"La piovra 3" (1987) TV mini-series

Director:

Luigi Perelli

Writers:

Ennio De Concini (story)
Francesco Marcucci (adaptation)

Release Date:

22 January 1989 (Sweden)

Genre:

Crime | Drama | Romance | Thriller

Plot:

Part 1 - GOOD AND EVIL - After the mafia killed his family, and a number of people who trusted him,...

Plot Keywords:

Numbered Sequel | Third Part | TV Mini-Series | Sequel | Digit In Title

Cast

Michele Placido	...	Commissario Corrado Cattani
Giuliana de Sio	...	Giulia Antinari
Alain Cuny	...	Nicola Antinari
Francisco Rabal	...	Abbott Lovano
Marie Laforêt	...	Anna Antinari
Luigi De Filippo	...	George Venturi
Remo Girone	...	Tano / Gaetano Carridi
Pierre Vaneck	...	Carlo Antinari
Paul Guers	...	Professor Gianfranco Laudeo
Cyrus Elias	...	Bert Di Donato, DEA agent
Franco Trevisi	...	Kemal Yfter, arms dealer
Alice Di Giuseppe	...	Greta Antinari
Adalberto Maria Merli	...	Dino Alessi
Lino Capolicchio	...	Professore Mattinera
François Périer	...	Avvocato Terrasini

Also Known As:

Allein gegen die Mafia 3 (West Germany)
The Octopus 3 (Australia)

Runtime:

Germany:370 min (6 parts) | Italy:430 min (7 parts) | Netherlands:435 min (7 parts) | Portugal:433 min (7 parts)

Country:

France | Italy | West Germany | Austria

Language:

Italian | English | French | German

Colour:

Black and White | Colour

Sound Mix:

Dolby Digital

Certification:

Portugal:M/12 | Australia:M | Germany:12 | Netherlands:12

Filming Locations:

Giardini Naxos, Naxos, Sicily, Italy

Company:

Radiotelevisione Italiana

Quotes:

Commissario Corrado Cattani: [at a wedding reception inside a police headquarters in Sicily] Thank you, thank you. But I'm not good with speeches. What should I say? Well I am happy. Yes, Im happy with this marriage, celebrated inside these walls where we live, for better or for worse, but we live. We must also live for those who we once loved and that are not with us anymore...

Movie Connections:

Followed by La piovra 10 (2001) (TV)

Magnificent Italian mini series, with depth, action, sensitivity and emotionality

I first saw some of La Piovra when I lived in Holland. Then I bought the full series. You need a all region player. La Piovra consists of 4 series, each individually containing between 4 and around 12 parts. The subtitling is a good thing, you hear the language and the emotion played well by all the characters rather then have it distorted by voice over actors. The first two series are very much linked to each other and you must see both. Because the tragedies that play in the main character's life, you will get drawn in, and will want to see all the series.

The serious start in Sicily. Corrado Cattani (played by Michaele Placido) accepts a position as chief of police, after his predecessor is found murdered in his car. He starts an investigation after the murder, and while doing so, gets involved in the local scene. As part of his investigations, he gets involved with a local girl, the daughter of a countess who was found dead in her home. Put into the mix a local Mafia criminal who is crazy for the daughter of the countess, a lawyer who as part of the Mafia is never up to anything good and a police chief who works both unconventional and with a tenacity that is unmatched and you are in for a wonderful ride. A classic ride that is not matched by anything made in the last twenty years or so (hill street blues was good, but does not have the elegance and style that comes naturally to the Italians). All parts link up well, but you need to keep focused as there are many things going on at the same time.

If you like the Italian language, the way of life (not necessarily that of the Mafia influence, the country side and the culture, this is a treat.