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Cortile Cascino

1962 · 46 min
Directed by Michael Roemer · USA · New Hollywood

Cast

Angela Capra

Credits

Written by: Michael Roemer Robert M. Young
Cinematography: Robert M. Young

Plot

This long-suppressed and controversial documentary was produced in 1961 for network television but never broadcast. Co-mingling cinema verité and narrative techniques, the film offers a sensitive but critical look at the slum called Cortile Cascino in the center of Palermo, Sicily where poverty and early death are constants and where the church and the Mafia compete for the inhabitants' fealty.

Sinekatalog’s take

A long-suppressed documentary about a Palermo slum where poverty and early death are constant and church and mob vie for loyalty. Its blend of cinéma vérité and narrative gives it a raw sensitivity. A significant watch for students of social documentary.Sinekatalog’s own editorial review – not a user or critic quote.

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Ratings

IMDb: 7.0 / 10 (39 votes)
IMDb rating and vote count from the IMDb ratings dataset (October 2026). Scores change over time.

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