The
Film:
Salvatore
Giuliano {1962} is a work by Francesco Rosi and in short is a factual narrative of the death of
Italy’s most wanted criminal and celebrated hero.
It’s a political film, shockingly exposing Sicily and the intricate
relations between its citizens, the Mafia, the army, the police, the judiciary,
the business, the authorities, and the government officials.
The Fact:
Salvatore
Giuliano was a legendary figure in Sicilian history. Born in 1922 in the
Sicilian mountain town of Montelepre, he is seen by many as the ‘Robin Hood of
Sicily.’ Like the historical character, Giuliano did indeed steal from the rich
and give to the poor and assisted his countrymen during the harsh times of
World War II.
Salvatore
Giuliano was a handsome, fearless and charismatic young man, admired and
respected by his fellow Sicilians. His ideals surrounding Sicily and its
hopeful independence from Italy were viewed as patriotic – however, he was also
considered a murderer, though many claimed that he killed only when he had to.
Born a
Sicilian peasant, his outlaw career began at the young age of 20. He was
transporting black-market grain to give to the poor and was stopped by the
caribinieri. During the encounter, he shot one of the officers. While running
away, he dropped his identity card and was shot during his failed attempt to
retrieve it. With no doubt about who the assailant was, Giuliano began his life
on the run.
For the
next seven years he was hunted relentlessly by the state police until his
eventual death in 1950. During that time he became a legend.
Following
his early encounter with the caribinieri, he put together a gang of about 50
bandits, criminals and homeless men in the Sagana Mountains. Under his
leadership they became excellent marksmen and took to burglary to make money
for food and weapons.
Giuliano’s objective was to attack the present government
in the name of the EVIS (Esercito Volontario per I’Indipendenza della Sicilia)
movement. The EVIS promised him that he would be pardoned of his crimes and
appointed to a position in the newly developed independent state.
Giuliano
launched attacks on Italian government authorities and remained a problem for
them for years to come. The Sicilian peasants, however, admired him and viewed
him as a sort of Robin Hood because he was known for giving food and money to
the poor.
Anyone
who crossed him was swiftly executed. If the person was a known informer he was
duly executed and had a note pinned on him sending a message to any would-be
future informants.
When
funds became limited, Giuliano and his gang of bandits took to kidnapping. He
demanded ransom for prominent figures who would be returned after sizeable
amounts of cash was paid. Giuliano never kidnapped children, but did not
hesitate to abduct a rich duke or prince. He was said to have treated his
victims in a gentlemanly manner, giving them adequate housing, food and even
entertainment, all of which added to his Robin Hood appeal.
Giuliano’s
main goal was for Sicily to become not only an independent entity, but an
annexed state within the United States. He wrote two letters to then President
Harry S. Truman (duly documented) asking for this consideration. He fought
communism so that his dream of achieving affiliations with America would not be
compromised.
There
was one legendary attack that linked Giuliano to the slaughter of innocent
people, forever tarnishing his reputation. During a May Day celebration for the
recent communist advances in western Sicily, 17 people were shot and killed.
Giuliano maintained that his intentions were to fire over the heads of the
crowd and not to kill the innocent, but that is not what occurred. After this
incident, his reputation diminished among the people and he became the subject
of controversy.
In 1950,
as Giuliano was planning to flee Sicily, he was shot and killed. The official
story said that he was killed in a street battle by the soldiers of a special
task force. Later, Salvatore Giuliano’s trusted aid and friend, Gaspare
Pisciotta confessed to having betrayed and shot Giuliano in the back. His body
was then laid out in the street and made to look as if a street battle had
taken place. The official story was never retracted.
Salvatore
Giuliano died at the young age of 27. He was an idealistic youth who had great
dreams of independence for his homeland of Sicily. Some argue that he was an
outlaw, bandit and ruthless killer, while others claim he was a charitable man
who fought only for the good of his country. Though some may debate his place
in history, all can agree that Salvatore Giuliano is a legendary and memorable
Sicilian figure.
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