''The Machine to Kill Bad People'' (Italian: ''La Macchina ammazzacattivi'') is a 1952 Italian

fantasy Fantasy is a genre of speculative fiction involving Magic (supernatural), magical elements, typically set in a fictional universe and sometimes inspired by mythology and folklore. Its roots are in oral traditions, which then became fantasy ...

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, producer, and screenwriter. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such ...

and featuring Marilyn Buferd,

William Tubbs William Tubbs (May 10, 1907 – January 25, 1953) was an American stage and film actor.Bondanella p.156 He appeared in a number of European films in the years after the Second World War, including several by Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gaston ...

and

Clara Bindi Clara Bindi (born 1 November 1927) is an Italian actress. Biography Born in Naples, Bindi joined the Eduardo De Filippo theater company in the 1947-48 season and in 1948 made her film debut as Giulietta Del Bello in '' La macchina ammazzacattiv ...

. It is part of the tradition of neorealism of the post-war years. Having helped neorealism gain international recognition with his 1945 work ''

Rome, Open City ''Rome, Open City'' ( it, Roma città aperta, also released as ''Open City'') is a 1945 Italian neorealist war drama film directed by Roberto Rossellini and co-written by Sergio Amidei, Celeste Negarville and Federico Fellini. Set in Rome in ...

'', Rossellini was trying to branch out into different styles.

Production

Rossellini began shooting the film in 1948, but production was beset by many problems.Brunette p.101

Location shooting Location shooting is the shooting of a film or television production in a real-world setting rather than a sound stage or backlot. The location may be interior or exterior. The filming location may be the same in which the story is set (for exam ...

took place around

Amalfi Amalfi (, , ) is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Salerno, in the region of Campania, Italy, on the Gulf of Salerno. It lies at the mouth of a deep ravine, at the foot of Monte Cerreto (1,315 metres, 4,314 feet), surrounded by dramatic c ...

Salerno Salerno (, , ; nap, label= Salernitano, Saliernë, ) is an ancient city and ''comune'' in Campania (southwestern Italy) and is the capital of the namesake province, being the second largest city in the region by number of inhabitants, after ...

and

Trani Trani () is a seaport of Apulia, in southern Italy, on the Adriatic Sea, by railway west-northwest of Bari. It is one of the capital cities of the Province of Barletta-Andria-Trani. History Overview The city of ''Turenum'' appears for the fir ...

Synopsis

A stranger claiming to be Saint Andrea gives to the village photographer a magic camera with the power to destroy the wicked. When it becomes apparent that no one is immune the photographer turns the device on the giver, who is unmasked as a devil and forced to return everyone to life.

Cast

* Gennaro Pisano as Celestino * Marilyn Buferd as American tourist *

as American tourist * Helen Tubbs as American tourist * Giovanni Amato as Mayor *

as Giulietta Del Bello *

Giacomo Furia Giacomo Matteo Furia (2 January 1925 – 5 June 2015) was an Italian film, television and stage actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1948 and 1998. Life and career Born in Arienzo, near Caserta, Furia started his acting career ...

as Romano *

Aldo Giuffrè Aldo Giuffrè (10 April 1924 – 26 June 2010) was an Italian film actor and comedian who appeared in over 90 films between 1948 and 2001. He was born in Naples and was the brother of actor Carlo Giuffrè. He is known for his roles in '' The F ...

Carlo Giuffrè Carlo Giuffrè (3 December 1928 – 1 November 2018) was an Italian stage, film and television actor and a stage director. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1942 and 2002. Biography Giuffrè was born in Naples, Italy and was the brothe ...

References

Bibliography

* Peter, Bondanella. ''The Films of Roberto Rossellini''. Cambridge University Press, 1993. * Brunette, Peter. ''Roberto Rossellini''. University of California Press, 1996. * Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey . ''The Companion to Italian Cinema''. Cassell, 1996. * Wagstaff, Christopher. ''Italian Neorealist Cinema: An Aesthetic Approach''. University of Toronto Press, 2007.

External links

* * Review Essay https://www.academia.edu/3379967/The_Machine_that_Kills_Bad_People 1952 films 1950s Italian-language films Films directed by Roberto Rossellini Commedia all'italiana 1950s fantasy comedy films Italian fantasy comedy films 1952 comedy films Films scored by Renzo Rossellini Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub