Tina Pica Movies
- 1951
Playwright Eduardo de Fillipo not only adapted his theatrical piece Filumena Marturano to the screen, but also starred in it and directed as well. de Fillipo's sister Titina plays the title character, a Neapolitan mother who is determined to "legitimize" her three out-of-wedlock children. She targets her ex-lover Domenico Soriano (de Fillipo), a disillusioned rouge, as her future husband. The latter prefers much younger bedmates, but Filumena isn't about to give up without a fight -- albeit a gentle and loving one. Like many of Eduardo de Fillipo's films, Filumena Marturano took some time before achieving an American release. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Titina de Filippo, Eduardo de Filippo, (more)
- 1953
Il Segno di Venera (The Sign of Venus) offers an earthier Sophia Loren than American audiences would later become accustomed to. Agnese (Loren) has no trouble attracting men, which is more than can be said for her plain-Jane friend Cesira (Franca Valeri). The two girls embark on a search for an appropriate mate for Cesira, despite the fact that all eligible males instantly gravitate to Agnese. Some of the choices -- petty thief Alberto Sordi, impecunious poet Vittorio De Sica -- are frankly not good enough for either girl. Alternating between humor and pathos, Il Segno di Venera is light, forgettable entertainment. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Franca Valeri, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1954
Vittorio De Sica, Cesare Zavattini, and Giuseppe Marotta wrote this anthology of tales depicting various aspects of Neapolitan life, with the emphasis of poignancy and comedy: "The Racketeer" features Toto with a gangster as his unwanted house guest; "Pizza On Credit" gave Sophia Loren one of her first starring roles, as a wayward wife who loses her wedding ring; "The Gambler" stars De Sica in a hilarious performance as a compulsive gambler whose rich family won't give him money, so he's reduced to playing cards with the young son of his servant; "Theresa" features Silvana Mangano as a prostitute who discovers that a man really does have to be crazy to marry her. (Two other episodes were cut for the film's U.S. release.) ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Totò, Pasquale Cennamo, (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)
- 1957
La Nonna Sabella (Grandmother Sabella) was one of two 1957 offerings from prolific Italian filmmaker Dino Risi. The 80-year-old title character tries to arrange a wealthy marriage for her worldly grandson. But our hero is a bit too clever for Grandmother Sabella: he intends to wed his childhood sweetheart, and he intends to get Grandma's blessing whether she's aware of it or not. The potential bride is played by Sylva Koschina, who as Sylva Koscina would attain worldwide stardom within a few years. La Nonna Sabella was the winner of the Golden Seashell Award at the 1957 San Sebastian Film Festival. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Tina Pica, Peppino De Filippo, (more)
Vittorio De Sica plays the middle-aged marshal of carabiniers in a remote Italian mountain village. He's anxious to marry, and selects young Gina Lollobrigida as his bride; but she is already in love with De Sica's shy subordinate Roberto Risso. Mistaking her headstrong behavior as promiscuity, De Sica makes advances towards her, but she spurns him. Forsaking the girl to the arms of Risso, De Sica decides to settle for village midwife Marisa Merlini. Originally titled Pane, Amore, e Fantasia when released in Italy, Bread, Love and Dreams contains what some regard as Gina Lollobrigida's best and most naturalistic performance. The film's popularity resulted in two sequels, both with Lollobrigida: Pane, Amore e Gelosia (US title: Frisky) and the open-ended Pane, Amore e... (released in the states as Scandal in Sorrento). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Vittorio De Sica, Gina Lollobrigida, (more)
- 1954
In this sequel to Bread, Love, and Dreams a fortyish man gets himself in trouble with his wife who suspects him of messing around with a sexy woman. Unfortunately, he is innocent. His attempts to prove it form the basis for the story. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Gina Lollobrigida, Vittorio De Sica, (more)
- 1948
After serving his creative apprenticeship in short subjects, Italian filmmaker Luigi Comencini made his feature-film debut with Guaglio. The film was also released as Proibito Rubare, and later was distributed to the U.S. as Hey, Boy! The dramatic crux of the film is the relationship between a missionary priest and a gang of postwar Neapolitan street kids. Reportedly, Comencini and co-writer Suso Cecchi D'Amico deliberately patterned the film after the 1938 Hollywood release Boys Town. If so, they eschewed the MGM gloss of the earlier film in favor of gritty neorealism and pointed criticism of Naples' class-consciousness. The two main characters, the priest and the boy who helps him "reach" the other kids, are played by Adolfo Celi and Mario Russo. Most of the urchins are effectively played by nonprofessionals recruited from the streets of Naples. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Adolfo Celi, Tina Pica, (more)
- 1957
In this Italian romantic comedy set in the town of Sorrento, on the beautiful Bay of Naples, a woman rents a home from a dashing womanizer. Unfortunately, after 30 years away, the man returns to become the town police chief and wants to reclaim his home. The woman refuses to leave. The man then attempts to use his many charms. The ploy works and the woman agrees to dump her fiancé and marry him instead. When the womanizer realizes what she is about to do, he jilts her instead and decides to woo his own landlady instead. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- 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)
- 1955
This routine drama set in post-war Italy is the first feature by novice director Sergio Capogna and is based on a best-selling novel by Vasco Pratolini. The story centers around one main protagonist, a young man (Massimo Tonna) who in addition to growing into adulthood, has to come to grips with the post-war conditions in the country. Not overly long on morality at first, he opts for seducing an older widow with the sole intent of stealing as much from her as he can. He follows his plan all the way to the end, with tragic consequences that he did not foresee -- and a lesson learned, too late. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide
Each of the episodes in the three-part Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (Ieri, Oggi E Domani) stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. In "Adelina-Naples," Loren and Mastroianni are married, and Loren is in trouble with the law. Each time the authorities close in, Loren eludes capture by revealing a swollen belly; back in 1964, Italian law forbade the arrest of a pregnant woman until six months after the child's birth. In "Anna," Loren is married to a wealthy industrialist and has an affair with Mastroianni. So obsessed is she with material possessions that she's willing to walk out on Mastroianni when he smashes her sports car. And in "Mara," high-priced prostitute Loren attracts the attention of a young seminary student, but refuses to seduce him -- then takes a vow of chastity, aggravating her regular customer (Mastroianni). While the first episode is the funniest, it was the last episode which received the most press-coverage, thanks to Loren's "striptease" scene, revealing La Loren in skimpy bra and panties (a bit parodied by the stars in Robert Altman's otherwise-dreadful Prêt-à-Porter). Though the title Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow has absolutely no relation to the film at hand, it is a far more appealing cognomen than the film's British release title, She Got What She Asked For. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, (more)
