Ricky Tognazzi Movies

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

Italian filmmaker Salvatore Piscicelli writes and directs the psychological drama Alla Fine Della Notte (At the End of the Night). Depressed, middle-aged actor/director Bruno Spada (Ennio Fantastichini) goes on a journey in search of happiness. At his home in Rome, his own wronged wife Fiamma (Stefania Orsola Garello) rightfully wants to leave him due to his constant infidelity. He first goes to Tuscany in order to visit his ex-girlfriend Viola (Elena Sofia Ricci), but she has her own relationship problems with a Filippino man (Ricky Tognazzi) to deal with. In Naples, he reunites with his aunt (Ida Di Benedetto) and recollects his childhood memories. At the End of the Night was screened at the 2003 Taormina Film Festival. ~ Andrea LeVasseur, All Movie Guide

Recalling François Girard's The Red Violin, Canone Inverso - Making Love is a multi-layered, multi-generational tale of music, fate, and passion. Based on the novel by Paolo Maurensig, the film opens in pre-WWII Europe, where Jeno, a half-Jewish boy, lives in relative poverty with his mother. His father, who abandoned his wife and son, left them with only a rare violin and a canone inverso, a traditional composition written for two instruments. During Jeno's (Hans Matheson) adolescence, his mother dies, and in the wake of her death, he is drawn to Sophie Levy (Melanie Thierry), a married, French Jewish pianist with whom he develops a close relationship. At Sophie's encouragement, Jeno applies for a scholarship to a music conservatory; there, he meets David Blau (Lee Williams), an aristocratic cad who becomes a great influence in Jeno's life. When Jeno is expelled from the school for being Jewish, David quits in protest and takes his friend back to his father's estate. It is at the estate that Jeno discovers a piece of music written by David's father that sparks a revelation about his family heritage -- and his connections to David and Sophie. ~ Rebecca Flint Marx, All Movie Guide

A noble judge attempts to put an end to the corruption that plagues Palermo in director Ricky Tognazzi's adaptation of Alexander Stille's best-selling novel detailing the hazardous career of real-life judge Giovanni Falcone. The setting is Palermo, Italy, and the decade is the 1980s. As the grip of corruption tightens like a vice on the city, one judge has vowed to bring down the Mafia even if it costs him his life. Judge Falcone (Chazz Palminteri) knows well that honest-minded judges have a notoriously short lifespan, but he also knows what's right, and he's not willing to go down without a fight. As the intense pressure to call off the investigation and look the other way increases from all sides, the good judge vows to stay the course and ensure that the citizens of Palermo don't fall prey to the ruthless racketeering of a criminal organization whose power is only exceeded by their brutality. ~ Jason Buchanan, All Movie Guide

Usury is a serious problem in mid-'90s Italy, a country torn by the realities of a long-term economic recession and the people's desires for material prosperity. Unforutnately, with the closure of many Italian banks and the lack of available credit, these things are hard to come by legally, so many, especially businessmen, turn to loan sharks. According to surveys, over %65 of the nation's businesses have involvement with violent loan sharks who like their seafaring cousins will patiently circle the rickety financial lifeboats of their prey until the right moment and then rush in for the kill. This allegorical crime drama from Italian filmmaker Ricky Tognazzi chronicles the complex psychological relationship between one such loan shark and his prey, an old friend from college. Francesco (the intended victim) runs a failing construction company owned by his dying father-in-law who went deeply in debt trying to keep the firm afloat. Outwardly, Sergio is an upstanding financial advisor who knew Francesco a decade before when they were both wild college boys. Sergio learns of Francesco's plight via a helpful banker and as soon as the father-in-law dies sends Claudio (his thug) to visit the bereaved family. Saying he represents the wealthy Signora Sauro (Sergio's secret lover and accomplice) Claudio offers to make a substantial loan to Francisco who accepts. Soon Sergio is back in Francesco's life. He has set his sights on his old friend's beautiful wife Miriam and becomes obsessed with bedding her. At the same time Claudio, whom Francesco doesn't realize is in cahoots with Sergio, begins threatening him for the money. Fortunately Sergio is there to 'save' Francesco from what he doesn't realize is the inevitable destruction of his business. At least that was Sergio's plan. Unfortunately, as ruthless and shrewd as he is, he does not count on the inconsistency of his accomplices. He also underestimates his victims and that proves for him, a terrible mistake. The film is also known as Un Homme Honnete. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The ruination of Michel Sindona, a powerful Italian financier with underworld connections, is chronicled in this historical drama. The tale begins in 1974 after Sindona's banking empire has just collapsed. The state sends in Milanese attorney Giorgio Ambrosoli to supervise the official receivership of Sindona's personal bank. Following the bank's destruction, Sindona high-tailed it to New York, but he still has the lawyer's every move watched. The surveillance is a routine precaution and Sindona isn't too worried about Ambrosoli, whom he sees as just another ineffectual, corruptible bureaucrat, an annoyance, but no real threat to the rest of Sindona's empire. Ambrosoli investigates deeper, and discovers that Sindona is connected to not only, the Mafia, but also the Parliament and to the Vatican. He then becomes a real threat by assuming control of the criminal mastermind's European holdings. While stepping up his investigations, Ambrosoli pays no mind to the ominous hints from the government that he should stop. Thanks to Ambrosoli, Sindona's credibility is severely damaged; meanwhile the lawyer begins receiving anonymous death threats (the actual taped threats are used for added realism). Eventually, Sindona has enough and puts a contract out on Ambrosoli, who was killed in 1979. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Thriller about a new prosecuting magistrate in Sicily, who replaces his assassinated predecessor only to find himself the new target of corrupt killers within the government. Score by Ennio Morricone. ~ Nicole Gagne, All Movie Guide

Season of Giants succeeds more in ambition than in execution. This 195-minute TV movie proposes that a great professional rivalry existed between Renaissance geniuses Michelangelo (Mark Frankel) and Leonardo da Vinci (John Glover). While the Florentine and Roman scenery is authentic, certain elements of the story cause the viewer to doubt its credibility. For starters, both Michelangelo and Da Vinci weather several years' time without either aging or changing their clothes; also, the "creative process" is minimized, with both artists going from inspiration to final product in what seems to be a matter of hours (maybe Michelangelo used a roller on the Sistine Chapel). Season of Giants was originally shown in two parts over the TNT Cable service, with a surprising paucity of advertising fanfare. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Psychiatrist Caruso (Francesco Nuti) is arguably as nutty as his patients. He can remember at two years old being completely besotted by the charms of a naked girl. Even today, he can think of little else besides sex, sex, sex. The person he thinks about most is his wife Giulia (Clarissa Burt), who was the girl he saw when he was two. Fortunately for him, she is equally obsessed, and by the same thing. Unluckily, she has taken a fancy to one of Caruso's patients (Ricky Tognazzi). Luckily, he has been diagnosed as a latent homosexual. Unluckily, Giulia's persuasive powers are equal to the challenge. Good luck and bad alternate in this way for the rest of the film, a box-office success in its native Italy. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

A family history is recalled by the venerable patriarch Carlo (Vittorio Gassman) as he prepares to celebrate his 80th birthday. Young Carlo (Andrea Massimo) marries Beatrice (Stefania Sandrelli) in 1926 but later has an illicit affair with her bohemian artist sister Adriana (Fanny Ardant). Fascism, World War II, and the raising of children and grandchildren mark the passing of a lifetime. Old Carlo lives with his grandson where his recollections are interrupted by the gentle nagging of his beloved Beatrice. This feature received an Oscar nomination in 1987 for "Best Foreign Film." ~ Dan Pavlides, All Movie Guide