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The Machine That Kills Bad People (1948)

Director: Roberto Rossellini

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From Time Out Film Guide

Minor but mildly pleasing Rossellini, set in a small town in Southern Italy thrown into a tizzy by the machinations of a mysterious old man. Saint or devil, he endows a camera with the power not merely to kill people, but to ferret out sources of wealth. Cue for a flurry of treachery and greed, all casually swept under the carpet in a final pirouette. The neo-realist techniques don't always mix too comfortably with the fantasy, making it an Ealing comedy with an edifying bent.

Author: TM

Time Out Film Guide


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