For Love and Gold (1966)
"L'armata Brancaleone" (original title)

A group of misfits, headed by an incompetent knight named Brancaleone, set out to reach the small town of Aurocastro so that their leader can take possession of the fief.

Director:

Mario Monicelli

Writers:

Agenore Incrocci, Mario Monicelli (screenplay),

Stars:

Vittorio Gassman, Catherine Spaak, Folco Lulli

3 wins & 5 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vittorio Gassman	...	Brancaleone da Norcia
Catherine Spaak	...	Matelda
Folco Lulli	...	Pecoro
Gian Maria Volonté	...	Teofilatto dei Leonzi
Maria Grazia Buccella	...	The widow
Barbara Steele	...	Teodora
Enrico Maria Salerno	...	Zenone
Carlo Pisacane	...	Abacuc
Ugo Fangareggi	...	Mangold
Gianluigi Crescenzi	...	Taccone
Pippo Starnazza	...	Piccioni
Luigi Sangiorgi	...	Manuc
Fulvia Franco	...	Luisa
Tito García	...	Filuccio (as Pablo Tito García)
Joaquín Díaz	...	Guccione

Storyline

A group of rogues steal a scroll granting its bearer the property of the land of Aurocastro in Apulia (south of Italy). They elect a shaggy knight, Brancaleone from Norcia, as their leader, and decide to get possession of this supposedly wealthy land. Many adventures will occurr during the journey.

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Plot Keywords:

knight | italy | castle | medieval times | byzantine | 

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Genres:

Adventure | Comedy

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Details

Country:

Italy France Spain

Language:

Italian Latin

Release Date:

7 April 1966 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Brancaleone's Army

Filming Locations:

Le Castella, Isola Capo Rizzuto, Crotone, Calabria, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Fair Film, Les Films Marceau, Vertice Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

120 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to director Mario Monicelli, Brancaleone was dressed "halfway between a Japanese samurai and an Italian ragamuffin".

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Connections

Featured in The Interpreter of Black and White Films (2007)

User Reviews

One of the greatest comic movies of the talkies.

Thanks to the french-speaking TV networks of my country (Canada), I litterally grew up with commedia all'italiana - Italy's crazy explosion of satirical comedies (1955-1980). Soon the "quartet of monsters" - Gassman, Manfredi, Sordi, Tognazzi - became my favourite comic stars. But when it comes to L'Armata Brancaleone, it is only two years ago that I finally found this movie, after a decade and a half of frentic research. The old Italian guy who sold me the (used) videocassette for 50 $ thinks he outsmarted me. No he did not! Even for a 1000 $, it would still be a bargain! For L'Armata Brancaleone is no less than a miracle of comic invention. The visceral power of this farce defies any superlatives I could find. Vittorio Gassman's performance as Brancaleone can only be compared to the greatest comics of the century. For their work on this film, scripters Age & Scarpelli, director Mario Monicelli and the whole team down to the most humble go-fer would deserve an enormous trophy.