Giuseppe Porelli Movies
- 1964
Inspector Cruchot takes his daughter to visit beautiful St. Tropez to celebrate his recent promotion to sergeant and ends up trying to arrest a beach full of nudists. Meanwhile, his daughter has her own problems when she, ashamed of her social status pretends to be an heiress and ends up getting involved with art thieves. This lively entry in the French "Gendarme" series follows what happens next. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Louis de Funès, Michel Galabru, (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)
- 1959
Best known for his La Cage aux Folles, director Edouard Molinaro has a lesser film here in this occasionally erotic story about a summer romance. A young artist is traveling to the home of a glamorous friend for the summer season when he picks up an attractive woman at a bar. He decides to bring her along, which turns out to be too hasty a decision. While partying away the summer, the son of the hostess dallies with the artist's young woman and she vacillates in her feelings between the two men. The atmosphere and the woman's ambivalence add up to tragedy in the end. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pascale Petit, Micheline Presle, (more)
- 1954
Melody of Love was designed as a showcase for the splendid singing of Roman radio star Giacomo Rondinella. The star plays an impecunious young man whose romance with Maria Fiore is jeopardized by Maria's wealthy father Giovanni Grasso. Papa has selected handsome, apparently respectable Mirko Ellis as a potential son-in-law, but Maria is steadfast in her love for Rondinella. When it turns out that Ellis is actually a notorious drug smuggler, Grasso has an instantaneous change of heart. There's also a "funny" subplot involving an obscure Italian comedy team, of which the less said the better. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maria Fiore, Giovanni Grasso, Jr., (more)
- 1951
Donne e Briganti (Women and Bandits) was the second of two Mario Soldati-directed films released in Europe during the last week of June, 1951 (the first was Je Suis de la Revue). Set in the early 19th century, the film recounts the Robin Hood-like adventures of bandit Michele Pezza (Amedeo Nazzari), better known as Fra Diavolo. This same character was depicted along more villainous lines in the famous 1830 opera by Auber, which was filmed in 1933 as The Devil's Brother, with Dennis King in the title role and Laurel and Hardy as comic relief. In Donne e Briganti, Fra Diavolo is his own comic relief, his tongue firmly in cheek as he robs from the rich, gives to the poor, and takes time out to romance his wife Marietta (Maira Mauban) and mistress Flora (Jacqueline Pierreux). According to this film, Fra Diavolo was also something of a patriot, opposing the invading forces of France. Sumptuously produced, Donne e Briganti falters only in the indecisive camera work by Mario Montuori. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amedeo Nazzari, Maria Mauban, (more)
- 1949
Sperduti nel Buio was released in the U.S. as Lost in the Dark. The film traces the ups and downs of three Neapolitan street musicians. Vittorio de Sica plays Nunzio, a blind violinist, while Enrico Glori portrays Paolo, a deaf clarinetist. Both are enamored of singer Paolina (Fiorella Berti), the illegitimate daughter of a wealthy nobleman (Sandro Ruffini). Neither Nunzio nor Paolo are aware of the girl's lineage; when Nunzio finds out, he tries all too late to arrange a reunion between father and daughter. Meanwhile, Paolina finds happiness in the arms of a humble sailor. Though it probably wasn't intentional, Sperduti nel Buio has much in common with the 1938 English comedy-drama Sidewalks of London. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vittorio De Sica, Enrico Glori, (more)
- 1948
A love-triangle causes all sorts of problems for a renowned violinist in this Italian drama. The trouble begins when his wife has brief affair with his ambitious accompanist who later blackmails her into keeping it going. The man becomes so obsessed that he even fakes his own murder so he can pin it on the violinist. Unfortunately, the accompanist is caught by the fiddler who kills him. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Leonardo Cortese
- 1939
Also known as The Naples That Never Dies, this Italian romantic yarn is a showcase for coquettish French leading lady Marie Glory. Agreeing to a wealthy marriage to Fosco Giachetti, Glory settles down to a dull and regimented existence with her husband's snobbish family. Rebelling against this stuffiness, our heroine conspires with her sister-in-law Paola Barbara to go on an uninhibited partying and gambling spree in beautiful Naples. Hubby Giachetti is aghast at this behavior and is on the verge of ordering his wife to pack her bags and leave when the timely arrival of the family obstetrician saves the day. Worth noting is the fact that Fosco Giachetti plays his stock character with warmth and humanity, making his last-minute decision to welcome his wife back all the more credible. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marie Glory, Fosco Giachetti, (more)
