Una questione d’onore (Eine Frage der Ehre)

Luigi Zampa's black comedy conjures up Western echoes in unusual local colour with its depiction of an archaic Sardinia dominated by outdated traditions and the cycle of blood feuds. (The film promptly sparked protests there, which led to a short-term confiscation). Day labourer Efesio (Ugo Tognazzi) experiences the absurd consequences first-hand. He has been forcibly engaged to Domenicangela (Nicoletta Machiavelli) since she attacked him with a sickle and was imprisoned for it: Her release from prison leads to entanglements in which Efesio is drawn into an age-old vendetta by Don Leandro (Bertrand Blier). Zampa's biting satire celebrated its premiere in the Berlinale competition and was hailed as his return to time-critical mastery: The culmination of folkloric humour into a sinister punchline in the tragic finale is the quintessence of Zampa's world view. (Christoph Huber)

Photo: Austrian Film Museum