Virgilio Riento Movies
- 1965
Courtroom tomfoolery provides the basis for this four-episode Italian anthology comedy. In the first segment "Adultery in 16mm," an angry wife attempts to sue her neglectful husband by charging him with abandonment. Meanwhile, he charges her with adultery and claims to have a few reels of home-movie footage to prove it. The films are shown and the courtroom gasps when they learn the identity of the woman's lover. The second "The Priest and the Prostitute," centers on a self-righteous clergyman who pursues the streetwalker who picked his pocket. The hunted and hunter end up in a pool hall. When she attempts to give her ill-gotten loot to her pimp, the priest pounces and a melee erupts. The police end up taking all of them to jail where more fun follows. In the third episode, "Indecent Exposure," an overly health-conscious fellow religiously swims naked in a Roman ditch every day. The trouble begins on the day in which his clothes are stolen. In the final episode, "The Lustful Lieutenant," an old hooker is charged with soliciting. The attending judge is struck by her resemblance to his old wartime love, but he isn't sure whether it is really her or not. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1937
Allegri Masnadieri (Jolly Pirates) is a dizzy mistaken-identity farce, dressed up as a lavish costume epic. While escaping from an undesirable suitor, the heroine and her two servants are captured by pirates. Fortunately, one of the servants is mistaken for the infamous buccaneer chieftain "The Black Feather." Taking advantage of the situation, the heroine and her true love commandeer the pirate vessel as a means of escape. Complicating matters is the fact that the pirates are holding hostage the nephew of the very man that the girl didn't want to marry. Before the mess is straightened out, the fickle heroine has fallen in love with the nephew! There are times in Allegri Masnadieri that the mercurial leading lady is more frightening than the pirates. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Assia Noris, Camillo Pilotto, (more)
- 1947
Anything for a Song exists primarily as a showcase for the miraculous singing talents of opera star Ferruccio Tagliavini. The nonsensical story casts Tagliavini as the son of a wealthy eggplant processor (no kidding!) who elects to foresake the family business and try his luck as a singer. His father does everything in his power to prevent our hero from succeeding in his chosen profession. Forced to return home to raise enough money for a blind girl's operation, Tagliavini may well have to marry a woman of his family's choosing to do so. But there's a happy ending, as if there was any doubt. By the time Anything for a Song was released in the US, Ferruccio Tagliavini was firmly entrenched at New York's Metropolitan Opera. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ferruccio Tagliavini, Luisa Rossi, (more)
- 1954
This romantic Italian anthology film is comprised of six episodes that deal with a century of love. The first vignette, "Garibaldin," set in 1854, follows a rebellious priest who attempts to sway others to his beliefs. "Pendolin" examines a philandering wife's affair with a hotel porter who really only wanted to give her her lost earrings. "Purification" follows an honorable soldier who refuses to convey his commanding officer's last words to his unworthy girlfriend. In the fourth episode, "Golden Wedding," an elderly couple celebrate their wedding anniversary and discover mutual disillusionment. "The Last Ten Minutes" examines the efforts of a priest and a condemned man to conceal the truth about the man's crime from his wife. Finally, in "Amore," which is set in 1954, a father tries to persuade his daughter's husband to stay married to her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1947
The Italian Peddlin' in Society was originally released as Da Bancarella a Bancarotta. Anna Magnani stars as Gioconda, a fruit vendor who supplements her income by trafficking in black-market goods. Making her fortune, Gioconda tries to crash society, leasing a lavish villa for this purpose. Alas, she eventually falls victim to sycophants and leeches who try to use her new social position for their own gain. Vittorio de Sica co-stars as an impoverished count who briefly serves as Anna Magnani's conduit into the Upper Crust. It is clear that both stars were directing themselves, since official director Gennaro Righelli exhibits stylistic uncertainty throughout. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Magnani, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1952
Gli Angeli del Quartiere (Angels of the District) concentrates on five lovable Italian war orphans. Living a hand-to-mouth existence, the children are elated to discover a bagful of money in a cellar. Wondering where best to spend their treasure, the kids are "advised" by adult thief Mario (Jacques Sernas), who intends to grab all the loot for himself. Ultimately, however, Mario is reformed by the quintet of urchins--though his old gang doesn't quite see things in this new light. Obviously aimed at the kiddie-matinee trade, Gli Angeli del Quartiere delivers a solid 78 minutes' worth of heartwarming entertainment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Jacques Sernas, Rossana Podestà, (more)
- 1958
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
- Starring:
- Maurizio Arena, Edoardo Nevola, (more)
- 1953
Il Segno di Venera (The Sign of Venus) offers an earthier Sophia Loren than American audiences would later become accustomed to. Agnese (Loren) has no trouble attracting men, which is more than can be said for her plain-Jane friend Cesira (Franca Valeri). The two girls embark on a search for an appropriate mate for Cesira, despite the fact that all eligible males instantly gravitate to Agnese. Some of the choices -- petty thief Alberto Sordi, impecunious poet Vittorio De Sica -- are frankly not good enough for either girl. Alternating between humor and pathos, Il Segno di Venera is light, forgettable entertainment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franca Valeri, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1955
A rich man's attempts to steal away a poor man's wife set the stage for this comic farce, set in Naples in 1860. Luca is a simple but honest man married who runs a mill and his married to Carmela (Sophia Loren), a strikingly beautiful woman. Carmela's face and figure attracts the eye of the Governor (Vittorio De Sica), a Spanish nobleman who has been appointed ruler of Naples. Determined to have Carmela as his own, the Governor has Luca arrested on false charges, and sets out to seduce her while her husband is behind bars. When Carmella resists, the Governor plays his trump card -- he is willing to free Luca, but only under the condition that she sleeps with him first. Carmella is appalled, but dreams up a way to use the situation to her advantage; she slips the Governor a mickey, and after he's asleep, she makes haste to the prison, carrying the Governor's pardon of her husband. However, Carmella arrives to discover a surprise -- Luca has already escaped from the jail. When Luca makes his way home, he discovers the Governor, still fast asleep, and is convinced he's already seduced Carmella; enraged, he sets off to the Governor's mansion, determined to get revenge with the Spaniard's wife. Bella Mugnaia was based on a novel previously filmed as Il Cappello a tre punte in 1934. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1956
In keeping with the film's title, most of the characters in Le Diciotenni are 18 years old. The story takes place in a girl's finishing school, populated entirely by knockout beauties. One of the girls (Marisa Allasio) faces expulsion because her father has been known to consort with criminals. Even so, the film maintains a lighthearted tone throughout, especially when it deals with affairs of the heart. Le Dicioetteni is a remake of a successful early-1940s film of the same name, which in turn was adapted from a popular stage comedy. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marisa Allasio, Ave Ninchi, (more)
- 1951
Vittorio DeSica's follow-up to The Bicycle Thief documents the lives of the poverty-stricken in post-war Italy. Francesco Golisano is Good Toto, an orphan boy who begins living with a cluster of beggars. His organizational efforts bring some structure to the colony and engenders a sense of faint happiness among its morose dwellers. When Toto is given a magic dove by a fairy, he uses its wish-granting powers to whoever asks, but the dove is eventually stolen. As a result, the land on which the beggars live is taken over, and they are jailed. In his prison, however, the dove returns to Toto, and his wish for the freedom of his friends is granted. ~ Jason Ankeny, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Emma Gramatica, Francesco Golisano, (more)
Vittorio De Sica plays the middle-aged marshal of carabiniers in a remote Italian mountain village. He's anxious to marry, and selects young Gina Lollobrigida as his bride; but she is already in love with De Sica's shy subordinate Roberto Risso. Mistaking her headstrong behavior as promiscuity, De Sica makes advances towards her, but she spurns him. Forsaking the girl to the arms of Risso, De Sica decides to settle for village midwife Marisa Merlini. Originally titled Pane, Amore, e Fantasia when released in Italy, Bread, Love and Dreams contains what some regard as Gina Lollobrigida's best and most naturalistic performance. The film's popularity resulted in two sequels, both with Lollobrigida: Pane, Amore e Gelosia (US title: Frisky) and the open-ended Pane, Amore e... (released in the states as Scandal in Sorrento). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vittorio De Sica, Gina Lollobrigida, (more)
- 1954
In this sequel to Bread, Love, and Dreams a fortyish man gets himself in trouble with his wife who suspects him of messing around with a sexy woman. Unfortunately, he is innocent. His attempts to prove it form the basis for the story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Lollobrigida, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1941
Doctor Beware was the U.S.-released title of Vittorio DeSica's 1941 effort Teresa Venerdi. DeSica not only directed, but played the leading role of orphanage official Dr. Vignali. The thinnish storyline finds the good doctor becoming romantically involved with three women. It is up to orphaned girl Teresa Venerdi (Adriana Benedetti) to untangle all the plot lines--and, as a bonus, to come to the financial rescue of the improvident Vignali. When the film was released to the U.S. in 1951, supporting actress Anna Magnani, cast in a secondary role as one of Dr. Vignali's amours, was given star billing. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vittorio De Sica, Anna Magnani, (more)
