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Why Ficarra, Picone and Servillo work so well together
The trio returns to the big screen with L'Abbaglio
January 19th, 2025
In 2022, Roberto Andò succeeded in a Strangeness: he enlisted Toni Servillo to play the role of Luigi Pirandello and paired him with a comedic duo that had never before ventured into dramatic cinema. Ficarra and Picone took on an unprecedented challenge, creating an unusual trio with one of the most esteemed actors in Italy's cinematic landscape. They rose to the occasion, adding a new dimension to their careers. La Stranezza was a resounding success, becoming the best Italian debut of the year and the highest-grossing film of 2022, earning 5.5 million euros (despite not reaching the 10 million invested, it marked a respectable result as box offices began to recover post-Covid). This year, Andò decided to follow up, making Servillo a regular collaborator. In L’abbaglio, a film that once again takes cast and audiences to southern Italy, this collaboration becomes a sort of manifesto for a New Sicilian Cinema, dedicated to portraying the region's history and culture. With La Stranezza, theater and literature, through the exploration of Pirandello's poetics, highlighted the island's myriad colors and moods. With L’abbaglio, a piece of Italian DNA returns to the screen, evoking the memory of the Expedition of the Thousand and Garibaldi’s entry into Palermo for a hoped-for united Italy.
An expedition that began at sea and reached the inland villages, seeking hospitality from the goodwill and loyalty of the locals, who were already experiencing the early warnings of Cosa Nostra and its consequent code of silence. This poisoned fabric of a long-standing scourge is what the director and screenwriter, along with Ugo Chiti and Massimo Gaudioso, sought to explore and reveal. There is a piece of shared history in L’abbaglio, just as there was a piece of shared art in La Stranezza. But while the 2022 film had a different rhythm and a story blending treatise and lyricism, Andò’s return with his actors centers on the mission of a commander and his battalion, proving less engaging than the previous title, albeit still supported by the excellent performances of its protagonists.
L’abbaglio confirms the presence of a dramatic side in the duo Ficarra and Picone, even more pronounced compared to their performance in the film about the Sicilian playwright and author. This time, they delve into the spirits of two poor and cowardly deserters who, nevertheless, play a decisive role in the fate of those left defending Sicily from the Bourbons. Once again, Andò turns the comedians into masks, enjoying the role reversal between the two, with Picone playing the rogue, a role usually reserved for Ficarra, who in turn softens some of his harshness and delivers a performance that is at times painful but always measured.
As in La Stranezza, when it comes to interactions with Servillo, a strange dynamic unfolds. Two worlds collide on screen, so different at first glance, yet precisely because of this disparity, they manage to find their harmony. The trio doesn’t share much screen time; the film takes them down two separate paths, but in the moments they come together, the harmony of their diversities clicks into place and works against all odds, like a well-played poker hand. A second outing, both for Roberto Andò and his actors, that proves this path holds the potential for more surprises from this small theatrical-cinematic company. Let’s hope that if this unusual synergy continues on the big screen, the next film will live up to its performers.