Franco Diogene Movies

Produced for the Lifetime cable channel, Indiscretion of an American Wife is a remake of Vittorio De Sica's 1953 theatrical feature of the same name. While her diplomat husband (Michael Murphy) is stationed in Rome, neglected wife Julia Burton (Anne Archer) enters into a clandestine romance with dashing Italian vintner Matteo (Andrea Occhipinti). Eventually, her husband is called home -- and during what may or may not be her final rendezvous with Matteo at a Roman railway station, Julia is forced to make a crucial decision about her future, and the future of everyone whom she holds near and dear. Unlike the 1954 American release of the De Sica original, which was cut by 20 minutes for domestic consumption, the remake runs a full 90 minutes, allowing for fuller character development and a less abrupt denouement. However, Anne Archer and Andrea Occhipinti, talented though they may be, are but pale shadows of De Sica's stars, Jennifer Jones and Montgomery Clift. Filmed on location in Italy, this Indiscretion first aired March 9, 1998. ~ Hal Erickson, Rovi

Emilio Garrone (Alberto Sordi) used to be a government functionary who supervised the leasing of broadcasting rights for the Italian government, but now he is retired. In this comedy, through a series of well-played scams, he winds up not only with the exclusive ownership of all broadcasting rights in Italy, but he soon takes over a big U.S. television network with money he doesn't have. At no point has he had two lira to rub together, but that doesn't stop him, because he wants to create something beautiful for his beloved granddaughter. This mild satire pokes fun at two very real figures in the Italian media business, Silvio Berusconi and Giancarlo Parretti. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

Two men answer the call of the ocean in this romantic fantasy-adventure. Jacques (Jean-Marc Barr) and Enzo (Jean Reno) are a pair of friends who have been close since childhood, and who share a passion for the dangerous sport of free diving. Professional diver Jacques opted to follow in the footsteps of his father, who died at sea when Jacques was a boy; to the bewilderment of scientists, Jacques harbors a remarkable ability to adjust his heart rate and breathing pattern in the water, so that his vital signs more closely resemble that of dolphins than men (he even considers a school of dolphins as his extended family). As Enzo persuades a reluctant Jacques to compete against him in a free diving contest -- determining who can dive deeper and longer without scuba gear -- Jacques meets Johanna (Rosanna Arquette), a beautiful insurance investigator from America, and he finds that he must choose between his love for her and his love of the sea. Le Grand Bleu ran 132 minutes in its original French version, but it was trimmed to 118 for American release, with the original score by Eric Serra replaced by music from Bill Conti. While the film did middling business in the U.S., it was a huge success in Europe, and director Luc Besson released an expanded 168-minute version in 1998. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Midnight Express is a harrowing tale of a naïve American caught in a nightmare of his own making thousands of miles from his home. Billy Hayes (Brad Davis) is an American tourist visiting Turkey with his girlfriend Susan (Irene Miracle) when he's caught by customs officials trying to smuggle a large amount of hashish out of the country. The crime would normally carry a sentence of four years, but officials decide to make an example of Billy, and he draws a 30-year sentence despite the promises of his Turkish legal counsel. While Susan and Billy's father (Mike Kellin) pledge to do everything they can to speed Billy's release, in fact there's little than can be done. Billy quickly finds himself in a hellish prison that's a nightmare of filth, violence, rape, inedible food, and unspeakable health conditions. However, Billy gains a few confidantes behind bars: Jimmy (Randy Quaid), an American in a constant state of emotional overdrive; Max (John Hurt), an intelligent, drug-addicted Englishman; and Erich (Norbert Weisser), a gay Scandinavian who is attracted to Billy but accepts his gentle refusals of sex. Before long, Billy is convinced that he can take no more, and he makes plans to take the "midnight express" -- jailhouse slang for escape. While his friends are willing to help, they also make clear that almost no one who has tried to escape has lived to tell the tale. Based on a true story, Midnight Express was a box-office hit which won wide acclaim for the performances of Brad Davis and John Hurt; and the screenplay, by Oliver Stone, won an Academy Award. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi