Even Al Pacino fans don’t know about this movie

The year is 1985. Al Pacino stars in Hugh Hudson’s Revolution, the story of a Scottish immigrant in the midst of the 1776 American Revolution. The film cost $28 million and grossed only $346,000 domestically. A total flop that prompts Pacino to leave the screen and return to the theater.

It was in this context that he produced The Local Stigmatic, a television film adapted from Heathcote Williams’ one-act play. When he was in the actor’s studio, Pacino played the lead role, and the theme of the play always fascinated him. Therefore, he decides to finance the filming from his own pocket and once again takes the main role.

The story begins with an excuse: an Englishman bets on a dog race, but is given bad information and loses money. He is encouraged by his friend, then the two begin to talk about their lives.

In preparation, Al Pacino and fellow comedian Paul Guilfoyle adopt completely cartoonish Cockney accents and a plate on the side, which severely reprimands the film. Moreover, The Local Stigmatic listens too much to talk, the staging not particularly trying to highlight either the actors or the action.

The latter is also quite difficult, because the theme is diluted, but the fact is that the story remains quite fascinating: we want to know where the story is going, and despite the fairly straightforward scenario, we are engrossed.

Satisfied with not being accountable to anyone, Pacino took his time editing and it took four years to get a version he was happy with. This theatrical adaptation will only be shown at private screenings organized by the actor, and he has given a copy to the Museum of Modern Art, which can only distribute it with his agreement.

Just its presence in the video box explains why a copy reached Youtube.