Divorzio all'italiana (1961)

User Rating:

8.3/10   

Director:

Pietro Germi

Writers:

Ennio De Concini (story) &
Pietro Germi (story) ...

Release Date:

17 September 1962 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy

Tagline:

The cutest comedy import in a long time!!!

Plot:

A married Sicilian baron falls in love with his cousin and vows to wed her, but with divorce illegal he must concoct a crime of passion to do away with his wife.

Plot Keywords:

Sicilian | Cousin | Divorce | 1960s | Italy

Awards:

Won Oscar. Another 6 wins & 6 nominations

Cast

Marcello Mastroianni	...	Ferdinando Cefalù
Daniela Rocca	...	Rosalia Cefalù
Stefania Sandrelli	...	Angela
Leopoldo Trieste	...	Carmelo Patanè
Odoardo Spadaro	...	Don Gaetano Cefalù
Margherita Girelli	...	Sisina
Angela Cardile	...	Agnese
Lando Buzzanca	...	Rosario Mulè
Pietro Tordi	...	Attorney De Marzi
Ugo Torrente	...	Don Calogero
Antonio Acqua	...	Priest
Bianca Castagnetta	...	Donna Matilde Cefalù
Giovanni Fassiolo
Ignazio Roberto Daidone
Francesco Nicastro

Also Known As:

Divorce - Italian Style (USA)

Runtime:

105 min | UK:104 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Certification:

Argentina:13 | Finland:K-16 | Sweden:15 | USA:Approved (certificate number not listed)

Filming Locations:

Catania, Sicily, Italy

Company:

Galatea Film

Movie Connections:

Referenced in "Dallas: Divorce, Ewing Style (#3.21)" (1980)

The Best Italian Comedy I've Seen So Far

(The following review is based on the Criterion edition of the film) I am shocked to see that this film has only received 800 votes as of now. It received 3 Oscar nominations and won the Academy award for best original screenplay. The director, Pietro Germi, was even nominated for best director, along with Marcello Mastroianni. The film is about a Baron Ferdinando Cefalu (Marcello Mastroianni) who is unhappy with his wife, Rosalia (Daniela Rocca), and wishes to marry his first cousin, Angela (Stefania Sandrelli). Apparently divorces are illegal, so he must kill his wife to be with his cousin. The obvious incest of the film made me question what was the Sicilian attitude on situations such as this one. Anyway, Ferdinando spends the majority of the film trying to find a way to kill his wife and dreaming about Angela. He plans to kill his spouse upon learning that Italian law says that crimes of passion against a spouse, daughter, or sister require a 3 to 8 year prison sentence, only if the accused catches the lovers in the act. The irony is that this originally Fascist law remained in Italy through the 60's. It sounds like no laughing matter but the film is hilarious, Mastroianni is perfect along with the supporting actors. Plus, there is a reference to La Dolce Vita.