L'armata Brancaleone (1966)

User Rating:

8.1/10   

Director:

Mario Monicelli

Writers:

Agenore Incrocci (writer)
Mario Monicelli (screenplay)

Release Date:

7 April 1966 (Italy)

Genre:

Adventure | Comedy

Plot:

A group of rogues steal a scroll granting its bearer the property of the land of Aurocastro in Apulia (south of Italy)...

Plot Keywords:

Knight | Italy | Hermit | Parchment | Crusade

Awards:

3 wins & 1 nomination

Cast

Vittorio Gassman	...	Brancaleone da Norcia
Catherine Spaak	...	Matelda
Folco Lulli	...	Pecoro
Gian Maria Volontè	...	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

Also Known As:

For Love and Gold (International: English title)
La armada Brancaleone (Spain)

Runtime:

120 min

Country:

Italy | France | Spain

Language:

Italian | Latin

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

2.35 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13

Filming Locations:

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

Company:

Fair Film

Trivia:

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

Movie Connections:

Followed by Brancaleone alle crociate (1970)

Masterpiece of linguistic humour

I take the risk of annoying most people but it must be said: in order to get the full flavour of the fun in this movie you should have a really good knowledge of the Italian language, and view the film in original. It is hard even for an Italian to understand some of the dialogues, while they rapidly switch from Gassman's impeccable proto-Italian with strong Latin influences (spoken in such a serious manner as to result irresistibly comic), to Abacuc's Jewish version thereof, to the other characters' strong rural poor-man's accent.

In this movie, and in the delectable sequel "Brancaleone alle Crociate", Gassman is at the top of his skill as an actor. This is somehow like acting the "Fifteen Minutes Hamlet" without even remotely smiling, but giving a serious, professional performance. Only someone who is truly great can do the buffoon like this without appearing histrionic, or ridiculous.