Maurizio Arena Movies

Giacomo Meyerbeer's celebrated opera L'Africaine comes to life on-stage in this performance by the chorus, ballet, and orchestra of the San Francisco Opera. Swelling with French vocals, the story follows a Portuguese explorer to Africa, where he complicates his life with his love interest in the African queen. The entanglement in a love triangle permeates the explorer's excursion. DVD is subtitled in English. ~ Sarah Sloboda, All Movie Guide

Conducted by the renowned Maurizio Arena, this production of Puccini's legendary Madam Butterfly features Raina Kabaivanska in the title role, and includes supporting performances from Nazareno Antinori, Elonora Jankovic, and Lorenze Saccomani. Considered one of the most pivotal operas of all time, the story revolves around a tragic love affair between a Japanese maiden and an American sailor. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide

Young Orlando (Renato Pozzetto) hasn't a clue what to do with himself or his romantic aspirations. Even though he is the heir to an industrial tycoon and has achieved the age of manhood, he cannot seem to come to grips with the opposite sex. Perhaps his romantic obsession with his mother (Françoise Fabian) has something to do with it. In this Italian comedy, everything is sorted out when the boy's mother eventually remarries. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

Gino (Jean Servais) breaks out of jail and visits his friend Tony (Gary Lockwood) with a plan to rob an armored car. Although both men are motivated by greed, Tony says no to the risky proposition. When Gino is killed by some trigger-happy cops, Tony decides to avenge his death by going ahead with the robbery. Tony, a Vegas blackjack dealer, takes up with Ann (Elke Sommer), the private secretary of Shorsky (Lee J. Cobb), the owner of the armored-car company. With the help of some inside information from Ann, Tony and his henchmen pull off the heist, and the car seems to disappear in the desert. Treasury agent Douglas (Jack Palance) is called in to solve the mystery of the vanishing truck. As he closes in, the gang gets nervous when they can't open up the truck and everyone pulls out their guns in an unbridled display of greed and paranoia. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide

When he's given an ancient Chinese medallion, a photographer (Robert Stack) has no idea that it contains a map which leads to a former emperor's treasure horde. Unfortunately, several nefarious elements are aware of the fact. The film was originally titled Hell to Macao. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

In this action drama, set during the Algerian War, 1961, a Foreign Legion captain must stage a daring raid to kidnap a rebel leader. They are successful, but then the helicopter that was to pick them up is shot down. The men are forced to do an overland trek with their prisoner. Many of them do not make it across the burning desert. Those that do are shocked to learn that in their absence the political situation changed. The leader they kidnapped is now a crucial figure in helping to get the French to leave Algiers. The captain is so angry, that he thinks about killing the leader, but then cools off. He thinks of all the suffering and death his troop endured to bring the leader to safety. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The changing fortunes of two boxers are explored in this interesting drama by Paolo Heusch, seen from the point of view of the women the boxers love. One of the pugilists is a rookie on the rise and his sister has married the reigning champion. Now the champ is getting older and less able to hold his own against the newcomers -- including his brother-in-law. As his fortunes begin to decline, his wife whom he married while affluent is slowly forced to deal with the difficulties of poverty. This Italian drama was an entry in the 1959 Berlin Film Festival. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

Il Cocco di Mamma translates to "Mamma's Boy," a more than adequate description of protagonist Maurizio Arena. On the verge of achieving success as a prizefighter, Arena loses because he's afraid his face will be permanently damaged. Branded a coward by his friends and family, our hero is finally able to find inner reserves of strength through the love of a good woman (Inge Schoener). No longer frightened of facial disfigurement, Arena at last emerges victorious. The story is nothing special, but the handling of the material, combined with the film's realistic depiction of life in working-class Rome, is first rate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Initially released in Italy in 1957 as Poveri Ma Belli, Poor But Beautiful had its first American theatrical go-round under the not entirely appropriate cognomen Poor, But Handsome. Marisa Allasio plays a teen-aged heartbreaker who is actively wooed by two moonstruck young Italian swains. After 90 minutes or so of playing one boy against the other, Allasio leaves them both in the lurch when she chooses a rather homely, but financially comfortable, older man. The film's brightest moment is a buffoonish bit by popular Italian comedian Memmo Carotenuto. Made at a time when the Italian film industry was tightening its belt, Poor But Beautiful was swiftly assembled by Dino Risi on a beggarly budget of around $100,000 -- a fact which gives its title something of a double meaning. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Audrey Hepburn became a star with this film, in which she played Princess Anne, weary of protocol and anxious to have some fun before she is mummified by "affairs of state." On a diplomatic visit to Rome, Anne escapes her royal retainers and scampers incognito through the Eternal City. She happens to meet American journalist Joe Bradley (Gregory Peck), who, recognizing a hot news story, pretends that he doesn't recognize her and offers to give her a guided tour of Rome. Naturally, Joe hopes to get an exclusive interview, while his photographer pal Irving (Eddie Albert) attempts to sneak a photo. And just as naturally, Joe falls in love with her. Filmed on location in Rome, Roman Holiday garnered an Academy Award for the 24-year-old Hepburn; another Oscar went to the screenplay, credited to Ian McLellan Hunter and John Dighton but actually co-written by the blacklisted Dalton Trumbo. The 1987 TV movie remake with Catherine Oxenberg is best forgotten. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide