Marco Messeri Movies
- 2009
In a series of bizarre and infamous events that transpired in 2001 and made local headlines, two half-baked Italian thieves learned of the death of banker Enrico Cuccia and ham-fistedly attempted to partake in a "victimless crime." Several weeks after Cuccia's demise, the men visited the Lake Maggiore cemetery containing his body, stole his coffin, and ransomed it to his poor family. The events grew more complex when the thieves were mistaken for terrorists and the French secret service became involved. With their feature L'Ultimo Crodino, writer Federico Mazzei and director Umberto Spinazzola spin this material into a contemporary comedy of errors with a slightly tragic quality. Director-actor Ricky Tognazzi and Enzo Iacchetti star. ~ Nathan Southern, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Ricky Tognazzi, Serena Autieri, (more)
- 2002
Directed by Carlo Mazzacurati, A Cavallo Della Tigre (Riding the Tiger) is a remake of Luigi Comencini's 1961 film of the same name. It begins in a Milanese parking lot where protagonist Guido (Fabrizio Bentivoglio) falls for Antonella (Paola Cortellesi), who works for a television show. After forming a fast partnership, the two combine wits in order to steal 190,000 dollars in a holdup, but the plan goes horribly askew, and Guido is sent to prison. While in jail, Guido becomes the target of a mean-spirited Turkish convict known among prisoners only as "Tiger" (Tuncel Kurtiz) and his flunkie (Boubker Rafik). When Guido inadvertently finds out about their escape plan, Tiger finds it necessary to have him transferred to his cell, where he can monitor Guido closely enough to ensure that his plans aren't revealed. Due to unforeseen circumstances, however, Guido is forced to escape along with them. ~ Tracie Cooper, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Fabrizio Bentivoglio, Tuncel Kurtiz, (more)
- 2000
Francesco Calogero directs this crime thriller about erratic behavior brought on by a tedious, stressful job. Irascible Paolo (Diego Abatantuono) constantly clashes with his fellow security guards. One night, after loudly arguing with someone else, Paolo discovers one of his colleagues shot dead in front of the home of a gorgeous Russian woman (Anna Safroncik) -- the same woman whom he has been quietly stalking for months. ~ Jonathan Crow, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diego Abatantuono, Flavio Insinna, (more)
- 1998
Christian De Sica co-scripted, directed and stars in this Italian satire about lower-class revenge at a snooty Roman rowing club. Ladies man Robert (De Sica) keeps his affairs secret from his wife Livia (Cinzia Mascoli), since her wealthy father is the source of his income. Unfortunately, Dolores (Beatriz Rico) can't keep mum, creating a cash-flow problem. Bank accounts determine the pecking order at the club, and members with wimpy wallets have go through such humiliations as auctioning away their furniture. With the club prez arrested for embezzlement, a waiter scoring with a top model, and the massage therapist winning the lottery, it becomes evident that the lower-class has the last laugh, perhaps explaining the popularity of this comedy in Italy. ~ Bhob Stewart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Christian de Sica, Cinzia Mascoli, (more)
- 1996
This Italian comic fantasy about time travel begins with Ascanio (Christian de Sica), an Italian nobleman, and Walter (Massimo Boldi) a film executive, also Italian, on a deluxe tour of Universal Studios. They sit down side-by-side and are hooked into a virtual reality machine by its inventor, Professor Mortimer (Dean Jones). When something goes wrong, they find themselves hopping around in time, again and again narrowly escaping death. Their first travel takes them to prehistoric times. Then they find themselves in Renaissance Florence under the watchful eye of Lorenzo de Medici, who is highly amused by Ascanio's soccer moves. Narrowly escaping the Inquisition, they jump centuries in time to Venice in the time of Casanova, where their efforts at a romantic liaison with some of Casanova's women are thwarted. In one of the film's highlights, Ascanio jumps into his own past, and attempts to change his personal future. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- 1996
A 20-year-old Eastern European girl impetuously ditches the rest of her tour group to embark upon a new life in Italy. Though she writes friends and family glowing accounts of her fabulous and successful adventures in her adopted home, the truth is much more tragic. Intelligently and poignantly drawn, this drama offers a portrait of Vesna's life. Shortly after leaving the tour, Vesna finds herself broke and without a plan so she hangs out in a local coffee bar where she meets a businessman who takes her home. Needing cash, she asks him to pay her for the sexual services he desires. He agrees, but struck by moral confusion, Vesna refuses the money then changes her mind again. So begins her descent into prostitution. Later she ends up in Rimni, a glittering tourist resort where she numbly pursues her new profession in earnest. She does not like turning tricks, but her irresistible craving for money drives her. A former runner, she still finds herself on the fast track to nowhere until she meets the kindly Antonio, a construction worker and kindred spirit who becomes a client and one day saves her life after the still innocent girl inadvertently involves herself with organized criminals. She encounters more tragedy when her passport is stolen. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
This gentle Italian drama is based upon the 1919 autobiographical novel by Federico Tozzi. The film tells the story of teenagers Ghisola and Pietro whose closeness is born of the pain the two experience in their daily lives. Ghisola, only 14-years old, must work in the fields away from her family. Pietro is emotionally abused by his father. When his father discovers their mutual affection, he sends Ghisola away. Pietro does not see her again until he is an adult. She has changed. Now pregnant and alone, Ghisola tries to seduce Pietro so he will marry her. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1995
Four hard-working, under-appreciated waiters must deal with the rude, demanding middle-class at a wedding anniversary in this Italian comedy. The story is set at Eden, a run-down restaurant that has just been bought by Azzaro. The restaurant staff do not know whether or not they will still have jobs. The new owner brings his family, friends, and some cheesy musicians to celebrate his parent's 50th wedding anniversary. These nouveau riche, who outwardly seem so refined, quickly reveal their true nature once the party gets started. The new boss is a boor, and his father an adulterer, whose wife is severely depressed and becomes increasingly morose. The four waiters have their own problems. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 1994
- R
This feel-good movie, which offers American audiences spectacular views of Central European landscapes, uses gentle humor to tell the story of two common men who place themselves in an uncommon situation. Franco, a recently laid-off co-op stud farmer whose company jilted him out of his settlement money, returns to break into the main offices to look for proof that he was wronged. Instead he ends up stealing their prize bull Corinto with the thought of selling Corinto for a great profit in Hungary. Franco enlists the aid of his quiet friend Loris. Together the three set off on their obstacle-filled journey. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Diego Abatantuono, Roberto Citran, (more)
- 1990
Alberto's family traditions are quite unusual. Living in Paris with his pregnant wife, he is now expected to return to Rome to pay back every cent that his family spent raising him. Totally without the kind of money expected of him, as Alberto speeds by train toward his family he tries to raise the cash by various desperate means from the other passengers aboard the train so he will not have to face his father empty-handed. ~ Tana Hobart, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sergio Castellitto, Nino Manfredi, (more)
- 1990
Serafina, Pulcinella and Isabella are three lusty, beautiful members of a traveling theatrical troupe touring the French countryside in the 17th century, leaving in their wake a crop of broken hearts. This picaresque romantic comedy is based on the 1863 novel Le Capitaine Fracasse by Theophile Gauthier. In the story, the company stops at a castle owned by the scruffy young Baron de Sigognac (Vincent Perez), who is deeply smitten with the charms of the middle-aged (and somewhat morose) beauty Serafina (Ornella Muti). He decides to travel with the company, and Serafina perversely tries to get him to woo the youngest of the company, the newly bereaved Isabella (Emmanuelle Béart). When the company plays before a group of noblemen, the three women make yet more conquests, a few of them unwelcome, and a series of competitions and duels for the hearts of the lovely ladies follows, before everyone settles down with the "right" person. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Massimo Troisi, Ornella Muti, (more)
- 1989
Sergio's great pal is Cena (Davide Torsello), a couple of years older, who is the leader of their gang of boys. They live in the small town of Vicenza in Northern Italy in the peaceful days of the 1930s. Though they know they are not wealthy, it is doubtful that they realize that they are poor, for their lives are full of so many adventures. When Don Gastone (Roberto Citran), a handsome, artistic new priest comes into town, he persuades Sergio (Massimo Santelia) to take part in a poetry recital. One benefit of this is that Immacolata (Adriana Asti), one of the parishioners (who is smitten with the priest), gives Sergio a new suit for the occasion. Up the street, the hooker Fedora (Jessica Forde) has just come into town from Venice, and has established her place of business not far from where Immacolata lives. So it doesn't escape Immacolata's attention that Don Gastone is passing through the neighborhood just a bit too often. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Massimo Santelia, Roberto Citran, (more)
- 1987
Otello (Marco Messeri) is the honest lawyer who accepts the position of planning a natural park in Italy's Po valley region. He turns down corrupt officials who offer bribes in exchange for favors. He continues his work but soon uncovers a scandal that led to the murder of an unfortunate inspector. Daria (Giulia Boschi) is a former political activist who provides love interest for the lonely lawyer, and Otello's friend Cecco (Meme Perlini) provides comedy relief in this mystery with touches of film noir. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Marco Messeri, Giulia Boschi, (more)
- 1987
In this uneven feature that wavers between a political comedy and social drama, Camillo (Massimo Troisi) suffers from psychosomatic paralysis when his fiance Vittoria (Jo Champa) ends the engagement. Camillo is thrown in jail by the card-carrying fascist Orlando (Massimo Bonetti) when he falls for Orlando's sweetheart. ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Massimo Troisi, Jo Champa, (more)
- 1985
Onetime campus radical Nanni Moretti (who also directed this film) renounces his past to become a priest. Returning to his home village, Moretti is appalled at the lack of religious reverence amongst the townsfolk. Unable to communicate with any of his old friends, who've all gleefully succumbed to the Deadly Sins, Moretti cannot even count on solace from his own family, a screwed-up aggregation which gives the word "dysfunctional" several new meanings. The priest finally gives up on the village and transfers to a parish far, far away. Despite the somber tone of the past few sentences, the Italian-filmed Mass Is Ended (Messa E' Finita) is actually a comedy, its humor stemming from the nonplussed reactions of Moretti and the believable performances of the supporting cast. The film won a special jury prize at the Berlin Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Nanni Moretti, Ferrucio de Ceresa, (more)
- 1980
A newcomer in 1981, Massimo Troisi wrote, directed, and starred in this popular comedy about the trials of Gaetano (Troisi) as he runs head-on into quirky characters ranging from a driver bent on ending it all with him in the car, to his mother who considers his forthcoming trip to Florence right up there with a visit to Siberia. Once Gaetano reaches Florence from his beloved Naples, overcoming all manner of obstacles in the process, he visits his 40-ish aunt and finds, to his chagrin, that she has a lover. He leaves, as this is wholly unacceptable, and ends up staying with a born-again American Christian out to convert the Italians. Life gets a little better as he is befriended by a charming young woman (Fiorenza Marchegiani) who does not want to convert anyone, and he moves in with her. From there, Gaetano starts to overcome his shyness, understandable considering the people he knows, and he contemplates life differently after this short time away from home. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Massimo Troisi, Lello Arena, (more)
