants in the 19th century? Prejudice against them, the years? Racist attitudes from the Americans? The authorities and their exploitations of the migrants? The lies and manipulation?

4. Migrants arriving, the focus on the family, hopes, the ships, the behaviour of the authorities, the police, reactions? The Italian groups and groupings in the city? Families?

5. The focus on the father and his work, the devoted mother, Gaspare and the hopes for his future in the United States? The fruit stall, life, his attraction to the girl at the market, his hopes?

6. The boss families and their areas of jurisdiction, the clashes, exercise of power and rivalries? Gaspare and Tony, antagonism, the fight, their reputations, the later consequences?

7. The Mayor of New Orleans, aristocracy, wealth, exercise of power? The businessmen of the town, their leadership? The role of James Huston and his business interests? The lifestyle of the rich, their power, bigotry, their contacts, deals, discarding contacts, especially the Italians? Manipulation of the law? The thugs and the murders?

8. The police chief, Irish background, on the take, yet honoured? His confronting Huston and the authorities? His assistant, his being set up, noted, honours at his funeral?

9. The accusations torts the Italians? The police and their role, the arrests, the men in prison, being victims of legal manipulation, their treatment in jail?

10. The search for witnesses, the man at the bar, the lady and the neighbours, the young black man¦? Their fears, identifying the Italians?

11. The district attorney, his sense of honour, the threats to his job, his succumbing to the authorities, his manner in the investigations, his prosecution?

12. Thomas seems, an honourable man, his allies and staff, experiencing prejudice, interviewing witnesses, interviewing the accused, tracking down the prostitutes and the witness? The traitor within their group?

13. The judge, the hearings, his stances? The accused men, the reactions, the men going mad in the court and his attack?

14. Huston and his contact with the Italians on the walls, the deals, the fights? Huston discarding him? The father of the family and is on, the reaction of the sons, Tony and his supporting his brother, his change of heart, with a Gaspare?

15. The black man and the vegetables, selling them, his testimony in court that the men were innocent?

16. The jury, their swearing-in, criteria for selection? The Jewish representative, the judge and the removal of the young Walker? His delivering the verdict of innocence?

17. The reactions, the crowds, the rabble, the mayor and his speech, exhorting the crowd to violence, the other members of the group, lynching, the mob? The thugs within the prison, the pursuit? The overturning of the market stalls?

18. The prisoners, the ward and then his hesitance, sends urging him to free them, is unlocking the door? Sends and is being assaulted by the crowd?

19. The pursuit, the thugs, the men trapped, in the courtyard, shot? The survivor and his being and? The prison who went mad and his being hanged?

20. The background of the Father and the fruit market, his visit to the prostitute and not wanting his wife to know, Gaspare and the evidence, the escape, the father helping his son to survive? Gaspare and his meeting with Tony, the bond, they're sailing away to New York?

21. The largest mention in American history, the newspaper reports, Roosevelt's callous comment, the history of migrants to the US, 19 century, the film perspective of 1999 and into the prejudices against migrants in the 21st-century and the Trump era?