The places of the cinematographic story: Johnny Stecchino (Palermo)
The place is included in the "Regional Map of Places of Identity and Memory" (LIM) established by the Sicily Region with DA n. 8410 of 03/12/2009. The reference sector is that relating to "Places of literary, television and filmic narrative" - Places of the mafia in the cinematographic story - "" Johnny Stecchino ", 1991, directed by Roberto Benigni
Places included in the IWB:
"Johnny Stecchino", 1991, directed by Roberto Benigni:
- Villa Arezzo-Spedalotto (Bagheria-province of Palermo);
- Palermo;
- Barber shop in Piazza Durante (Letojanni-province of Messina)
What the series is about?
Dante, a naive and somewhat childish young man lives in Florence, where he is the driver of a school bus for the handicapped: his only friend and confidant is one of them, Lillo, suffering from diabetes. Almost as a joke, Dante enjoys stealing some bananas, and, above all, cheating on insurance, pretending to be seriously disabled in his right hand. One night Dante is hit by the car of a beautiful young woman, Maria. He was not damaged, but the lady, rushed to his aid, looks at his enchanted face, then faints at his feet. Meet her again, Dante immediately falls in love with her, in her pure and dreamy way. She calls him Johnny and - as if on a whim - draws a mole on his cheek, makes him carry a toothpick in his mouth, and after buying him an elegant suit, takes him to lunch in a luxury restaurant. Mesmerizing him by dint of coaxing, but without giving him anything, Maria then manages to make him leave for Palermo, where she hosts him in an ancient and luxurious villa. Here he introduces him to an alleged drug addict lawyer uncle who makes him believe that it is simply a medicine against diabetes. Meanwhile, Dante finds himself embroiled in a dangerous affair, which he does not understand: Maria is in fact the wife of a famous "repentant" mafioso, the Italian-American Johnny Stecchino, who has long lived hidden in the basements of the villa, because the mafia sentenced him to death. Now, having found Dante by chance, who is Johnny's perfect double, Maria has decided to have him killed by the mafia, instead of her husband, who will be able to leave safely with her for abroad. But the unsuspecting young man causes a series of misunderstandings and troubles, always managing to save himself. The salient moments of the mess are the secret meeting with a corrupt minister and cocaine addict, who is candidly exposed by Dante, and an evening at the opera, in which the young man, in a box with Maria, is exposed to the insults of Palermo and to the revenge of the mobsters who mistaken him for the real Johnny Stecchino. Ultimately he even manages to escape the trap set by the mafia in a barber shop. Meanwhile, the real Johnny, who believes the double already dead, is murdered by the mafia in a public toilet. Back in Florence Dante gives his friend Lillo the bag of drugs to cure his diabetes: the boy, having tried the "medicine", runs excitedly down the street.
(Source: https://www.comingsoon.it/film/johnny-stecchino/37672/scheda/)
Card insertion: Ignatius Caloggero
Photo: web
Information contributions: Ignazio Caloggero, Web
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