Il deportato

If you believe Jeff Chandler is Italian, they I can probably pass for an Eskimo. Putting that disbelief aside, Chandler does a decent job of portraying a racketeer that has been deported.

In reality, the Justice Department seldom deported small-time crooks who just took care of the rackets in various towns; they deported killers they could not get a conviction on because all evidence was wiped out. Guys like Lucky Luciano and the like were far more likely candidates for deportation.

In any event, the story is entertaining, and the subplot of the romance with an Italian countess is interesting. The local hoods, however, in these small Italian towns, are really more like small-time crooks, rather than extremely dangerous criminals. The Hollywood theme of the hood who turns good, is highly unlikely, but entertaining.

The end result is that Chandler pretty much gets to do whatever he wants, but this could never happen in a major Italian city.

The film is better than its reputation. Jeff Chandler has served five years in Sing Sing for his racket and is deported to Italy, his home country, which he hasn't seen since he was a small boy. His remaining family, most of them are dead, take good care of him and he finds himself at home in the town he never knew, which becomes interesting for him by the young widowed countess, Marta Toren, whose husband died in the war. His company makes her stop wearing black, and there is a beautiful romance developing. However, his past catches up with him and he gets involved in an Italian racket which threatens to ruin everything, but the story glibly passes on through some complications to reach a satisfactory end after all. The film is mainly worth watching for the performances of Jeff Chandler and Marta Toren, they are both always reliably good, and Robert Siodmak's direction adds some interesting camera work to the plot. In brief, there is nothing wrong with a mobster turning to charity, if his destiny will just let him.

The early career Jeff Chandler whereof had to accept second billing in this little Noir picture that allowed him to next A-Western "Broken Arrow" with James Stewart, thus Jeff Chandler was slowing paving a solid path in Hollywood, the gorgeous Sweeden Marta Torén got the top billing even as secondary role of Siodmak's picture shot entirely in Naples and Siena at Italy, the offering according some is barely modeled in Lucky Luciano real story.

A Mobster Vic Smith (Chandler) is deported from America to Italy his home country, nearby Naples after be accomplished five years in prison for stealing one hundred thousand dollars, even the money never was recovered, the robbery had two accomplices, Vic and his tipster Bernie (Richard Rober) which he had split the money, without received nothing Bernie put a bait to meet Vic to got his part of booty, Vic exposes for Bernie due he never squealed him and had fulfilled the serving time alone the money belongs to him for good, however Bernie disagrees.

A veteran and savvy Italian Officer Vito Bucelli (Claude Dauphin) reports to Vic due his status he must spend at least one month at small Marbella his hometown, whom his kinsmen live, otherwise he'll arrested, there is welcome by his uncle Armando Sparducci (Silvio Minciotti) and known a beauty widow actually a Countess Christine (Marta Torén) from whom raises a kind of mutual sex appeal instantly, meanwhile the his former trickster partner set up a plan to got his share, in other hand Vic at town knows a native bleak Businessman Guido Caruso (Carlo Rizzo), whereby he has enriched on unfairly way, which offer a kind help in any case whichever it is, Vic a former gangster understand the message.

Vic plans repatriate the money to Italy and perhaps Guido can be a solution, nonetheless his old partner already is outskirts with his eye candy bait Gina Carapia (Marina Berti) hoping for best opportunity to act, in the meantime the Countess Christine often does charity donating foods to poor people due the country faces many troubles after the WWII, the poverty are all around whilst the Italy tries to recover, in this environment the story takes place, more issues come ahead, unexpected and offbeat happenings and even deadly ending is near.

Aside it is a B-movie I'm baffled with so few reviews wrote here, however find myself that just knew this movie last night neither, make sense at all, the major name of Siodmak and Jeff Chandler weren't enough to boost this small feature to largest audience, having others best offerings it keeps on underground for much time until be relisted like now.

Thanks for reading.

Resume:

First watch: 2023 / Source: DVD / How many: 1 / Rating: 7.25.

"Deported" was one the last of Siodmak's American movies,and I have got to agree with the precedent user:it's probably his weakest American effort (for that matter,only the ridiculous " Cobra woman" is worse).It's also the beginning of a period of barren inspiration-although some praise " the crimson pirate" - which would end when he returned in his native Germany where he made other great movies ("Nachts,Wenn Der Teufel Kam" "die Ratten"...).

Siodmak was always a cosmopolitan director who began his career in Germany (1929),then continued in France and spent the forties in America.So it was only natural he chose Italy as the place of his 1950 work.Unfortunately,his depiction of Italy is handicapped by the fact that Italians,most of the time,speak English between them,and that the screenplay is full of Italian clichés such as the meal with the uncle and the whole family.Some characters (Gina)appear and disappear without any purpose.Some (the Comtessa) are clichéd.And it takes a lot of imagination to believe that Jeff Chandler ,who never utters a word in Italian,was born there .Only the scenes in the warehouse where Siodmak does a smart use of toys -although too short- recall his film noir greatness (from " phantom lady" to " Thelma Jordan" (1944-1949) all that he did is classic or near-classic thriller)

When the story begins, the mobster, Vic (Jeff Chandler), is arriving in Italy. But it's not for vacation nor pleasaure...Vic was deported back to the country of his birth, as he's an 'undesireable' and just finished a five year sentence in prison. As for Vic, he doesn't seem especially reformed though his uncle and his family who take him in don't realize why Vic is in Italy...and they take him under their wing. But Vic has $100,000 in stolen dough hidden back in the States...and he plans on retrieving it and enjoying life with his ill-gotten gains.

The story is a definite change of pace for Chandler...not only because he plays a jerk but because of its locale. The film was actually made in Italy and it's nice seeing locations such as Siena. The story itself is pretty good and I think it's good enough that I actually considered giving the picture an 8.