Tempo massimo

Vittorio de Sica is a poet, living a quiet life, henpecked by his aunt Amelia Chellini and his manservant Camillo Pilotto. He lives a quiet life, writing poetry. Then one day, Milly literally falls into his life in a parachute. He is entranced. Soon she is followed by her noisy friends, including Prince Nerio Bernardi, who wants to marry her, because he's broke, has debts, and she has money. Milly, however, is attracted to the shy, quiet, bearded de Sica, and when she is gone, he tries to make a man of himself and follows her, with Sra. Chelini's disapproval and the despairing aid of Pilotti. Bernardi, however, seeing a rival, fights unfairly.

It's a pleasant comedy, and director Mario Mattoli's first film, a standard effort carried on de Sica's modest performance and Milly's vivacity. There's also a role for Anna Magnani as Milly's maid in a key subplot, which has de Sica awkwardly competing in a bicycle race. Mostly, though, it's a pleasure seeing de Sica before he was a great director or movie star, just a good-looking leading man taking whatever role came his way and acquitting himself very well.