The Professor

On the streets and back rooms of Naples, a notorious killer sits behind bars yet keeps pulling the strings of the city's criminal empire. From his cell he engineers a dangerous campaign to seize leadership of the local underworld, weaving a network of loyalists and informants who carry out violent moves beyond prison walls. The tale follows the unsettling chemistry between confinement and power as officers and rivals try to anticipate his next move while his proteges push the plan forward. With cold calculation and a magnetic presence, the imprisoned figure reshapes loyalties, plots take shape in smoky rooms, and the city watches the balance of fear and authority tilt. The film blends suspense with a noir sensibility and uses Naples as a living backdrop.

Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, The Professor draws on a story by Massimo De Rita and Giuseppe Marrazzo. Released in 1986, this crime drama sits among Tornatore's early genre experiments exploring Naples' criminal landscape and the psychology of power and control in Tornatore's early career.

Box office data for The Professor isn't readily available and it does not appear to have produced a widely reported worldwide gross. Its reception abroad is limited and it remains little known outside Italian cinema circles today in some markets.

There's no record of major awards or nominations for The Professor. While it showcases strong performances by Ben Gazzara as the imprisoned figure and Laura del Sol as Rosaria, the film did not become a marquee awards contender. Gazzara delivers a restrained menace, and Gullotta offers a sharp foil.

Critical discussion centers on themes of power, control, and the moral ambiguities of crime in a port city. The film emphasizes mood, character psychology, and the unsettling dynamic of a mastermind who operates from confinement, challenging authorities and loyalties. The city breathes as a witness.