Pasquale Cennamo Movies
- 1959
A young group of enterprising con artist attempt to break up some Italian expatriates trying to sell an inferior cloth as genuine quality fabric. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alberto Sordi, Renato Salvatori, (more)
- 1961
An episodic, funny, though uneven spoof of human manners and foibles, this comedy by Vittorio de Sica begins in Naples when a disembodied voice announces to the city's residents "The Last Judgment will begin at 6:00 p.m." Naturally, not all are immediately willing to accept this statement -- but not for long. As comic vignettes unfold, the good citizens soon become even better as they try to undo past and present sins, just in case. There is a long list of top actors that show up briefly in the story, everyone from Alberto Sordi to Jimmy Durante, Melina Mercouri, Anouk Aimée, Vittorio Gassmann, and many, many others. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vittorio Gassman, Renato Rascel, (more)
- 1954
Vittorio De Sica, Cesare Zavattini, and Giuseppe Marotta wrote this anthology of tales depicting various aspects of Neapolitan life, with the emphasis of poignancy and comedy: "The Racketeer" features Toto with a gangster as his unwanted house guest; "Pizza On Credit" gave Sophia Loren one of her first starring roles, as a wayward wife who loses her wedding ring; "The Gambler" stars De Sica in a hilarious performance as a compulsive gambler whose rich family won't give him money, so he's reduced to playing cards with the young son of his servant; "Theresa" features Silvana Mangano as a prostitute who discovers that a man really does have to be crazy to marry her. (Two other episodes were cut for the film's U.S. release.) ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Totò, Pasquale Cennamo, (more)
- 1958
3DLa Sfida3D (3DThe Challenge3D) marked the directorial debut of former screenwriter Francesco Rosi. Based on a true story, the plot concerns a young man named Vito (Jose Suarez), who harbors a grudge against the Neopolitan Mafia. At great personal risk, Vito vows to smash the mobsters who control the region's fruit and vegetable distribution. Unfortunately, the local Mafia chieftan (Pasquale Cenammo) proves to be just too powerful and well-armed for Vito to succeed. Rosanna Schiaffino contributes a powerhouse performance as Vito's wife (and, ultimately, his widow). Despite official protests from certain "business interests", 3DLa Sfida3D earned a Special Jury Prize at the 1958 Venice Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- José Suárez, Rosanna Schiaffino, (more)
Each of the episodes in the three-part Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Ieri, Oggi E Domani) stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. In "Adelina-Naples," Loren and Mastroianni are married, and Loren is in trouble with the law. Each time the authorities close in, Loren eludes capture by revealing a swollen belly; back in 1964, Italian law forbade the arrest of a pregnant woman until six months after the child's birth. In "Anna," Loren is married to a wealthy industrialist and has an affair with Mastroianni. So obsessed is she with material possessions that she's willing to walk out on Mastroianni when he smashes her sports car. And in "Mara," high-priced prostitute Loren attracts the attention of a young seminary student, but refuses to seduce him -- then takes a vow of chastity, aggravating her regular customer (Mastroianni). While the first episode is the funniest, it was the last episode which received the most press-coverage, thanks to Loren's "striptease" scene, revealing La Loren in skimpy bra and panties (a bit parodied by the stars in Robert Altman's otherwise-dreadful Prêt-à-Porter). Though the title Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow has absolutely no relation to the film at hand, it is a far more appealing cognomen than the film's British release title, She Got What She Asked For. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, (more)
