The Young Montalbano

[glasgowcyclist]

For anyone who's interested, this Saturday on BBC4 at 9.00pm there's the first episode (of 6) of the Young Montalbano. I've watched the first one already on youtube and it's very good.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b03b3brl

I believe there's another four episodes of Il Commissario Montalbano coming too.
GC

 

[Hardrock93]

Thanks for the heads up. We're big fans of the baldy, bandy legged Commissario. I've never really understood the whole Catarella slapstick routine, though - it sits oddly with the rest of the drama. Perhaps all is explained in the books.

 

[DaveReading]

Catarella's character is fleshed out a bit in the books, as might be expected, but still seems a bit incongruous.

 

[the_mikey]

Catarella brings light moments to what can occasionally be hard viewing, that said Montalbano is the only drama I watch on tv!

 

[Basil.B]

Will be watching!

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Thanks for the heads up. We're big fans of the baldy, bandy legged Commissario. I've never really understood the whole Catarella slapstick routine, though - it sits oddly with the rest of the drama. Perhaps all is explained in the books.

Never watched this in English, probably Catarella's exploits do not translate well. He's a menace to tranquility in the books!

 

[shouldbeinbed]

terrific, thanks for the heads up.

 

[Archie_tect]

Never watched this in English, probably Catarella's exploits do not translate well. He's a menace to tranquility in the books!

What-a mistaka to maka!!

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Italian opera always had a comedy character, Catarella is Montalbano's, that's my theory.

 

[Pat "5mph"]

Italian opera always had a comedy character, Catarella is Montalbano's, that's my theory.

Catarella is not really "comic" in the books, his mishaps often result from his misunderstanding of the Italian language - he is more used to the Sicilian dialect.

 

[glasgowcyclist]

Catarella is a fabulous character, brilliantly played by Angelo Russo.

Camilleri introduced him specifically for comic effect, in particular for the way he speaks in a mix of bureaucratic and formal Italian, standard Italian, and Sicilian dialect.

Although he is cast as the office simpleton, he is the person Montalbano turns to for help with anything to do with computers, a field in which Catarella, bizarrely, excels. (He also has his own moments of glory in a number of the stories but I won't spoil things by revealing which ones.)

Russo is recognised everywhere he goes and he's happy to play the character off screen too. People will take the mickey by calling him Gargarella or Gargamella. Russo will reply, in 'catarellese', “Di pirsona pirsonalmente Catarella sono!”

I'm a huge fan of the Montalbano books, which you can buy in English from shops like Fopp at a rate of three for a fiver. They're all great reads.

GC

 

[Hardrock93]

Thanks for the info, GC. Russo plays a great part, but for me the fabulous character in the show is the occasionally seen, but always magnificent Ingrid.

 

[threebikesmcginty]

Anyone watching? I think it's really well done, got it all just right.

 

[Mad Doug Biker]

Yes there is more to Catarella than immediately meets the eye if you have seen the 'later' series. That said, having never read the books, I always assumed he was dyslexic or similar, so thanks for the heads up.

That said, the whole door thing is a bit odd.

 

[DCLane]

I've watched it (caught the first episode whilst away one weekend, otherwise I would''ve missed it) and it seems to be well written.

Some bits aren't connected that well, presumably to make it fit a 2-hour TV slot, but overall it's enjoyable and I'll be watching the whole series.