The Professor

A young man from Naples is sent to prison for committing a murder to defend his sister's honor. While incarcerated, he earns the nickname the Professor by mastering the law and organizing a new criminal army. With the help of his sister, he establishes a powerful syndicate that challenges the established Camorra bosses for control of the city's drug and cigarette trades. After manipulating the legal system to be moved to a mental asylum, he escapes and expands his criminal empire, eventually fleeing to New York to build ties with the Cosa Nostra.

Directed by Giuseppe Tornatore, this 1986 crime drama is the first in a list of 11 films directed by him. The screenplay was written by Tornatore and Massimo De Rita. The film stars Ben Gazzara as the Professor and Laura del Sol as his sister, Rosaria, with a supporting cast that includes Leo Gullotta, Marzio Honorato, Luciano Bartoli, and Nicola Di Pinto, along with 84 credited cast members.

The movie has received a consistent reception from viewers, holding a rating of 7.1/10 on IMDb based on 1,900 votes and an identical 7.1/10 on TMDB from 127 votes. It was produced by Goffredo Lombardo through Reteitalia, Titanus, and Arlac Film.