Franca Tamantini Movies

In a series of vignettes that serve as a sequel to Amici Miei, director Mario Monicelli brings back several of his stars from the earlier movie to continue their antics in Florence, home of the friends of the title. All five are (or in some cases, were) close companions and have a penchant for practical jokes. Count Lello Mascetti (Ugo Tognazzi) may not have much money, but then he has an unattractive, pregnant, unmarried daughter to compensate. Prof. Sassaroli (Adolfo Celi) is a surgeon who decides to get back at a slightly senile loan shark, and the other friends range from a bar owner to a love-sick man. Together, they are sure to go from one unlikely situation to the next. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Popular Italian comic Alberto Sordi does an excellent job of creating a bumbling yet effective police inspector by the unlikely name of Dante Lombardozzi, in this entertaining comedy-murder mystery by director Luigi Comencini. Lombardozzi starts nosing around a murder that has been supposedly solved because he smells something fishy. His investigations bring him into contact with a hooker, Irma (Angela Portaluri) and the beginnings of an intuition that a scandal lies behind the murder mystery. Since the real facts about the crime were covered up as soon as possible, Lombardozzi may be looking at a serious roadblock in trying to nail the real culprit. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

A version of the Donizetti opera -- Sophia Loren(aka Sophia Lazzaro) appears in one of her first starring roles. In Italian with English narration. ~ Rovi

Set in a Swiss village in the early 1800s, Bellini's La Sonnambula is concerned with intrigues surrounding the engagement of the lovely Amina to the handsome Elvino. All are happy about the engagement, save Lisa, the spurned former lover of Elvino. A stranger, Rodolfo, enters the village. Rodolfo is, in fact, the missing heir to a local Count's estate, but he prefers to keep his identity a secret. Rodolfo is also quite taken with Amina, and the attention he pays to her inspires jealousy in Elvino. With darkness encroaching, the assembled disperse, due to rumors of a phantom that walks the area at night. Lisa follows Rodolfo to his room, having guessed his true identity, and the two engage in mutual flirtation. Their tete a tete is indirectly witnessed by Teresa, Amina's foster mother. Shortly, Amina also enters Rodolfo's room; it is clear that she is sleepwalking, and Rodolfo overcomes temptation by leaving the room, after which Amina returns to her sleeping state. Lisa quickly fetches Elvino, who accepts Amina's presence in another man's room as proof infidelity and breaks off their engagement. Rodolfo tries to clear Amina's name, but his explanation falls on deaf ears, and it appears that Elvino will now marry Lisa. However, Teresa tells Elvino of what she witnessed between Rodolfo and Lisa, and Elvino quickly abandons Lisa as well. Eventually, Amina is witnessed by Elvino, sleepwalking dangerously across a teetering plank bridge. Realizing his error, Elvino reunites with Amina. ~ Craig Butler, Rovi