Por uma Graça Recebida

Nino Manfredi was an actor who made interesting flicks :"pane e cioccolate" is probably the most memorable.

"Per grazia ricevuta" might be less palatable for a mainstream audience.Actually ,it will mainly appeal to people who were brought up catholics (and changed totally afterward) .The precedent user wrote about his "confirmation day" actually it's his "solemn communion " day.This is minor quibble:the scene when the boy chokes on host is a very funny metaphor .

A man tried to take his own life and is rushed to the hospital where he remembers scenes of the past ,most of them dealing with religion.

The first flashback is the best of all:any viewer who 's been through it all,Sunday school,pious pictures,bigotry,the first time you've gone to confession ,will go for a ride in the Time Machine.Manfredi spices his memories with dark irony:the auntie telling her nephew that her night visitor (her lover) was certainly the village's favorite saint.

The rest is more uneven but if you really want to know WHAT the Extreme-Unction is and WHY catholics do it ,it's the movie you've got to see.Manfredi draws an interesting parallel between the priest's and the doctor's gestures.Another strong scene is the " wedding" which echoes to the communion sequence.

An interesting work ,but you've got to have an interest in religion to fully appreciate it.