Based on the play titled Filumena Marturano by the prestigious Neapolitan playwright Eduardo De Filippo about two peculiar characters who along the time share a thunderous relationship. Set in Naples, it deals with a rich, egostic and successful businessman with an eye on the women : Marcello Mastroianni, who at a noisy brothel meets a penniless seventeen-year-old young prostitute while an allied bombing is happening .Two years later they find again, he is the wealthy man called Domenico and she is Filumena Marturano: Sophia Loren. From now on, they will share long time of their lives for immediate post-WWII.
An enjoyable comedy starred by two greatest actors of the Italian cinema. Here there are silly incidents, humor, melodrama, twists , irony, laughs, and lots of fun. Dealing with a long, twisted relation, as the engaged, selfish man hears that his mistress is on her death bed, he goes to her side and in an emotional gesture he promises to marry her if she survives, she doesn't die and holds him to his promise, then does , they are married, however, she gives him a big surprise, three grown sons. Awesome interpretations from the two extraordinary Italian protagonists, the always splendid Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren, both of whom providing terrific performances as two particular roles sharing up and down great part of their existence . The film deservedly won Golden Globes 1965 to Foreign Film.It contains a sensitive and agreeable musical score, including an attractive leitmotif, from Armando Trovajoli. As well as evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Robert Gerardi.
Well produced by the American Joseph E Levine and Italian Carlo Ponti, Sofia Loren's husband. Nice direction by the great filmmaker/actor Vittorio De Sica who keeps it adequate from being too fluffy. Vittorio was one of the best directors/actors of Italy. By the late 1920s, he was a successful matinee idol of the Italian theatre. He starred a lot of films, though many of them as a secondary actor, such as : The sign of Venus, Mateotti case, Moll Flanders, Trastevere, Ana of Brooklyn, Danae, Gastone, Austerliz, A farewell to arms, The Angel wore red, Natale al campo 119, Villa Borghese, Magdalena, Zero in condotto, being his last film : Blood for Dracula. His most known facet as a notorious director includes a lot of important pictures. He firstly made mostly light comedies. His successful filming of Neorealist films along with writer Cesare Zavattini gave classic titles as The cycle thief, Shoe shine, Umberto D who also starred, Miracle in Milan, Il giudizio universale, L'oro di Napoli and his greatest hit : Two women . Going on to shot commercial films as Woman times seven, After the fox, The witches, The garden of Finzi Contini, Station Termini, A brief vacation, Yesterday today tomorrow again with Marcello and Sophia and his final one : The voyage with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Rating 7/10. Better than average. Well worth watching. Essential and indispendable seeing for Italian cinema buffs.
An enjoyable comedy starred by two greatest actors of the Italian cinema. Here there are silly incidents, humor, melodrama, twists , irony, laughs, and lots of fun. Dealing with a long, twisted relation, as the engaged, selfish man hears that his mistress is on her death bed, he goes to her side and in an emotional gesture he promises to marry her if she survives, she doesn't die and holds him to his promise, then does , they are married, however, she gives him a big surprise, three grown sons. Awesome interpretations from the two extraordinary Italian protagonists, the always splendid Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren, both of whom providing terrific performances as two particular roles sharing up and down great part of their existence . The film deservedly won Golden Globes 1965 to Foreign Film.It contains a sensitive and agreeable musical score, including an attractive leitmotif, from Armando Trovajoli. As well as evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Robert Gerardi.
Well produced by the American Joseph E Levine and Italian Carlo Ponti, Sofia Loren's husband. Nice direction by the great filmmaker/actor Vittorio De Sica who keeps it adequate from being too fluffy. Vittorio was one of the best directors/actors of Italy. By the late 1920s, he was a successful matinee idol of the Italian theatre. He starred a lot of films, though many of them as a secondary actor, such as : The sign of Venus, Mateotti case, Moll Flanders, Trastevere, Ana of Brooklyn, Danae, Gastone, Austerliz, A farewell to arms, The Angel wore red, Natale al campo 119, Villa Borghese, Magdalena, Zero in condotto, being his last film : Blood for Dracula. His most known facet as a notorious director includes a lot of important pictures. He firstly made mostly light comedies. His successful filming of Neorealist films along with writer Cesare Zavattini gave classic titles as The cycle thief, Shoe shine, Umberto D who also starred, Miracle in Milan, Il giudizio universale, L'oro di Napoli and his greatest hit : Two women . Going on to shot commercial films as Woman times seven, After the fox, The witches, The garden of Finzi Contini, Station Termini, A brief vacation, Yesterday today tomorrow again with Marcello and Sophia and his final one : The voyage with Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Rating 7/10. Better than average. Well worth watching. Essential and indispendable seeing for Italian cinema buffs.