Sacco and Vanzetti

Sacco and Vanzetti Sacco e Vanzetti Sacco and Vanzetti (1971) Country Italy Directed by Giuliano Montaldo Release Date 1971 Language English Italian Studio Jolly Film UNIDIS Theatre Le Rex S.A. Distributor Ital-Noleggio Cinematografico Compagnie Française de Distribution Cinématographique Universal Marion Corporation Main Cast Character Actor Bartolomeo Vanzetti Gian Maria Volonté Nicola Sacco Riccardo Cucciolla Fred Moore Milo O'Shea Judge Webster Thayer Geoffrey Keen

Sacco and Vanzetti (Italian: "Sacco e Vanzetti") is a 1971 Drama/Crime film directed by Giuliano Montaldo and starring by Riccardo Cucciolla and Gian Maria Volonté as the titulars "Sacco" and "Vanzetti".

Sacco and Vanzetti is based on the lives of Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco, who were blamed for the events that occurred in Massachusetts, Braintree at the Slater-Morrill Shoe Company factory, where a robbery occurred that led to a double murder and escape. Throughout the film they defense try to clear the names of Sacco and Vanzetti and avoid being blamed for a crime they say they did not commit.

The film varies between being faithful to real-life events and being biased or even fictional.

The following weapons were used in the film Sacco and Vanzetti:

Revolvers

Harrington & Richardson Premier

At Nicola and Vanzetti's trial, what appears to be a Harrington & Richardson Premier is used as evidence of the crime. This Harrington & Richardson revolver is the one police found on Nicola Sacco's property and the one he allegedly used in the crime in real life.

Harrington & Richardson Premier w/ nickel-plated finish - .32 S&W

The real Harrington & Richardson and Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless allegedly used by Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco.

The Harrington & Richardson Premier is on the table next to the Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, presumably after being used as evidence by the prosecution.

Iver Johnson Safety Automatic

At the beginning of the film, a police officer arrests one of the Italian unionists using an Iver Johnson Safety Automatic. During Sacco and Vanzetti's trial, one of the witnesses to the Braintree crime remembers that one of the murderers (identified as Bartolomeo Vanzetti) uses an Iver Johnson revolver to execute Alessandro Berardelli at the Slater-Morrill Shoe Company.

Iver Johnson Safety Automatic - .38 S&W

A police officer finds one of the union leaders and threatens him with his Iver Johnson Safety Automatic to force him to surrender.

A good frontal shot of the Iver Johnson Safety Automatic being fired by one of the Braintree crime killers.

The same criminal fires his Iver Johnson Safety Automatic at one of his victims for the second time.

Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Hammerless

One of the drivers of the getaway vehicle used by the criminals is seen carrying an Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Hammerless.

Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Hammerless - .38 S&W

A close-up of the Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Hammerless in the hands of one of the drivers of the getaway car used by the Braintree criminals.

Pistols

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless

When a police officer stops Bartolomeo Vanzetti (Gian Maria Volonté) on a tram, the latter is arrested, armed with a Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless, which identifies him as one of the Brainwater crime suspects. During Sacco and Vanzetti's trial, one of the witnesses to the Braintree crime remembers that one of the murderers (identified as Nicola Sacco) uses a Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless to execute Alessandro Berardelli at the Slater-Morrill Shoe Company. It is also used during Sacco and Vanzetti's trials as evidence of the crime.

Colt Model 1903 Pocket Hammerless - .32 ACP

The real Harrington & Richardson and Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless allegedly used by Bartolomeo Vanzetti and Nicola Sacco.

One of the police officers leaves the Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless on the desk of the police officer who is interrogating Bartolomeo Vanzetti.

The prison director interrogates Bartolomeo Vanzetti to talk about the crime, with Sacco and Vanzetti's confiscated weapons on the table.

A close-up shot of a Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless being used by some police officers at a press conference hours before one of Sacco and Vanzetti's trials.

The weapons instructor hired by the prosecution shows at the jury the Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless, but the slide on the weapon suddenly jams.

A good side shot of the Colt M1903 Pocket Hammerless.

Rifles

Springfield M1903A1

At the beginning of the film, during the police raid, a large number of police officers are seen carrying what appears to be M1903A1 Springfield rifles.

M1903A1 Springfield - .30-06 Springfield

During the police raid, several police officers use their M1903s to break the windows of houses in search of the Italian unionists.

A perfect side shot of a officer's M1903.

Springfield M1903 w/ M1905 bayonet - .30-06 Springfield; for comparison

Several soldiers carry M1903 rifles with M1905 bayonets to deter a march by pro-Sacco and Vanzetti protesters.

Machine Guns

Schwarzlose M.07/12

In the film's introduction a vehicle with a mounted Schwarzlose M.07/12 can be briefly seen, but at no point is it fired.

Schwarzlose Modell 1907/12 - 8x50mmR Mannlicher

A police patrol appears with a Schwarzlose Model 08/13 mounted, presumably in case the raid gets out of control.

A frontal shot of the Schwarzlose Model 08/13 machine gun aimed by one of the police officers.

Others

Gun Rack

During the search for one of the weapons used in the Sacco and Vanzetti crime, a large number of weapons can be seen in the gun racks.

In the gun rack on the right can be seen what appear to be several Colt New Lines, several Smith & Wesson Model 1 and Smith & Wesson Model 2, several Top-Break revolvers from Smith & Wesson (or another company) with a nickel-plated finish, two Harrington & Richardson Young American Bulldog, one Iver Johnson Safety Automatic Hammerless, Harrington & Richardson Top-Break Hammerless Safety and some unidentified Top-Break revolvers.
On the middle gun rack can be identify two Smith & Wesson revolvers (probably Smith & Wesson Model 10 and Smith & Wesson Victory Model), one Colt M1911 pistol, what appears to be a Colt "Fitz" Detective Special, two Smith & Wesson Top-Break revolvers, one Smith & Wesson Model 2 and some unidentified revolvers.

Another gun rack displays a large number of revolvers, the vast majority of which appear to be Top-Break pocket revolvers.

In the gun rack that supposedly kept one of the weapons used by Sacco and Vanzetti, several semi-automatic pistols can be identified, including two Frommer Stop, one FN Model 1900, what appear to be two Astra 400 pistols, a Walther P38 (anachronistic considering that this part of the film takes place in 1927), two Mauser HSc, what appears to be a STAR pistol, three Mauser Pocket Pistol pistols, one Nambu Type 14 pistol, what appears to be a Type 94 pistol and some other unidentified weapons.