Maddalena Crippa Movies
- 2001
One man's dedication to his job has negative consequences at home in this low-key drama from Italy. Michele Rosati (Claudio Bigagli) has found success as a travelling perfume salesman, but he's paid a heavy price in his personal life; while he loves his wife Laura (Maddalena Crippa) and his two children, his work keeps him on the road most of the time, and he rarely gets to spend much time with his family. Long nights in shabby hotel rooms begin to wear on Michele, and his loneliness begins to manifest itself in paranoia. Fearful that something could be happening to his children, Michele begins to steal time away from his work, but rather than actually visiting with his kids, he spies on them from a distance, which helps neither his career or his family relationships. Shot on videotape, Commesso Viaggiatore is primarily in black-and-white, though it does feature color sequences. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Claudio Bigagli, Maddalena Crippa, (more)
- 2000
A woman finds herself wondering if the support of her friends is helping or hindering her progress as a writer in this comedy-drama from Italy. Mara (Laura Morante) is an actress in her late thirties who has broken up with her boyfriend, a film producer (Vanni Corbellini), just as she's trying to complete a screenplay for a film festival, with her deadline only a week away. As Mara tries to find the right tone for her story, she finds herself inundated with visits from her friends, many of whom have problems of their own -- chatty Monica (Monica Scattini), newlywed Tazi (Naike Rivelli), and stable Very (Maddalena Crippa). Before long, the stories of their lives find their way into Mara's project. Film was the directorial debut from Laura Betti, who is well known as an actress in her native Italy. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Laura Morante, Monica Scattini, (more)
- 1998
Accused of corruption and unwilling to squeal upon his alleged cohorts, well-known Italian politician Massimo De Longhi (Massimo De Francovich) exchanges the amenities of his cushy position for the harsher realities of prison life. Determined to get the information he needs from De Longhi, his enemy and prosecutor Fausto Silvestri (Franco Castellano) is willing to leave the uncooperative politico in jail until he rots. De Longhi shares his cell with Bartolomeo (Gianni Cavina), who says that he was jailed for selling a few illegal copies of Disney movies. Other cellmates include a Pole who is obsessed with an inflatable doll and a Moroccan burglar who may have AIDS. Italian director Giancarlo Planta's drama simultaneously castigates corrupt public figures, and warns of a legal system in which those who commit nonviolent crimes and await trial are forced to co-mingle (with no bail) with hardened criminals. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Massimo De Francovich, Gianni Cavina, (more)
- 1998
Donatella Majorca directed this erotic computer drama starring Stefania Rocca, who's also in the cast of the 1997 futuristic computer film Nirvana. Viola (Rocca) compiles data and interviews on dreams, desires, sleep, and insomnia for a large research firm. Ending a ragged relationship, Viola browses the Internet and encounters a sex site where she meets Mittler (Ennio Fantastichini), who becomes her online lover. In erotic experiments, she masturbates to Mittler and becomes obsessed with him as he leads her into various sex games, activities which cause her to neglect her work. Mittler tells her to seduce laborer Lorenzo (Stefano Rota), who is doing maintenance work on her apartment. When Mittler learns that a genuine relationship has developed between Viola and Lorenzo, he becomes insanely jealous. Mittler's invasion of her private life leads her to track and confront him. Shown at the 1998 Venice Film Festival. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Stefania Rocca, Stefano Rota, (more)
- 1987
Young scientist Tommaso (Fabio Sartor) hitchhikes from Rome to the coast of Liguria to marry his girlfriend in this Italian road movie and romantic drama. He has no immediate luck hitching a ride, but is joined by the beautiful Giuditta (Maddalena Crippa) as a traveling companion. The two spend the night together, and the romantic attraction is immediate. In the morning, Tommaso has second thoughts about his wedding, but Giuditta convinces him to keep his word to his fiancee and take life as it comes. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maddalena Crippa, Fabio Sartor, (more)
- 1982
Someone is killing off the performers in a tent theater and it is up to an unlikely obituary writer (Lello Arena) to solve the mystery -- at least, that is how his lover Lisa (Maddalena Crippa) sees it. Along with brief comedy skits by Massimo Troisi there are saxophone performances by James Senese to lighten up the proceedings. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lello Arena, Maddalena Crippa, (more)
Director Francesco Rosi earned a Best Foreign Film Academy Award nomination for his drama Tre Fratelli (Three Brothers), an adaptation of a work by Andrei Platonov. When the matriarch of an Italian family dies, the husband brings his three boys, each of whom are facing difficult personal problems, back to their farmhouse. Raffaele (Philippe Noiret) is a judge who fears being executed over the politically unsettling case over which he is presiding. Rocco (Vittorio Mezzogiorno) is quite religious and dreams of helping troubled teenagers. Nicola (Michele Placido) is a worker involved in a labor dispute as well as a failed marriage. Each of the men grieves in his own way, while also wrestling with the other emotional issues that are pressing on them. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Philippe Noiret, Michele Placido, (more)
