The Doorway to Hell (1930) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch

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  The Doorway to Hell (1930) Review: The Good, The Bad & How to Watch  American Film, Crime, Drama Academy Awards, 1931- Nominee: Best Writing, Original Story The early 1930s in Hollywood were marked by a frantic, electric energy as the industry found its voice—literally. In the middle of this transition, a gritty little gem called The Doorway to Hell slipped into theaters, offering a blueprint for the gangster epics that would soon dominate the silver screen. While it often sits in the shadow of the titans that followed, this film captures a specific, raw moment in cinematic history that feels surprisingly modern even today. More on Wikipedia or Mubi  The Brutal Elegance of The Doorway to Hell  At its heart, the story follows a young gang leader who attempts to trade the chaos of the underworld for a quiet, respectable life. It is a classic American tragedy wrapped in the smoke of a speakeasy. The narrative leans heavily into the irony of a man trying to es...
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Watch Il Cappotto (1952)

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 Il Capotto (1952)
Italian Film, Fantasy, Drama
English title: The Overcoat

Official Selection

The Overcoat (Italian: Il Cappotto) is a 1952 Italian fantasy-drama film directed by Alberto Lattuada. It stars Renato Rascel and is a modern-day version, set in Italy, of the same-named 1842 short tale by Nikolai Gogol. The director's sister, Bianca Lattuada, was one of the production managers and his father, Felice Lattuada, composed the music.

It was shot at the Farnesina Studios of Titanus in Rome with sets designed by the art director Gianni Polidori. Location shooting took place in Pavia in Lombardy.Special Nastro d'Argento to Renato Rascel for the creation of the leading character. The film premiered at the 1952 Cannes Film Festival.

Based on Nikolai Gogol's story with the location changed from Russia to Italy and the time changed to the present (1952), the story is about a poor city-hall clerk (Renato Rascel) whose only desire is for a new overcoat. The town Mayor (Giulio Stival) is planning a reception for some visiting VIP's in honor of a new, wasteful piece of construction. The clerk bungles his assignment and is fired. But he stumbles onto some bribery concerning the architects and, to keep him quiet, he's given his job back plus a bonus. He buys his long-cherished overcoat, and it makes him so presentable he wins newly-found respect from everybody. But his coat is stolen and the bitter weather causes him to contact a fever and he dies. His funeral upsets the Mayor's reception when he returns as a ghost. More on Wikipedia or Mubi 

Cannes Film Festival, 1952- Official Selection
Locarno International Film Festival, 2021- Selezione ufficiale
National Board of Review, 1965 & 1966- Vincitore: Top Foreign Films, Vincitore: Top Foreign Films

Trailer

Full Film (No sub)

Full Film (English subtitle)
 

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