Brancaleone alle Crociate

After the smash hit and trend-setting "L'Armata Brancaleone" (1965), a sequel was inevitable. So, five years later, came "Brancaleone alle Crociate" (1970), by the same team (director/co-writer Monicelli, co-writers Age+Scarpelli, star Gassman), following our Quixotesque medieval hero in his way to the Holy Land during the Crusades, with all the wildest shenanigans thrown in. He is joined by a team of wackos (including a hilarious Christian flagellant) and on the way he meets even crazier weirdos: a treacherous German crusader (scene-stealer Paolo Villaggio and his cracking fake German-Latin dialect), a princess disguised as a leper (Beba Loncar), a beautiful witch (Stefania Sandrelli), a king (Adolfo Celi) who speaks only in rhyme (VERY funny!).

Though not on that same level of the first film — which would be impossible, since the first "Brancaleone" is simply perfect — and despite some lulls along the way, this sequel has big assets of its own: the side-splitting, witty mix of fake dialects (which may be only fully appreciated if you master Italian language reasonably); fiery Gassman and his great blend of parody and farce; a big budget with locations in Algeria; and some wonderful gags, many of them paraphrased or downright stolen by Monty Python in films such as "The Holy Grail", "Life of Brian" and "The Meaning of Life" (the Grim Reaper bit is directly stolen from this "Brancaleone").

If you're a fan of Italian comedies or Monty Python films, you can't miss this one. This is from the time when Italian comedies ruled, and deservedly so. Great fun!