Tarak Ben Ammar Movies
Tenor Plácido Domingo and soprano Teresa Stratas star in director Franco Zeffirelli's lushly cinematic version of Verdi's opera La Traviata ("The Woman Gone Astray"), a story of doomed love in 1840s Paris. Violetta (Stratas), who is the mistress of a wealthy baron, hosts a lavish party to celebrate her improved health after a bout with tuberculosis. There she meets Alfredo (Domingo) and becomes smitten with him as he, she, and the guests join in the famous "Drinking Song." Violetta leaves the baron, and she and Alfredo move into a secluded country villa together, where they live happily for a while. But unknown to Alfredo, his father (baritone Cornell MacNeil) convinces Violetta that continuing her relationship with Alfredo will prevent Alfredo's sister from making a good marriage. With great sadness, Violetta decides that she must not only break permanently with Alfredo, she must keep him at a distance by returning to the baron. Misunderstanding her motives, Alfredo goes into a jealous rage that leads to tragic consequences. ~ Perry Seibert, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Teresa Stratas, Plácido Domingo, (more)
- 1981
Just as a man (Aldo Maccione) is enjoying his fantasies of being another "Agent 007" in bed with a voluptuous, intelligent co-spy, the unsuspecting dreamer is mistaken for a real spy and shipped off to Tunisia where he has to carry out a true-life mission. Unfortunately, the real spy is a flamboyant homosexual (Aldo Maccione again) and the confusion between the two characters adds up to some slapstick moments in this 007 spoof. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Aldo Maccione, Edwige Fenech, (more)
- 1981
Alberto Sordi directs this light comedy, and also stars as its mechanically challenged hero, a wealthy male chauvinist named Enrico who deals in wine better than he handles women. On a trip to the great land of America, Enrico discovers the wonders of a trained household robot named Catherine who outperforms any of the disgruntled women back at his home. When these women -- his wife (Valeria Valeri), his mistress (Catherine Spaak), and his maid -- decide to dump him, he immediately thinks of the marvelous robot he saw on his trip. Before anyone has time to plug in a battery, Enrico has acquired his own robot, named her Catherine, and is on his way to serious trouble. The metallic Catherine may be made of steel, but her robotic interior takes a shine to Enrico. Little does he know that a robot scorned hath more fury than any woman, and when he brings home Elisabetta (Edwige Fenech) for a romp in his cavernous bedroom, the clanking Catherine loses it. Enrico's problems with women were nothing by comparison. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Alberto Sordi, Edwige Fenech, (more)
- 1980
Jim Bishop's minute-by-minute account of the events leading up to the Crucifixion was the basis for the three-hour TV movie The Day Christ Died. Chris Sarandon plays the Hebrew "blasphemer" known as Jesus, who is brought before the beleaguered governor Pontius Pilate (Keith Mitchell). To avoid an insurrection, Pilate washes his hands of the matter by offering the Hebrews a pardon either to Jesus or the thief Barabbas during Passover. "Give us Barabbas!" is the answer, sealing Jesus' fate. The screenplay by James Lee Barrett and Edward Anhalt is for the most part objective and dispassionate, though there are some unsubtle parallels between Pilate and such future political "heavies" as Nixon. Also appearing in the cast are Colin Blakely as Caiaphas, Barrie Houghton as Judas, Jonathan Pryce as Herod, Eleanor Bron as Mary, and Hope Lange as Claudia. The Day Christ Died premiered -- not without protest from certain circles -- on March 26, 1980. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Chris Sarandon
