Perhaps the biggest surprise in my little (not so little) Palme D’Or mission so far has come from the film with the most atrocious poster and least popularity among Letterboxd users! The Mattei Affair is a delightfully intricate political thriller that I never would have had the honour to watch had it not been a winner of the Palme D’Or. Starring Gian Maria Volonte as the oil maven Mattei, the film blends conspiracy, politics, documentary, and business into a cocktail of thrilling intrigue.
The mysterious death of Mattei is not something that many people outside of Italy are familiar with, but is a gospel story to Italians. And rightfully so - the story is full of plot holes and missing pieces, perfect fodder for conspiracy fires across the country. While most of the holes have been covered and pieces found, there is still an air of mystery to his death that one cannot help but get excited over.
The cinematography and direction of the film are clear standouts. Francesco Rosi mixes documentary and narrative styles exceptionally well, blending lines between story and reality not unlike Kiarostami’s Close Up. The cinematography achieves what There Will Be Blood did but decades before. The mix of cold, lush interiors, vast landscapes, and pulsing, action-filled set pieces makes for a highly engaging watch.
If the pacing were more comfortable and the runtime shorter, I would hail this a hidden masterpiece. It was an amazing watch, and certainly one that more political thriller fans should seek out.
Perhaps the biggest surprise in my little (not so little) Palme D’Or mission so far has come from the film with the most atrocious poster and least popularity among Letterboxd users! The Mattei Affair is a delightfully intricate political thriller that I never would have had the honour to watch had it not been a winner of the Palme D’Or. Starring Gian Maria Volonte as the oil maven Mattei, the film blends conspiracy, politics, documentary, and business into a cocktail of thrilling intrigue.
The mysterious death of Mattei is not something that many people outside of Italy are familiar with, but is a gospel story to Italians. And rightfully so - the story is full of plot holes and missing pieces, perfect fodder for conspiracy fires across the country. While most of the holes have been covered and pieces found, there is still an air of mystery to his death that one cannot help but get excited over.
The cinematography and direction of the film are clear standouts. Francesco Rosi mixes documentary and narrative styles exceptionally well, blending lines between story and reality not unlike Kiarostami’s Close Up. The cinematography achieves what There Will Be Blood did but decades before. The mix of cold, lush interiors, vast landscapes, and pulsing, action-filled set pieces makes for a highly engaging watch.
If the pacing were more comfortable and the runtime shorter, I would hail this a hidden masterpiece. It was an amazing watch, and certainly one that more political thriller fans should seek out.
