This tale of the friendship between two boys of different background and character is funny as well as touching. It is a very intelligent entertaining story about the importance of love, trust, understanding and laughter. Set in Rome it shows how big events as well as small things can influence a relationship - a friendship that will last a lifetime, even if the two boys might never meet again.
7 Reviews
Great Italian neo-realist film about friendship
KobusAdAstra15 August 2017
Warning: Spoilers
Mario (Geronimo Meynier), son of a ceramic artist, is unhappy when, after a short absence from school due to illness, he arrives back at school to find that his seat in the class has been taken by a new boy, Franco (Andrea Sciré). Franco is the son of a diplomat and regularly changes schools as his father is transferred to new postings. Mario rather ungraciously accepts the fact that the new boy has taken over his seat. In spite of this poor start a friendship quickly develops between the two boys. Mario is sporty and mischievous while Franco, a smart lad, is still affected by the passing away of his mother some 8 years earlier.
Franco is very unhappy when he learns that he has to move school again as his father was suddenly transferred to Sudan. Mario decides to help his friend and arranges that Franco moves in with his family. That way the boy will be able to continue his studies at the same school.
Mario, good athlete that he is, is convinced that he will win the local cross-country race and even better his previous record. When the Franco unexpectedly beats him in the finals (after Mario started with too fast a pace), it is a bitter pill for Mario to swallow. Mario impulsively starts a rumour about Franco which quickly snowballs into something ugly. Would this mean the end of the friendship?
The film ends on a poignant note, in my view the right ending. I found the performances of both young protagonists quite accomplished while the cinematography of this black and white film and soundtrack by Nino Rota are of high standard.
Although I score this film a good 7/10, it is not quite as good as the similarly-themed 'Shoeshine' (aka 'Sciuscià ') of 1946, a masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica, where we witness how the friendship between two lads is put under incredible pressure. Nevertheless, if you haven't seen 'Amici per la pelle', try to get to get it; it's worth it.
Franco is very unhappy when he learns that he has to move school again as his father was suddenly transferred to Sudan. Mario decides to help his friend and arranges that Franco moves in with his family. That way the boy will be able to continue his studies at the same school.
Mario, good athlete that he is, is convinced that he will win the local cross-country race and even better his previous record. When the Franco unexpectedly beats him in the finals (after Mario started with too fast a pace), it is a bitter pill for Mario to swallow. Mario impulsively starts a rumour about Franco which quickly snowballs into something ugly. Would this mean the end of the friendship?
The film ends on a poignant note, in my view the right ending. I found the performances of both young protagonists quite accomplished while the cinematography of this black and white film and soundtrack by Nino Rota are of high standard.
Although I score this film a good 7/10, it is not quite as good as the similarly-themed 'Shoeshine' (aka 'Sciuscià ') of 1946, a masterpiece by Vittorio De Sica, where we witness how the friendship between two lads is put under incredible pressure. Nevertheless, if you haven't seen 'Amici per la pelle', try to get to get it; it's worth it.
Beautiful film of boyhood friendship
mcongedi28 May 2020
Films about children are often either strictly for children (and therefore rarely made to a high standard) or are unrealistic in their character portrayal (often showing children to be too coy or more wise-cracking than is natural). Not this film whose Italian title "Amici per la pelle" translates roughly as "Friends for life".
Fourteen year-old Franco (Andrea Scire'), the son of a diplomat and orphaned of mother arrives at a new city to live. Being the son of a diplomat, and having to move from city to city frequently is clearly disruptive for shy Franco as he needs to forge new friendships again. Arriving at his new school he is keen to impress the other children in the hope of making new friendships. He forges a friendship with schoolmate Mario (Geronimo Meynier) and Franco feels compelled to invent stories about himself to keep Mario's friendship. But this friendship is sorely tested when envy and competitiveness come between them. Will their friendship survive?
This is a beautifully made film by director Franco Rossi whose subsequent career never hit the heights of this sensitive and well-handled film. The children actors are all marvelous, the dialogue is pitched at the right age group of the children which adds to the realism. But it not just a film for children, as it can be appreciated by adults due to its mature themes of loyalty and friendship.
Fourteen year-old Franco (Andrea Scire'), the son of a diplomat and orphaned of mother arrives at a new city to live. Being the son of a diplomat, and having to move from city to city frequently is clearly disruptive for shy Franco as he needs to forge new friendships again. Arriving at his new school he is keen to impress the other children in the hope of making new friendships. He forges a friendship with schoolmate Mario (Geronimo Meynier) and Franco feels compelled to invent stories about himself to keep Mario's friendship. But this friendship is sorely tested when envy and competitiveness come between them. Will their friendship survive?
This is a beautifully made film by director Franco Rossi whose subsequent career never hit the heights of this sensitive and well-handled film. The children actors are all marvelous, the dialogue is pitched at the right age group of the children which adds to the realism. But it not just a film for children, as it can be appreciated by adults due to its mature themes of loyalty and friendship.
Story of young friendship.
ItalianGerry22 December 2001
Warning: Spoilers
AMICI PER LA PELLE is the story of a friendship between two Italian schoolboys in Rome and has echoes of Vittorio De Sica's SCIUSCIA' minus the social drama. Our young "friends in the skin", i.e."friends forever" are Mario (Geronimo Meynier) and Franco (played with great sensitivity by Andrea Scire.) Mario lives a happy homelife with his loving parents. Franco, a sensitive, sheltered boy who has lost his mother and now lives in a posh hotel suite with his equally caring diplomat father. Mario convinces Franco's father to have the boy come to live with him while he is away on a diplomatic mission. The friendship between the boys grows. The shy Franco confides his feelings of loneliness that resulted with the death of his mother. While he stays with Mario, he is keenly aware of the motherly affection bestowed on Mario by his mom and that he can no longer experience. They visit the former residence of his dad and now-dead mom, and Franco shows Mario a portrait of his mom. (THE WOMAN IN THE PAINTING was the title of this film in its American release.) The film is filled with many charming vignettes: the boys' sports activities together, the awkward encounters with girls at a teenage birthday party, other boyish escapades. (SOME SPOILERS AHEAD) But when Mario counts on winning a school sports contest and instead suffers a humiliating defeat to Franco, he becomes envious and thoughtlessly besmirches the memory of his friend's mother by passing around cruel notes with drawings, without really meaning to do any harm. Terribly hurt and betrayed, Franco decides to leave after all with his father instead of remaining in Rome with his friend. In remorse Mario goes to the airport as the two are about to leave. What happens next depends on which version you see. The American ending (in a reversal of custom) is an unhappy one. Mario fails to arrive at the airport in time, is unable to ask forgiveness as he so desperately wants to, and watches the plane take off with his forever lost friend. In Europe the ending was an upbeat one, where the two boys are able to embrace each other in apology and forgiveness and promise to remain friends even if apart. Very few films have portrayed the delicate relationships and feelings that constitute boyhood affections, like that between Franco and Mario, with such sensitivity, warmth, and true wisdom. Credit goes to the director Franco Rossi for his admirable job with the boys, the wonderful actors who play the parents, and to the committee of excellent screenwriters who created the dialog and dramatic situations. The music is by Nino Rota, who did most of Fellini's great films. This film received a shoddy distribution in America in its inapt retitling and was hardly seen by anyone. Watch this movie if you are lucky enough to find a copy of it anywhere. It is a treasure.
Amici per la pelle- the story of a friendship.
notswin1 November 2011
This is the story of the friendship of two Italian schoolboys, admirably played by Geronimo Maynier(Mario) and Andrea Scire(Franco). Mario is a lively extrovert from a happy home, Franco is a lonely, more introverted boy who moves from hotel to hotel with his diplomat father. In a series of incidents at their homes and at school we see a happy friendship develop. There follows a rift in the friendship and finally there is a parting. The film is brilliantly directed by Franco Rossi. I first saw the film back in the 1950's and was very moved by it. I do not know if it has been issued on Video or DVD- it certainly should be for it deals in a simple and unmelodramatic way with the strong emotions of adolescent friendships as we have seen more recently in films like "Stand By Me".
A delicate and sensitive film
luke-9413 August 2003
I saw this film around 1957 in London and the memory has always stayed with me. Even now I can recall the music! See it if you can, unless you are one of those people who thought that "Wild Strawberries" was a tedious bore.
A strong influence on Comencini
dbdumonteil16 December 2014
Proof positive that there was,in the fifties, an alternative to Joselito Jimenez's soupy melodramas.
"Amici Per La Pelle" depicts a pure friendship between two teenagers ,a friendship which will endure,even,as if one user wrote,they were never to meet again.Mario is the would be tough guy sure of himself,but the last scenes show he breaks like a little boy (the writers are to be praised for not taking the easy way out).Franco is introverted,extremely sensitive ;he comes from the upper class of the society (his dad is an ambassador) but his relationship with his pal never suffers for it.True friendship knows no class,no race...Even for the father,it's only natural that his son should be taken in by his friend's family when he is away (and it must be pointed out that Mario's dad is an artist ,verging on bohemian life):the key to Franco's character is the loss of his mother ,which may explain he finds it hard to relate to girls.Now that his dear mother still lives on in his heart,he invents an imaginary girlfriend .
There's a stunning chemistry between the two young actors.
This movie had a huge influence on Luigi Comencini's later works which deal with childhood: "Cuore" ," Voltati Eugenio" and mainly ,mainly,'Incompreso" (it's no coincidence if his two young heroes are a consul's sons and their mom's dead).If you have liked "Amici Per La Pelle" ,Watch them.
NB:Geronimo Meynard's career ended with Freda's "Giuletta E Romeo "(1964) ,but time had taken its toll,and he was far from being as convincing,as moving as he is in Rossi's delicate drama.
"Amici Per La Pelle" depicts a pure friendship between two teenagers ,a friendship which will endure,even,as if one user wrote,they were never to meet again.Mario is the would be tough guy sure of himself,but the last scenes show he breaks like a little boy (the writers are to be praised for not taking the easy way out).Franco is introverted,extremely sensitive ;he comes from the upper class of the society (his dad is an ambassador) but his relationship with his pal never suffers for it.True friendship knows no class,no race...Even for the father,it's only natural that his son should be taken in by his friend's family when he is away (and it must be pointed out that Mario's dad is an artist ,verging on bohemian life):the key to Franco's character is the loss of his mother ,which may explain he finds it hard to relate to girls.Now that his dear mother still lives on in his heart,he invents an imaginary girlfriend .
There's a stunning chemistry between the two young actors.
This movie had a huge influence on Luigi Comencini's later works which deal with childhood: "Cuore" ," Voltati Eugenio" and mainly ,mainly,'Incompreso" (it's no coincidence if his two young heroes are a consul's sons and their mom's dead).If you have liked "Amici Per La Pelle" ,Watch them.
NB:Geronimo Meynard's career ended with Freda's "Giuletta E Romeo "(1964) ,but time had taken its toll,and he was far from being as convincing,as moving as he is in Rossi's delicate drama.
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