I don't think anyone here realizes the message of this movie. It is clearly a criticism of the triumphalism of American imperialism after the war. All you'd have to do is be conversant with the other movies extent in this period, immediately post-bellum. Even Fellini's "La dolce vita" pretty much echoes this idea. This film deals with the distribution of wealth. The Americans here are depicted as uncouth, rapacious tourists. There is even a reference to the atomic bomb. The photographer kills people by taking pictures of pictures, that is by analyzing the "images" that the Americans send to Italy. The mockery here is also of religion and even God. It is reminiscent of Mark Twain's "Mysterious Stranger". The devil is a "povero diavolo".
Review of The Machine to Kill Bad People
