Eduardo De Filippo was one of the great playwrights of the 20th century, and his material has found success in various film and TV adaptations as well as stage revivals.
Here a less well known piece in a tragic vein (as opposed to his typical comedies) about a Neapolitan crime boss is transplanted to Chicago in the 1950s and serves as a surprisingly good vehicle for the aging Anthony Quinn.(His voice is dubbed by another actor.) Don Antonio lives in a suburban villa where he uses his position of respect to sort out petty problems his constituents bring him, and reminisces in black and white flashbacks about his rapscallion young years back in Italy.A crooked doctor sometimes visits in the middle of the night to take care of the wounded.Antonio's wife worries,wth good reason as it turns out, that the occasional need to use violence could affect their family.
As the story develops Antonio becomes involved with helping a hot headed youth whose father, a rival gangster running two bakeries, has disowned him, and it turns out to be more than the tired old patriarch can handle.
The film is served by good use of locations, an effective music score, and decent supporting performances though it is Quinn's role all the way through which stands out, and the climax at a restaurant party is a showcase for his years of acting prowess.
