This is another film resulting from the long and fruitful professional relationship between actor Alberto Sordi and writer Rodolfo Sonego, the most notable of which is probably Risi's 'la Vita Difficile'. Sordi and director Luigi Comencini were no strangers to each other either, having made, amongst others, the marvellous 'Tutti a casa'.
In common with so many films of the genre referred to as Commedia all'Italiana this has an underlying pathos and bitterness which stems from the constant struggle between 'the haves' and the 'have nots'.
The card game of the title, the rules of which are a mystery to me, played by junk-man Peppino and his wife against the millionairess and her companion epitomises this struggle. Never has the phrase 'money comes to money' seemed so apt.
This is an excellent film with a marvellous cast. Sordi of course never misses a beat whilst Silvana Mangano expresses so much by doing so little. They both won a David di Donatello award for this. The casting of Bette Davis is quite frankly a masterstroke. She is superb, her voice being seamlessly dubbed by Lia Zoppelli and Joseph Cotten makes the best of a pretty thankless part in this his third film with Miss Davis. The looks that pass between the players during the games are wonderfully directed by Comencini.
The game spreads from the confines of the magnificent villa to include all the inhabitants of the shanty town who are warned by the priest of the dangers of too much dreaming and of believing that money makes miracles, to no avail alas. Meanwhile back at the villa the tension becomes almost unbearable as the underdogs hit a lucky streak and are sitting on life-changing wealth but will Peppino play the right or the wrong of just two cards.....?
This film is all about money; what people without will do to get it and those with will do to keep it. That reminds me, I must do the Lottery this week. Well, I can dream, can't I?
