Luisa Maneri Movies
This actioner involves Nazi soldiers hijacking a train carrying England's prime minister. ~ Kristie Hassen, Rovi
- 1988
In this very Italian comedy, the romantic lives of a group of 35 year old former high-school chums go through a series of dramatic changes in the course of a single evening at a reunion dinner party. The film's director Carlo Verdone plays Piero, a schoolteacher who has a frustrating relationship with his nagging wife and a tentative one with his student, Cristina (Natasha Hovey). Things gets complicated for Piero when both show up at the dinner. Hostess Federica (Nancy Brilli makes no secret of the fact that she's a rich man's mistress, hence the stunning villa where the party is held. Among the guests are a sleazy, third rate entertainer (Christian De Sica), a happily unwed mother (Luisa Maneri) and a psychologist forced to listen to everyone's problems (Athena Cenci). ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carlo Verdone, Nancy Brilli, (more)
- 1987
This enigmatic drama follows a variety of people have reached an impasse in their lives, romantic and otherwise, and cannot figure out where to go from here. The characters include a social-climbing film dubber, an actress, and a businessman who runs a publishing company and longs to be a writer. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi
- Starring:
- Piero Natoli, Luisa Maneri, (more)
- 1980
Essentially a story about a father's relationship with his daughter, this autobiographical film is an interesting second offering from director Piero Natoli. Eight-year-old Carlotta (Carlotta Natoli) has been living with her mother during her parents' separation, but when she spends a summer with her father, his comfort level is put into immediate jeopardy. After a few days of attempting to fight the situation, he buys a camper and the two travel to the seashore. As they begin to reconnect, they pick up an attractive young hitchhiker (Luisa Maneri) who takes an immediate interest in Carlotta's father. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi
- Starring:
- Carlotta Natoli, Piero Natoli, (more)
An international comedy sensation based on a successful French stage play, La Cage aux Folles depicts the farcical chaos that results when a gay man attempts to pose as straight for the benefit of his son's future in-laws. Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) owns a popular nightclub and is the long-time lover of Zaza (Michel Serrault), a female impersonator who is the club's main attraction. Unfortunately, Renato's son Laurent (Remy Laurent) has told none of this to his future father-in-law, an important figure in a morally conservative political organization. Not wanting to ruin his son's chance of happiness, Renato agrees to pose as a straight man, but he finds his familiar habits, and those of the even more flamboyant Zaza, getting in the way at every turn. Zaza is the one who comes up with what he thinks is an ideal solution: he'll dress in drag and pose as Renato's wife. Naturally, the plan does not pan out as expected. La Cage aux Folles' pleasant, unthreatening comic sensibility attracted a large mainstream audience in both Europe and the United States, which was at the time unusual for a film with a homosexual theme. Indeed, the film was popular enough to inspire two remakes: a stage musical and, nearly two decades later, the Hollywood comedy The Birdcage with Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Gene Hackman. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi
- Starring:
- Ugo Tognazzi, Michel Serrault, (more)
