Ugo Tognazzi Movies

Charles Aznavour and Ugo Tognazzi appear in this comedy about two Jewish merchants in need of cash. They team up with a Seminarian (Andre Dussolier) whose talents lie in opening safes and praying to God for assistance, and they plan one great robbery that will get everyone out of debt. Some viewers might take exception at a few digs against organized religion. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

This enjoyable parody of classic fairytales about kingdoms and despotic kings is set in the year 1000 and stars Italy's Ugo Tognazzi in top form as Bertoldo, a crafty peasant who has to outwit the king (not necessarily a difficult job) and others in order to stay afloat and alive. Joining him for awhile is Fra Cipolla (Alberto Sordi), a fake priest out to fleece his flock whenever the opportunity presents itself. Among the many comic episodes in the film is one in which Fra Cipolla and Bertoldo, and little Bertoldino (Bertoldo's son) hide some gold coins in a donkey's stomach and then sell the beast -- now with a certain amount of indigestion -- to a peasant family who are amazed at the end results. The king condemns Bertoldo to death by hanging for this trickery, but at the same time -- and much to his undoing -- he agrees to let Bertoldo choose the tree. That is not an easy task. Months later, Bertoldo arrives back at the king's castle carrying a little potted plant, the tree of his choice, requesting that they let it grow. The talents of Sordi, Tognazzi, and Lello Arena as the put-upon king, carry the full two hours of this royal spoof. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

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

Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) and Albin (Michel Serrault), the internationally popular homosexual couple from La Cage Aux Folles, return in this sequel directed by Edouard Molinaro. In this go-round, Renato and Albin find themselves innocent victims of an espionage ring and become involved with killers when several corpses begin to turn up. They are sought for some missing microfilm and through a series of convoluted circumstances are forced to flee, hiding out with Renato's family on their farm. Once there, Albin becomes an object of lust for a group of lonely farmhands. Benny Luke and Michel Galabru also reprise their roles from the first film. ~ Paul Brenner, Rovi

This farce features Jodi Foster, Catherine Deneuve, and Ugo Tognazzi. Tersina (Foster) is a pregnant teen whose parents want her married, pronto. Cerquette (Tognazzi) is an insurance man who wears a chastity belt to keep him from ravishing the two women he desires. A pair of bachelors liven up the action (Michele Placido and Luigi Proietti) which is not easy. Except for the introductory scenes, all of the action takes place in the dressinig (and undressing) room of a beach house. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, Rovi

Villa Serena is a retirement home for aging theatrical and vaudeville performers in this film, which stars Ugo Tognazzi as its newest inmate, Picchio, a former comedy great. There, he meets and falls in love with the lovely young attendant Renata (Ornella Muti), and goes off with her to Rome for the "first affair" of his retirement. However, he doesn't "go gently into that good night," but longs to mount a revival of his career, and is devastated to discover that his charms both as a performer and as a man are no longer what they once were. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

An international comedy sensation based on a successful French stage play, La Cage aux Folles depicts the farcical chaos that results when a gay man attempts to pose as straight for the benefit of his son's future in-laws. Renato (Ugo Tognazzi) owns a popular nightclub and is the long-time lover of Zaza (Michel Serrault), a female impersonator who is the club's main attraction. Unfortunately, Renato's son Laurent (Remy Laurent) has told none of this to his future father-in-law, an important figure in a morally conservative political organization. Not wanting to ruin his son's chance of happiness, Renato agrees to pose as a straight man, but he finds his familiar habits, and those of the even more flamboyant Zaza, getting in the way at every turn. Zaza is the one who comes up with what he thinks is an ideal solution: he'll dress in drag and pose as Renato's wife. Naturally, the plan does not pan out as expected. La Cage aux Folles' pleasant, unthreatening comic sensibility attracted a large mainstream audience in both Europe and the United States, which was at the time unusual for a film with a homosexual theme. Indeed, the film was popular enough to inspire two remakes: a stage musical and, nearly two decades later, the Hollywood comedy The Birdcage with Robin Williams, Nathan Lane, and Gene Hackman. ~ Judd Blaise, Rovi

Nothing in his background has given Saso Iovine (Nino Manfredi) any preparation for the sticky situations he encounters when he is hired by the crooked building contractor Don Michele to find his daughter Giulia, and some important (and legally damaging) documents she stole from him before running off with her boyfriend. He immediately stumbles onto a nest of corpses and a Neapolitan crime rivalry while being pursued by the police and harassed by his half-loony girlfriend. Along the way, practically everyone involved in the case becomes a corpse for him to stumble over moments ahead of the police's arrival. He does, however, become somewhat friendly with the police commissioner Assenza (Ugo Tognazzi), which just barely suffices to keep his neck out of the noose. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi

In this drama, Temistocle Orimbelli (Ugo Tognazzi) is a middle-aged man with a profound appreciation for womankind -- an appreciation that does not extend to Cleofe (Garbiella Giacobbe) his dried up old shrew of a wife. He is much taken with the charms of his sister-in-law Matilde (Ornella Muti), who is a widow. The attraction appears mutual, but he has first to overcome the obstacle of wifely suspicion in order to consummate the union. Eventually, he is able to appear at his boat at the same time as the lovely Matilde, and what had begun as a simple assignation turns into a complex tragedy. ~ Clarke Fountain, Rovi