Quinto Parmeggiani Movies
- 1999
In this period drama, romance and confusion rule the day in a 17th theatrical troupe. Giovanni Andreini (Peter Stormare) is a playwright who leads the Company of Faithful Comics, a group of performers dependant on the financial support of the Duke of Mantua; however, before he's willing to finance the Company's upcoming trip to Paris, he requests a special private performance featuring the beautful women of the troupe, without costumes. The actresses grudgingly agree, and Giovanni begins work on his latest play, Love In the Mirror. He intends the female lead to go to his wife Virginia (Anna Galiena), but when a lovely young woman named Lidia (Simona Cavallari) approaches Giovanni and tells him how much she enjoys his work, he's so smitten that he gives the role to her. Soon Lidia and Giovanni are having an steamy affair, and this turn of events so upsets Virginia that she leaves Giovanni and joins a convent; however, she comes up with a better idea for getting revenge on her husband by seducing Lidia herself. ~ Mark Deming, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anna Galiena, Peter Stormare, (more)
- 1989
Lupo (Paolo Hendrel) and Edo (Giovanni Guidelli) take to the swamps after robbing a wealthy Italian in this neo-western comedy. They are pursued by the victim's son and three Austrian mercenaries. The duo goes through several memorable adventures as they encounter many offbeat characters in their travels as fugitives. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Paolo Hendel, Giovanni Guidelli, (more)
- 1983
In this black comedy, a struggling actor-playwright goes on tour with a play he wrote for himself and his lover. It is about the life and love between Benito Mussolini and Claretta Petracci, his mistress. When his show travels to Italy it meets with a very negative response from the local Communists who throw tomatoes at them. To get them to stop, the actor changes their minds by placing emphasis on the romance between the two rather than the politics. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ugo Tognazzi, Bernadette Lafont, (more)
- 1975
This sex and science fiction comedy is based on the equation of sexual energy and energy in general. Electrical fixtures have run out of steam, but a love-making pair demonstrates that through the power of their orgasms alone they are able to generate electricity to operate first a light bulb, then a street lamp, then the entire hospital where they are being scientifically observed and ultimately all of society's gadgetry. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Agostina Belli
- 1972
- R
In this comical Italian murder mystery, family members congregate at a British estate for the reading of a will. As in many mysteries before it, the attendees are murdered off one by one until only a soprano for the Metropolitan opera remains. In the end, Scotland Yard convinces her to confess because they know that she hid the second will she discovered. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1970
While Michele Lupo's skillful thriller is certainly Italian, it is more of a traditional mystery than most of its contemporaries. The plot is the standard one involving greedy heirs being killed off in a country house following the reading of a will. Daughter Anna Moffo gets everything, and before too long, the cast starts dropping like flies. Ida Galli, Giacomo Rossi-Stuart, and sexy maid Orchidea DeSantis are among the suspects and victims, while Lance Percival and Gastone Moschin appear as comic-relief cops from Scotland Yard. The ending is fairly clever, although regular followers of the form may find it a bit obvious. ~ Robert Firsching, All Movie Guide
Italo Bombolini (Anthony Quinn) is the mayor of the hillside village of Santa Vittorio. The wine-loving town leader erases a pro-Mussolini slogan when he hears of the fascist being killed and hanged from a meathook. His wife Rosa (Anna Magnani) throws him out of their wine shop when he and his friends celebrate and he gives away too much wine. When he hears the retreating Nazi Army will soon be in town, hundreds of villagers turn out to hide the wine in an old Roman cave. The people work day and night, hiding 1 million bottles just before the Nazis enter the town. SS officers threaten death to anyone who withholds the wine. Italo presents a single bottle to the irate general (Hardy Kruger), as the hapless Germans are powerless to force the villagers to produce the coveted bottles. Not even a pistol to the head of their beloved mayor is effective as the town stands by, watching in complete silence. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Anthony Quinn, Anna Magnani, (more)
