Fabio Traversa Movies

A young woman discovers the joys of independence and single living in this frothy Italian comedy. While their neighbors look on with interest, Margherita is first seen breaking up with Riccardo. While she then moves to a friends empty apartment on the bad side of Rome, Riccardo happily gets involved with the ditzy Titti. Margherita's new neighborhood is a cesspool of crime. One night she drives home from the shopping mall where she works and is nearly attacked by two bikers. Fortunately, they see the department store dummy she has stashed in the backseat, mistake it for a man, and race away. She tells no one her secret and soon all her friends begin believing that Margherita has a new man, whom she calls Bruno. This leads real manly prospects to slowly come her way, including Riccardo. But does she really want another man in her life, or is Bruno enough? ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

This non-narrative, sketch-based film is a non-stop feast of antic and black humor. The sketches are framed within the context of a Roman student's school year, which is disrupted by political and amorous misadventures. The title Ecce Bombo means "Behold the Bumblebee" and spoofs both the ancient biblical phrase (in English, "behold the man") and the then-current wave of terrorism and bombings. This was director Nanni Moretti's first full-length feature, shot with a small but significant budget of $350,000 and featuring a large number of young previously unknown talents. ~ Clarke Fountain, All Movie Guide

An off-beat comedy that takes a close look at the homeless and the hungry, Minestrone pulls off its wry and acerbic vision thanks to Sergio Citti, director and co-author of the script (with Vincenzo Cerami). Roberto Begnigni as Maestro contributes his own comedic talents to the film. The story centers around three characters who are brought together through the common human need to survive. Francesco (Franco Citti) and Giovanni (Ninetto Davoli) first meet at a garbage can, fending off a hungry dog for the scraps of food inside. The two men become friends, and soon get thrown in jail for causing a traffic snarl as they look up at the sky. Once in jail, however, they get to know the "upper crust" Maestro who cops his meals by walking into good restaurants dressed to the hilt and leaving without paying the bill. The three hook up as pals, and the story continues as their adventures take them out into the world again, giving the audience a chance to see society's role in the larger issue of hunger. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In the original story of Camille by Alexandre Dumas, Jr. La Dame aux Camelias, a beautiful Parisian courtesan, Marguerite Gautier, (called "Camille" because of her love for camelias) is supported by a series of aristocratic lovers, but does not fall in love until she meets Armand Duval. Armand's father lets it be known that Camille would ruin Armand because of her "low" past, and she leaves to save his reputation, saying she does not love him anymore. She soon contracts tuberculosis, and Armand hears that she is dying. He rushes to her side, finds out she has loved him all along, and she dies knowing he has always loved her. The True Story of Camille uses the ploy of Alexandre Dumas, Jr. doing his version of "Camille" at the turn of the 20th century, as a means of introducing a flashback to the "real" story behind the "real" Camille, Alphonsine Plessis. In the film, Alphonsine (Isabelle Huppert) - a country girl - was sold by her father to a wealthy neighbor, which starts her off on a round of living in expansive palaces and keeping company with wealthy aristocrats and eventually, Alexandre Dumas, Jr. himself. But that trajectory did not happen all at once. Alphonsine first survives, barely, as a seamstress in Paris. Then she becomes a prostitute, after which a Count Peregaunts (Bruno Ganz) marries her, then more or less disappears, leaving her to become a high-class courtesan. As she makes her way from one handsome, aristocratic client to the next, a noble protector, Count Stechelberg (Fernando Rey) keeps her out of harm's way. By the time she and Dumas meet, she has become infected with tuberculosis - and she has created the inspiration for Dumas' story of Camille. Her father comes along at this point, however, ready to trounce Dumas for romanticizing his daughter's wretched life - the same father that sold her off in the first place. If the viewer can remember that the characters of Marguerite Gautier (Carla Fracci) and Armand Duval from Dumas' story of Camille have been given their "real" personas as Alphonsine Plessis and Dumas in this film, then the story within a story make more sense. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

This lighthearted romantic melodrama about Bo (Sergio Castellitto), a weak-willed scriptwriter who falls in love with Francesca (Stefania Sandrelli), a tough, professional television director, does not quite blend the story, characters, and tone into an engaging whole. Bo is an aspiring scriptwriter when he first meets Francesca, and although they have a brief affair, she dismisses it as inconsequential while he remains steadfastly in love with her. Many years later, the two meet again -- and Bo still does not understand that whatever was between them for a brief time in the past is long gone. His "Sad Sack" misfortune and demeanor make him a hard sell as the erstwhile lead, while Francesca's cold-blooded response to life can hardly raise a viewer's sympathy, causing the film to lose ground between the two extremes. ~ Eleanor Mannikka, All Movie Guide

In this thriller, American novelist David Raybourne (Andrew McCarthy) accidentally becomes entangled in the Red Brigade's terrorist plan to kidnap Italian Premier Aldo Moro during a research trip to Rome. As the terrorists attempt to kill David, he and his photojournalist friend (Sharon Stone) must struggle to stay alive. ~ Iotis Erlewine, All Movie Guide