Massimo Franciosa Movies
Italian novelist, screenwriter, and director Massimo Franciosa was well-known for collaborating with Pasquale Festa Campanile and famed comedy director Dino Risi during the 1950s. Franciosa's most popular works from this era were Poor but Beautiful (1956) and its sequel, Beautiful but Poor (1957), as well as Venice, the Moon and You (1958). He was also responsible for penning several classic screenplays for Luchino Visconti, including Rocco E I Suoi Fratelli (Rocco and His Brothers) (1960) and Il Gattopardo (The Leopard) (1963). In 1963, he won an Oscar nomination for the screenplay for Nanni Loy's Four Days of Naples. All told, Franciosa wrote or co-wrote close to 70 screenplays. He made his bow as a director in the comedy Extracongiugale (1965). Prior to that, he gained helming experience co-directing features with Festa Campanile, beginning with Un Tenativo Sentimentale (1963). Franciosa directed his last film in 1968. He continued writing screenplays through the '70s, but by the mid-'80s had changed his focus to penning novels and writing for television. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide- 1958
Il Cocco di Mamma translates to "Mamma's Boy," a more than adequate description of protagonist Maurizio Arena. On the verge of achieving success as a prizefighter, Arena loses because he's afraid his face will be permanently damaged. Branded a coward by his friends and family, our hero is finally able to find inner reserves of strength through the love of a good woman (Inge Schoener). No longer frightened of facial disfigurement, Arena at last emerges victorious. The story is nothing special, but the handling of the material, combined with the film's realistic depiction of life in working-class Rome, is first rate. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Maurizio Arena, Edoardo Nevola, (more)
- 1957
The title of this Italian slice-of-life drama translates to Young Husbands. The husbands in question rather casually enter into marriage, never intending true fidelity to their spouses. When they realize that they're committed for life, our immature heroes return to their home town for one last fling. In the course of their final hours of bachelorhood, they come to the sobering conclusion that their carefree youth is not only past, it's already long past. Somewhat reminiscent of Fellini's I Vitelloni, Giovani Mariti boasts excellent performances from all concerned. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Sylva Koscina, Antonella Lualdi, (more)
