Accattone (1961)

In the shadowy underbelly of Rome, the loathsome Vittorio Cataldi, known to all as "Accattone" or "beggar," leads a vice-ridden existence. Self-absorbed and violent, he lives off the spoils of prostitution, depending solely on Maddalena, his sole streetwalker and lifeline. Not a single day of honest work marks his past, his life revolving around dubious card games and cheap liquor. His estranged wife, Ascenza, and their young son, Iaio, barely feature in his life, their existence eclipsed by his self-serving pursuits. But Accattone's world of effortless exploitation begins to crumble when Maddalena is incapacitated, first by a motorcyclist, then by his rivals' brutal beating. Her subsequent arrest and imprisonment leave a void in his life, one that he contemplates filling with honest work, largely for the sake of his son. That's when Stella, a young woman marked by hardships yet retaining an air of innocence, crosses his path. Accattone, despite his hardened exterior, falls for her, seeing in her a chance for a fresh start. Yet, the prospect of steady work repulses him, and he considers pushing Stella into the life Maddalena had led. As Accattone and Stella navigate their burgeoning relationship, the echoes of Accattone's past loom ominously. Will he pull Stella into his world of squalor, or can he escape his past and embrace change before losing the last vestiges of his dignity? The journey of this repugnant layabout through the harsh realities of unseen Rome poses the question - is redemption possible for someone like Accattone?

Accattone is a drama movie featuring Franco Citti.

Accattone is currently streaming on Criterion Channel.