“The Lions of Sicily”, melodramatic tone and rich setting – Corriere.it

I’ve seen the first four episodes of «The Lions of Sicily»
(there are four others), the series inspired by Stefania Auci’s novels (I haven’t read them) and which is about theRise of the Florio family, those of tuna and marsala. We are in the 19th century and the nouveau riche, already despised by Tomasi di Lampedusa, are trying to shake off the reputation of “porters” in a Sicily where the nobilityoften with a patch on their bottom, still consider themselves to be of a higher social class and look down on them Bourgeois (“Your money tastes like sweat”).

Everything starts with an earthquake in Bagnara Calabra in 1799, forcing the brothers Paolo (Vinicio Marchioni) and Ignazio Florio (Paolo Briguglia) to move to Palermo, where they intend to open a Spice shop. Despite the great economic difficulties and the worries of Paolo’s wife Giuseppina (Ester Pantano as a young woman and later Donatella Finocchiaro), the Florios manage to become rich merchantsalthough the decadent local nobility opposed it.

However, it will be Paolo’s son Vincenzo Florio (Michele Riondino) who will make it a reality Captains of Industryas well as one of the dynasty more important than Italy, which was on its way into modern times. There is also a love story with a middle-class Lombard (Miriam Leone) who gives in very easily flattery of love from Vincenzo and also agrees to be a protected woman before marriage.

The Lions of Sicily, interview with Miriam Leone, Michele Riondino and Paolo Genovese

The screenplay is by Ludovica Rampoldi and Stefano Sardo Director: Paolo Genovese. The vintage photography immediately recalls the atmosphere of the most famous soap operas – the impression can hardly be replicated – refined by more or less cultivated quotes: “The earth is shaking” e “The leopard” by Visconti, “Bridgerton” by Shonda Rhimes. And then, a Mix expressive registers, there’s this strange soundtrack with rock and pop pieces and Laura Pausini. The sound gives melodrama It goes well with the rich ambience, very refined and never ornamental, the perfect ambience for historical references: the Bourbons, the Kingdom of the Two Sicilies, the Popular uprisingsthe influence of the English, Garibaldi, the Savoy… The saga is there, the epic writing is missing.