Rating summary

Movie		4.0
Video		4.0
Audio		4.0
Extras		3.0
Overall		4.0

The Iron Prefect Blu-ray Movie Review

Reviewed by Jeffrey Kauffman July 19, 2023

As absolutely different as they are, there are some curious correspondences between The Iron Prefect and Fighting Back. While Fighting Back is set in the United States of the 1970s, and The Iron Prefect takes place during the Fascistic Mussolini era in Italy, both films document a man tasked with ridding a designated area of crime, only to find out he may have become something rather like a criminal in the process. The Iron Prefect is actually based on a real life Italian named Cesare Mori (Giuliano Gemma), who was sent to Palermo by Mussolini himself in order to clear the area of Mafia influences. Mori is spectacularly successful in his efforts, which actually then leads to some of his problems.

An interesting appreciation of Guiliano Gemma by Alex Cox is included on this disc as a supplement, and Cox mentions how overwhelmingly popular the actor was not just in his native Italy, but in some rather unexpected markets, where his fame was such that there were product tie ins for things as unexpected as motor scooters bearing his name. But for some reason Gemma never seemed to make much of an impact on this side of the pond, as Cox himself overtly mentions, and while those who do know about him may almost automatically associate him with A Pistol for Ringo & The Return of Ringo: Two Films by Duccio Tessari, The Iron Prefect actually shows Gemma off to surprisingly good advantage in a role that really doesn't depend on traditional action elements.

The film frankly never achieves the heights or the depths of arguable "companion pieces" like The Conformist, but it does a good job in portraying a fractious period in Italy's history where some "powers that be" (or at least were) might have preferred the status quo to an ostensible muckraker like Mori. Claudia Cardinale offers support as Mori's love interest.

The Iron Prefect Blu-ray Movie, Video Quality 

The Iron Prefect is presented on Blu-ray courtesy of Radiance Films with an AVC encoded 1080p transfer in 1.85:1. Radiance's insert booklet contains the following brief verbiage on the transfer:

The Iron Prefect was scanned in 2K from the original camera negative and restored by Cinema Communications, Rome. The films is presented in the original aspect ratio with original mono audio.

In brighter lighting conditions, and especially in some outdoor material, this transfer pops quite appealing and warmly, with natural looking flesh tones and a good accounting of the earthy backgrounds that often fill the frame. There are some passing but recurrent moments where things can either look slightly yellow or green, especially in lower light situations. A few really dark scenes have noticeably chunkier grain, though grain resolves tightly for the most part. There are some very minor nicks and flecks, but nothing of any import.

The Iron Prefect Blu-ray Movie, Audio Quality 

The Last Prefect features Italian and English language versions of the film, presented in LPCM Mono. While I always tend to opt for the original language version, and you certainly won't go seriously wrong with that version on this disc, to my ears the English track is noticeably clearer with better amplitude, something that may help the enjoyment of another fantastic Ennio Morricone score. Dialogue is rendered cleanly and clearly on both tracks. Optional English subtitles are available.

The Iron Prefect Blu-ray Movie, Special Features and Extras 

• Pasquale Squitieri and Giuliano Gemma (HD; ) offers archival interviews shot in 2009 with the director and star of the film. Subtitled in English.


• Domenico Monetti (HD; 40:15) offers Pasquale Squitieri biographer Monetti offering his thoughts on the director and the film. Subtitled in English.


• Alex Cox (HD; 11:28) features the multihyphenate offering some background on Giuliani Gemma.


• Trailer (HD; 3:28)

Additionally, Radiance provides another nicely appointed insert booklet, with an essay by Guido Bonsaver and a rather interesting reprint of an archival 1926 article about the Mafia that ran in The Guardian, along with some stills and technical information. Packaging includes Radiance's quasi- Obi strip.

The Iron Prefect Blu-ray Movie, Overall Score and Recommendation 

There's that old adage that goes something like "be careful what you wish for", and that in essence is what this film seems to suggest Mori may have realized, perhaps a bit too late for his own good. The film has a rather understated performance by Gemma and the supporting cast is uniformly excellent. Technical merits are generally solid and the supplements very enjoyable. Recommended.