Commendatori

"Commendatori" is the fourth episode of The Sopranos second season and the seventeenth overall, airing on February 6, 2000. David Chase wrote it, and Tim Van Patten directed.

Tony Soprano travels to Naples alongside Christopher Moltisanti and Paulie Gualtieri to arrange the smuggling of stolen luxury cars to Italy, working with a Camorra family that has distant ties to the Sopranos. Their local contact is Furio Giunta, an English-speaking mobster. Tony discovers that Don Vittorio, the elderly head of the Naples family, is senile; his son-in-law Mauro Zucca previously ran things but is now serving a life sentence. Tony struggles to accept that Annalisa—Vittorio’s daughter and Mauro’s wife—is effectively running the family.

Tony negotiates with Annalisa, naming his price for the cars and requesting that Furio be sent to work for him in the U.S. as a zip, with more men to follow as needed. Annalisa dismisses the proposal. Later, she makes a pass at Tony, but he insists on keeping things professional. He then lowers his price in exchange for Furio and future men, and she agrees. Meanwhile, Paulie tries to explore his heritage but ends up disliking Italy, while Christopher spends most of the trip high on heroin.

Back in New Jersey, Carmela resents Tony for not taking her to Italy. She has lunch with Rosalie Aprile and Angie Bonpensiero, where Angie admits she is miserable since Pussy returned. Pussy shows no concern for his wife, even as she awaits biopsy results. Angie confesses thoughts of suicide and plans to divorce him. Carmela later visits Angie and urges her not to break the sacrament of marriage.

Pussy meets with his FBI handler, Skip Lipari, and runs into Jimmy Bones, a Soprano associate. They concoct a cover story, but Pussy worries Jimmy won’t buy it. He goes to Jimmy’s house and beats him to death with a ball-peen hammer. Pussy then returns home with a bouquet for Angie. She hesitates, then hits him with it.

Tony arrives home. Carmela is upstairs doing housework. He calls out to her. She pauses, then goes to greet him.

This episode introduces Furio Giunta, a made man from the Naples Mafia under Don Vittorio and Annalisa Zucca, who is sent to the U.S. after the trade. It also marks the first appearances of recast actors for Angie Bonpensiero (Pussy’s wife) and Gabriella Dante (Silvio’s wife); both characters appeared briefly in season one episodes "The Legend of Tennessee Moltisanti" and "Nobody Knows Anything," played by different actresses.

Jimmy Bones, an Elvis impersonator and Mafia associate, is killed by Big Pussy with a ball-peen hammer after Bones spots him talking to FBI handler Skip Lipari.

The title "Commendatori" is the plural of the Italian word commendatore, an official title in the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic (originally established by the House of Savoy). It is rarely used as a respectful greeting; Tony and his crew receive it from their hotel concierge in Italy, and Paulie tries to use it throughout the episode.

Junior meets Tony at the doctor’s office for an X-ray on his hip after slipping in the shower in "Do Not Resuscitate."

The song "Con te partirò" by Andrea Bocelli plays three times in the episode. When Tony is driven to Annalisa’s villa, the Neapolitan song "Core 'ngrato" plays without vocals. In the store with Jimmy Bones and Big Pussy, a version of "Perdido" is heard. Before dinner in Italy, a portion of "Andalucia" by Pink Martini plays. "Marco Polo" by Jovanotti plays briefly when Christopher first takes heroin, and "Certamente" by Madreblu plays during his second use. The end credits feature "Piove" by Jovanotti.

Series creator David Chase makes a cameo as an Italian man sitting at a cafe. When Paulie says "commendatori" to the table, Chase glances at him indifferently and turns away. Vittorio Duse, who plays Zi Vittorio, also played Don Tommasino in the 1990 film The Godfather Part III.

Filming locations, in order of first appearance: Lodi, New Jersey; Naples, Italy; Monte di Procida, Italy; Bacoli, Italy; Newark International Airport; and Route 21 in Belleville, New Jersey.