User reviews

I watched this film about 5 years ago, and I must say it's one of the bests I've seen. The subtle humour is perfectly married with the irony and another emotional moments. This film and 'Loves of a Blonde' (Milos Forman) have that subtlety you hardly see anymore. Mastroiani's performance as Pepino is memorable. His performances in different films as a director, gigoló and also a shy - timid man (for example) make him one of the most outstanding actors ever.

"Io Io Io e gli altri", starts laughing about itself, starts critizicing society, its vices, and the narrator commits one of those in the middle of his monologue. It sets up a tongue in cheek film which develops in an intelligent way.

This is Walter Chiari's film, the other actors appear less or only episodically, such as Sylva Koscina, Franca Valeri, Vittorio Caprioli, Marcello Mastroianni, Nino Manfredi, Vittorio De Sica. Sylva Koscina appears only a few seconds, naked, posing for an advertisement so, very sharp eyes! The great comic Nino Manfredi is just a controller in the train. Franca Valeri, Vittorio Caprioli, Marcello Mastroianni, Vittorio De Sica, they are all as in many other films, that is full of charm, natural, convincing. Gina Lollobrigida and Silvana Mangano have both more consistent roles, both being young and of great beauty. Gina is the nice sweet wife of Sandro(Water Chiari). Silvana is a woman who loved Sandro and became a big star due to him. How beautiful was Silvana Mangano! And what personality, with what easiness she acts, what naturalness! The movie is actually a Drama, a Drama with some comic moments, it's not a Comedy. Great moment after minute 52, with Adolf Hitler, Benito Mussolini Édouard Daladier and Neville Chamberlain, in Munich in 1938, with their speeches replaced by voices that resemble theirs but speak in Italian about pumpkins! The next moment from minute 54, with the gathering of rich women in the church, like it is a fashion show and not a mass, it's also cool and smart. Not an absolute masterpiece but a good film!