A MAN ON HIS KNEES (1979) (Radiance Films Blu-ray Review + Screenshots)

A MAN ON HIS KNEES (1979) 

aka Un uomo in ginocchio

Label: Radiance Films

Region Code: A. B

Rating: Unrated 

Duration: 110 Minutes 29 Seconds 

Audio: Italian PCM 2.0 Dual-Mono with Optional English Subtitles 

Video: 1080p HD Widescreen (1.85:1) 

Director: Damiano Damiani 

Cast: Giuliano Gemma, Michele Placido, Eleonora Giorgi, Tano Cimarosa, Ettore Manni, Luciano Catenacci, Nello Pazzafini, Fabrizio Forte, Nazzareno Zamperla, Andrea Aureli

In the Damiano Damiani (The Day of the Owl) directed crime-thriller/drama A Man on His Knees (1970) a former car-thief named Nino (Giuliano Gemma, The Iron Prefect) has served two years in prison for his crimes, and since being released he has turned straight. He's bought a small coffee and beverage stall in a busy plaza and seems to be doing well for himself, he has made taking care of his wife (Eleonora Giorgi, Beyond the Door) and his two children a priority. However, all that is threatened to be upended one day when he learns from his pickpocket friend/employee Colicchia (Tano Cimarosa, How To Kill a Judge) that a hit has been put on him. He can think of no reason why this would be, and sure enough, he finds himself being stalked by a known mob-assassin named Platamona (Michele Placido, The Pyjama Girl Case) who is conspicuously hanging out in the neighborhood. Nino doesn't try to hide or escape though, no, in fact he chases down the hitman on the street demanding to know why a hit has been placed on him. The two men play a bit of a cat and mouse game, and eventually we discover that for reasons involving an ill-placed branded espresso cup, the Don Vincenzo Fabbricante (Ettore Manni, Luio Fulci's Silver Saddle) believes that Nino was one of eight men somehow involved in the kidnapping of a woman, all of whom have been marked for death. Eventually Nino is the last man left on the list, and must use all of his street wise cunning to find a way out of the predicament and to protect his family, attempting to get to the mafioso so that he can plead his innocence 

As with most of the Damiano Damiani flicks I have seen this one is juiced with plenty of biting realism and socio-political commentary, it has an almost Hitchcockian wrong-man edge to it with Nino as the innocent working-class guy caught between two warring mafia families. There's also quite a bit of dark comedy at play, most of it involving the hitman Platamona who says he will spare Nino if he can make it monetarily profitable for him, causing Nino to not only forfeit his beverage stall but get back into the crime-life he'd left behind once more. 

I thought where it all ends up was quite surprisingly, and at the center of it all Gemma is terrific, he's a bit deadpan/subdued in a way, but he does good work portraying the hard-bitten cynicism of a man who understands the ways of the world, and who is determined to find a way to survive the untenable situation he now finds himself in, an unwilling pawn whose fate lays in the hands of warring mafioso and their minions. 

All in all a pretty fantastic watch, and one of my favorite films of Damiani so far, I loved the tension, the ticking clock, the maneuvers being made by all involved, it all just comes together so well, and the gloomy finale set atop a mist-covered hilltop is deliciously depressing in it's cynicism. 

Audio/Video: A Man On His Knees makes it's worldwide Blu-ray debut from Radiance Films, presented in 1080p HD widescreen (1.85:1). The film looks largely free of blemish though some vertical lines do pop-up later in the film, but for the most part just a few white speckles. Colors look good, black levels are adequate, and detail and texture is pleasing. Audio comes by way of Italian DTS-HD MA 2.0 dual-mono with optional English subtitles. This is a mostly dialogue driven film but we do get sounds of the city and the occasional pop of gunfire and the screech tires of a car, and they sound impactful if a bit limited in range. The score from  Franco Mannino (Murder Obsession) is a highlight. 

Extras include 39-min of Archival interviews with stars Giuliano Gemma, Tano Cimarosa, and assistant director Mino Giarda that appear to have previously appeared on a No Shame release, plus an exclusive 24-min New interview with Alberto Pezzotta, author of Regia Damiano Damian, and the 3-min Trailer. All of the interviews are conducted in Italian with English subtitles. 

The single-disc release arrives in a clear full-height Scanavo keepcase with a Reversible Sleeve of Artwork featuring both original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista. We also get Radiance's signature Removable OBI Strip which leaves packaging free of certificates and markings if you so wish. With this initial Limited Edition pressing we also get a 20-Page Illustrated Booklet featuring new writing by Roberto Curti, as well as notes about the cast, crew, transfer, and release credits. 

Special Features: 
- New 4K restoration from the original negative
- Uncompressed mono PCM audio
- Archival interviews with stars Giuliano Gemma (8:45), Tano Cimarosa (8:59), and assistant director Mino Giarda (20:41)
- New interview with Alberto Pezzotta, author of Regia Damiano Damiani (23:44) HD
- Trailer (3:13) HD 
- Reversible sleeve featuring original and newly commissioned artwork by Filippo Di Battista
- Booklet featuring new writing by Roberto Curti
- Limited edition of 3000 copies, presented in full-height Scanavo packaging with removable OBI strip leaving packaging free of certificates and markings

Screenshots from the Radiance Films Blu-ray: