Literal translation
he does feet and hands
Meaning
he's pulling out all the stops
Explanation
The expression means putting every effort into play, using every available means to reach one's goal. Literally, fai di pèd e di man translates as he does feet and hands, a phrase identical to its French counterpart and perfectly transparent: the image calls on the body's two most active extremities in physical effort, the feet for moving and bracing, the hands for acting and handling, to suggest the whole body thrown into the effort toward an objective. The register is common, without any negative shade, used to describe a persistent, sometimes slightly chaotic, push, always driven by a genuine wish to succeed. It applies equally to a tedious administrative process, a difficult negotiation, or concrete physical exertion, whenever the person involved spares no gesture or energy to reach their goal, even multiplying attempts and detours along the way.