The Gospel in the Borgata: Mario Cipriani in Accattone

Abstract

Accattone, Pier Paolo Pasolini's first film, focuses on a marginal microcosm represented in all its desperation, yet also transfigured by the high forms of religious, scriptural, and figurative traditions. The cornerstone of Pasolini's project is his work with the actor. This article focuses on the character Balilla (Mario Cipriani), in whom Pasolini's figurative project is clearly visible, through the composite medium of the image and the diegetic function and cultural references that Balilla's words and gestures recall. The scriptural allusions reveal a conscious project of investiture in relation to the character, transforming him into the bearer of a universal message.