Hands over the City
A ruthless land developer turns a building collapse into a test of whether public accountability can survive municipal corruption.
Overview
A gripping tale of ambition and corruption unfolds as a city teeters on the brink of scandal.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Measured
- Intensity
- Strong
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- severe
- paranoid
- oppressive
- political cinema night
- serious film discussion
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The city council election and inquiry center the struggle between public office and developer influence.
The film uses an urban building collapse and public investigation to examine corruption without romanticizing its institutions.
The developer, political allies, council election, and inquiry committee collectively reveal the crisis.
The central conflict is driven by a land developer whose interests are linked to political backers and a building disaster.
Films like Hands over the City, and why
Z
Shared political corruption, institutional critique, and documentary-realist drama.
The Mattei Affair
Shared exposure of civic corruption through tense investigative political drama.
The Battle of Algiers
Shared urban political intrigue, moral compromise, and sharp social realism.
Movie Details
- Director
- Francesco Rosi
- Release Date
- 1963-10-11
- Runtime
- 101 min
- Rating
- 7.4 / 10 (164)
Cast
- Rod Steiger
- Salvo Randone
- Guido Alberti
- Marcello Cannavale
- Dante Di Pinto
- Alberto Conocchia
- Carlo Fermariello
- Terenzio Cordova
- Gaetano Grimaldi Filioli
- Angelo D'Alessandro
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- Criterion Channel
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Hands over the City about?
- A ruthless land developer turns a building collapse into a test of whether public accountability can survive municipal corruption.
- What is Hands over the City like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Hands over the City as measured, its intensity as strong and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Hands over the City violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Hands over the City as mild.
- Which films are like Hands over the City?
- Films with a similar feel include Z, The Mattei Affair, and The Battle of Algiers.
- How long is Hands over the City?
- Hands over the City runs 101 minutes.
- Where can I watch Hands over the City?
- In United States, Hands over the City streams on Criterion Channel.
