What Is The Professor About?
The premise of The Professor in 225 words, with nothing given away. The full story follows below.
In the cramped, sun‑baked corridors of Poggioreale prison, a young inmate named Franco begins to reshape the very notion of power. Convicted for a desperate act of vengeance, he discovers that the walls that surround him can also become a strategic map. With a sharp intellect that earns him the moniker “the Professor,” he starts to orchestrate a new order from inside his cell, turning the prison’s daily grind into a covert headquarters for an emerging criminal syndicate.
Beyond the barbed‑wire fences, the restless streets of Naples pulse with a mix of tradition and decay. The city’s underworld, long ruled by entrenched families, is a delicate balance of honor, rivalry, and whispered alliances. As Franco extends his influence outward, he gathers a tight‑knit circle—including his loyal sister Rosaria and a handful of trusted allies—who share his vision of a reformed Camorra. Their calculated moves hint at a broader clash between old loyalties and a new, more organized force seeking control of the city’s shadow economy.
The film drapes this power struggle in a gritty, almost documentary‑like texture, letting the grime‑stained alleys, the echo of distant church bells, and the oppressive atmosphere of the prison set a relentless, tense mood. It is a story of ambition forged in confinement, where intellect becomes weaponry and every whispered conversation could tip the fragile equilibrium of Naples’ criminal landscape.
What Happens in The Professor?
The complete story of The Professor, from the first scene to the last, in 300 words (about 1 minute). Spoilers throughout. Names in the text link to 5 cast member pages.
Spoilers ahead
In 1963, the young man Franco, Franco Interlenghi kills a boy who had harassed his sister Rosaria, Laura del Sol, and ends up in prison. Over ten years in Poggioreale prison in Naples, he rises to become a feared and authoritative figure known as ‘O Professore di Vesuviano Ben Gazzara. From his prison cell he forges a new criminal in-group, allying with Alfredo Canale Nicola Di Pinto and Pasquale Zara the “animal” to form the organization Camorra Riformata. This tight-knit cell quickly expands its reach, clashing in the 1970s with the old Camorra families and sparking the War of the Camorra that stains southern Italy through the 1970s and 1980s.
The turmoil broadens when Naples and the Campania region are struck by a devastating earthquake in 1980, intensifying the struggle over reconstruction money and power. In 1981, the Red Brigades kidnap regional assessor Mimmo Mesillo, Piero Vida (Ciro Cirillo in real life). Members of Mesillo’s Christian Democrat party seek the Professor’s intervention, fearing Mesillo’s possible disclosures. In exchange, the Professor is promised freedom on mental illness grounds and a 3 billion-lira ransom. Mesillo is freed, but is then placed in the custody of the secret services rather than the police.
The political authorities later ignore the bargain, and the Professor is moved to the high-security prison of Asinara by a decree from Italian president Sandro Pertini. This decision accelerates the disintegration of his once-loyal network as trusted men begin cooperating with the police. Rosaria, his sister, fights to stem the damage, but her efforts prove futile. In the end, Ciro is killed when his car is blown up, and his partner is dissolved in acid, a blow that drives the Professor toward a breaking point. After these events, he descends into madness, convinced that someday his men will release him.
The Professor Timeline: Every Key Event in Order
13 key events in the order they happen, from “Killing sparks imprisonment (1963)” to “Professor driven insane (early 1980s)”. 13 events name a place, across 9 locations.
- 1
Killing sparks imprisonment (1963)
In 1963, Franco kills a boy who had harassed his sister Rosaria, an act that lands him in prison. He is sent to Poggioreale Prison in Naples, marking the start of a long, brutal confinement. This incident seeds his future as a feared figure behind bars.
When:1963 Where:Poggioreale Prison, Naples
- 2
Rises to power as 'Oh Professor' (1963-1973)
Over the next decade behind bars, Franco earns the nickname 'Oh Professor' e Vesuviano as he commands respect from inmates. He uses intelligence and intimidation to build influence inside Poggioreale. His leadership begins to form the core of a criminal network.
When:1963-1973 Where:Poggioreale Prison, Naples
- 3
Founding Camorra Riformata in prison (1963-1973)
With Alfredo Canale and Pasquale Zara 'the animal', he founds Camorra Riformata inside the prison. The group expands its reach and begins to operate beyond prison walls. This marks the birth of a power structure that will outlive its founders.
When:1963-1973 Where:Poggioreale Prison, Naples
- 4
War of the Camorra begins (1970s)
In the 1970s, Camorra Riformata grows and clashes with the old Camorra families. The conflict escalates into the War of the Camorra, a brutal struggle that bleeds across South Italy. The Professor's prison-born leadership proves pivotal to the widening war.
When:1970s Where:South Italy, Campania
- 5
Naples earthquake and upheaval (1980)
In 1980, a major earthquake strikes Naples and the Campania region, unleashing chaos and competition over reconstruction funds. The Camorra war intensifies as factions fight for control of the rebuilding money. The disaster accelerates violence and consolidates power for ruthless factions.
When:1980 Where:Naples, Campania
- 6
Mimmo Mesillo kidnapping (1981)
In 1981, the Red Brigades kidnap regional Assessor Mimmo Mesillo (Ciro Cirillo in real life). The act drags politicians and security agencies into the Professor's web of leverage. His involvement becomes a bargaining chip in their hands.
When:1981 Where:Campania
- 7
Ransom deal offered (1981)
As part of the deal, the Professor is promised freedom on mental illness grounds and a 3 billion ransom. The arrangement reveals the murky entanglement between crime and politics and the price of power.
When:1981 Where:Campania
- 8
Mesillo freed, then secret services custody (1981)
Mesillo is freed but immediately placed in custody of the secret services rather than the police. The state's handling signals a breakdown in the original bargain and further isolates the Professor. The balance of power shifts away from his control.
When:1981 Where:Secret services custody
- 9
Move to Asinara prison (1981-1982)
Politicians reject the agreement and move the Professor to the high-security prison of Asinara by a decree of President Sandro Pertini. This drastic confinement cuts him off from his network and accelerates his isolation. The move marks a turning point in the war.
When:1981-1982 Where:Asinara, Sardinia
- 10
Disintegration of the organization begins (1981-1982)
With the Professor imprisoned far away, trusted men begin cooperating with the police, weakening the organization from within. The disintegration deepens as loyalties fracture and momentum stalls. The war loses its once-dreaded edge.
When:1981-1982 Where:Naples/Campania
Show the other 3 events of The Professor Hide the last 3 events
- 11
Rosaria counters the damage (1981-1982)
Rosaria, Franco's sister, tries to counteract the damage and shield the organization from collapse. Her efforts highlight the personal stakes behind the political and criminal struggles. Despite her actions, the network bleeds from betrayals and trials.
When:1981-1982 Where:Naples
- 12
Ciro killed and acid dissolution (early 1980s)
Ciro, the trusted man who sold out to politicians, is killed by a car bombing, and his partner's woman is dissolved in acid. These brutal acts demonstrate the reach and ruthlessness of the conflict. The killings seal the break between the Professor and his former lieutenants.
When:early 1980s Where:Naples
- 13
Professor driven insane (early 1980s)
After these killings, the Professor is driven insane, convinced that someday his loyal men will free him. He spends his days in confinement, his mind turning inward as the world around him crumbles. The once-feared figure ends up a shadow of his former self.
When:early 1980s Where:Asinara/Prison
Who Are the Main Characters in The Professor?
8 characters, among them The Professor (Ben Gazzara) — O Professore di Vesuviano, Alfredo Canale and Pasquale Zara 'the animal': who each one is and the part they play in the story. Every profile links to the actor’s page.
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The Professor (Ben Gazzara) — O Professore di Vesuviano
Played by Ben Gazzara
A charismatic yet ruthless figure who engineers the Camorra Riformata from behind bars. He orchestrates recruitment, strategy, and violence to expand his control, transcending prison walls to shape a regional criminal empire.
- 🗝️ Power
- 🧠 Leadership
- 🕴️ Influence
- AC
Alfredo Canale
Played by Nicola Di Pinto
A trusted ally of the Professor and a key co‑founder of the Camorra Riformata. He helps run operations and consolidates power, remaining fiercely loyal even as rivals threaten alliances.
- 🗝️ Power
- 🤝 Loyalty
- PZ
Pasquale Zara 'the animal'
Played by Stefano Sabelli
The brutal enforcer of the group, charged with carrying out the Professor's decisions with little mercy. His ferocity helps keep rivals in check and bulks up the organization’s fearsome reputation.
- 🩸 Violence
- 🗡️ Intimidation
- R
Rosaria
Played by Laura del Sol
The Professor's sister, whose harassment by a local thug triggers Franco's prison sentence. She becomes entangled in the family's struggle against the criminal network while attempting to counter its influence.
- 👩👧 Family
- 💔 Drama
- CP
Ciro Perrella
Played by Luciano Bartoli
A trusted operative who betrays the Professor and is ultimately killed in a brutal retaliation. His fate highlights the high stakes and fragility of loyalty within the organization.
- 🗡️ Betrayal
- 🩸 Violence
- DL
Domenico La Sciarra
Played by Giovanni Febraro
A member of the old Camorra family, standing in opposition to the Professor's rising power. His role represents the entrenched factions that resist the Camorra Riformata's expansion.
- 🤝 Rivalry
- 🛡️ Tradition
- VC
Verzella Clan Boss #1
Played by Antonio Ferrante
One of the Verzella clan leaders who clings to traditional power and clashes with the Professor’s newer organization. His leadership anchors a significant rival faction.
- ⚔️ Rivalry
- 🛡️ Tradition
- VC
Verzella Clan Boss #2
Played by Pino D'Angiò
Another Verzella clan figure who continues the feud with the Professor and helps drive the broader Camorra conflict across the region.
- ⚔️ Rivalry
- 🛡️ Tradition
Where and When Is The Professor Set?
The Professor is set in Poggioreale Prison, Naples; Naples, Campania; Asinara Prison, Sardinia (1963–1981). Here is why the time and place matter to the story.
When
1963–1981
The narrative spans the 1960s to the early 1980s, beginning with a murder in 1963 and tracing the professor’s rise from within prison walls. It covers the Camorra wars of the 1970s, the 1980 Naples earthquake, and the 1981 kidnapping, culminating in the state moving the Professor to Asinara. The era shows how crime, politics, and disaster interlock to reshape southern Italy.
Where
Poggioreale Prison, Naples; Naples, Campania; Asinara Prison, Sardinia
The story primarily unfolds inside Poggioreale Prison in Naples, where inmates exercise real power and the future Camorra boss begins to cohere. It also traverses the city of Naples, a hotbed of gang conflicts and political intrigue during the 1960s–1980s. The plot eventually reaches Asinara, a remote island used as a high-security prison, highlighting how the state tries to contain an increasingly powerful criminal empire.
- 🔒 Prison
- 🕴️ Organized crime
- 🗺️ Naples
What Are the Themes of The Professor?
3 ideas the story keeps returning to, among them Power and Crime, Violence and Betrayal and Politics and Corruption.
-
01
Power and Crime
Power in the film is built through fear, charisma, and control of the prison network. The Professor converts a prison cell into a command center and grows his influence beyond Naples. He leverages loyalty, strategic violence, and political leverage to expand his criminal empire. The theme shows how institutions can be repurposed to sustain alternative power.
-
02
Violence and Betrayal
The narrative is steeped in brutal acts—murders, car bombs, and the graphic destruction of opponents' families. Violence is depicted as a routine tool for enforcing loyalty and silencing rivals. Betrayal from within the organization accelerates the collapse of alliances and stability. The film uses these acts to illustrate the corrosive nature of organized crime.
-
03
Politics and Corruption
The plot exposes the ties between crime and state power, including ransom negotiations and political interference. It shows politicians negotiating with criminals and breaking agreements for perceived gain. When state authorities move the Professor to a fortress like Asinara, the line between law and lawlessness blurs. The cycle reveals how corruption enables sustained criminal influence over long periods.
What Kind of Film Is The Professor?
Dark in tone, with steady pacing and a complex story, going by the plot summary.
- Tone
- Dark
- Pacing
- Steady
- Story
- Complex
- Intensity
- High
- Ending
- Bleak
A grim and violent chronicle of a man's ruthless rise and subsequent descent into madness within the brutal world of organized crime, set against a backdrop of political corruption and profound betrayal.
- oppressive
- brutal
- claustrophobic
- power-hungry
- grim
- paranoid
- organized crime
- prison life
- political corruption
- betrayal
Content notes: murder, organized crime violence, kidnapping, prison violence, death by explosion, acid disposal of body.
Quiz
How well do you remember The Professor? Test yourself on the story.
Where to Watch The Professor
Stream it on Amazon Prime Video and Cineverse, or rent or buy it from Amazon Video. US availability and prices from JustWatch.
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