A Man on His Knees Blu-ray (Un uomo in ginocchio)

A man on his knees

(1979)

Nino, a common worker, discovers that a hitman has been hired to kill him. He learns that a rich woman has been kidnapped and everyone involved is being killed. However, Nino had nothing to do with the kidnapping and must find out who sent the killers and stop them before it is too late. (IMDB)

For more information about A man on his knees and the A Man on His Knees Blu-ray release, see A Man on His Knees Blu-ray Review published by Jeffrey Kauffman on September 26, 2024 where this Blu-ray release scored 4.0 out 5.

Director: Damiano Damiani

Writers: Nicola Badalucco, Damiano Damiani

Leading Actor: Giuliano Gemma, Eleonora Giorgi, Michele Placido, Tan Cimarosa, Ettore Manni, Luciano Catenacci

Producer: Mario Cecchi Gori


» See the full cast and crew

A Man on His Knees Blu-ray Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman, September 26, 2024

Films about supposedly ordinary people getting sucked into the world of organized crime are probably a dime a dozen, but few have as visceral an impact as A man on his knees. A supplement on this disc by Damiano Damiani biographer Albert Pezzotta provides an interesting overview of so-called “mafia films” within the context of the epochal changes that the Italian film industry was undergoing in the 1970s, particularly as television became increasingly popular and eroded the audiences willing to buy tickets to see something outside the home. Pezzotta perhaps somewhat comically hints that another reason why box office receipts in Italian cinemas may have begun to decline during this period is that so many of the films coming out were “downers,” to use the parlance. The title of this film may suggest that it’s not going to be a “happily ever after” affair by any means, but what’s remarkable about this inevitably tragic tale is how it emphasizes a certain fighting spirit, almost a spirit of resilience, that permeates its lead character, Nino Peralta (Giuliano Gemma). Nino is an ex-convict who is trying to stick to the venerable “straight and narrow” path, but he’s almost shocked when he discovers he’s one of the people being taken out by a hitman named Antonio Platamonte (Michele Placido). Why This has happened and sets in motion a plot that increasingly resembles a maze and ultimately plays a role in an interwoven series of tense relationships, including, remarkably, that between Nino and Platamonte.

A man on his knees may conjure up images of a weakened character, but that said, the film itself is often a hasty leap into seemingly fatalistic (and, no pun intended) at The film is a series of dramatic, dramatic, and often dramatic (horrific, fatal) events that give the story a spine-tingling quality, while also highlighting the almost Job-like obstacles Nino must overcome. Perhaps surprisingly for a film so driven by conflict, there are moments of at least fleeting humor, as in an opening vignette between Nino and his buddy Sebastiano Colicchia (Tano Cimarosa), in which Colicchia points out Platamonte to Nino and tells Nino that he’s on Platamonte’s hit list, but also mentions the importance of hiring a killer with no apparent connections to the victim in order to keep things “neat and clean.” While that lame joke does add a bit of spice to the scene, the fact is that Damiano (who also co-wrote the film in addition to directing) jumps into his story full force right from the start, something that continues steadily as the complexities of the story unfold, often leaving the viewer with unanswered questions and occasionally some information that can be at least a little confusing, at least until more
information is provided (which usually happens).

Gemma is unusually vulnerable in this performance, even as Nino tries to fight back, literally and figuratively, against forces seemingly beyond his control. But as central as Gemma and the character of Nino are to the film, this is in some ways an ensemble outing, and Damiani conducts a veritable chamber symphony of work from some excellent actors, including not only those mentioned earlier but several others, including Eleonora Giorgi as Nino’s wife Lucia. In tone and even in presentation, the film is almost a neo-neorealist outing (if I may coin a new subgenre). There’s a gritty “reality” to the images, and even the film’s emphasis on an oppressed “common man” being eaten up by the machinery of a corrupt society also seems at least allusively to reference Italy’s contributions to global cinema after World War II.

A Man on His Knees Blu-ray, Video Quality

A man on his knees is offered on Blu-ray by Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p 1.85:1 transfer. The Radiance package insert contains the following information about the transfer:

A man on his knees was restored in 4K at Augustus Color in Rome, Italy. The restoration was made from the original photo and audio negatives, and the film is presented in its original aspect ratio and mono audio.

A short introductory set of text cards before the film provides some further information, as follows:

The 4K restoration was carried out at Augustus Color SRL in collaboration with Mediaset, Cine34 and Infinity+. The restoration was carried out from the original photo and audio negatives deposited at Mediaset.

This is another attractive transfer from Radiance, although there are a few differences to note. Both the opening and closing moments feature old-style optical credits, and the associated roughness during those moments is quite noticeable (particularly in the opening shots that underlie the credits, but also towards the end of the film, where I suspect the final seconds were “co-opted” for the credits even if they weren’t overlaid). There are a few passing but extremely minor signs of wear from age, such as white speckling that can be noted, but overall the negative was either in generally good condition or has been restored to its current state. The color timing is generally excellent, although again there are some noticeable variations, with things generally looking a little warmer as things progress. Detail levels are also generally nice, although there are parts of the film that have a sort of dewy, almost shimmering softness to them that I assume was intentional on Damiani’s part. The final scene looks considerably rougher than most of the presentation (see screenshot 3 for an example).

A Man on His Knees Blu-ray, audio quality

A man on his knees features LPCM 2.0 Mono audio in the original Italian. There are a number of recurring, if not overly crippling issues with this track, including noticeable crackling and other harshness at higher amplitudes, something that becomes apparent almost from the outset during some of Cimarosa’s amplified line readings in particular. Otherwise, though, the track is generally certainly listenable and generally provides easily discernible dialogue. Optional English subtitles are available. My score is 3.25.

A Man on His Knees Blu-ray, Overall Score and Recommendation

A man on his knees is undeniably tragic, but also surprisingly moving, and Gemma really shines in a somewhat unusual role for the actor. The technical qualities are generally solid, with a few caveats as noted above, and as usual Radiance offers some pleasant additions. Recommended.

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• This week on Blu-ray: September 23-29 – September 22, 2024

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Radiance Films has announced its September batch of Blu-ray releases. They are: Tattooed Life (1965), A Man on His Knees (1979), We Still Kill the Old Way (1967), A Quiet Place in the Country (1968), and Death Game (1977).

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