Nell'anno del Signore (1969)

User Rating:

7.0/10   

Director:

Luigi Magni

Writer:

Luigi Magni (writer)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama | History

Plot:

Rome, 1825. Bishop Rivarola (Tognazzi) and colonel Nardoni (Salerno) are in charge to suppress liberal revolution...

Plot Keywords:

Liberal | Shoemaker | Revolution | Bishop | Hanging

Awards:

2 wins

Cast

Nino Manfredi	...	Cornacchia
Enrico Maria Salerno	...	Captain Nardoni
Claudia Cardinale	...	Giuditta Di Castro
Robert Hossein	...	Leonida Montanari
Britt Ekland	...	Princess Spada
Ugo Tognazzi	...	Cardinal Agostino Rivarola
Alberto Sordi	...	The Friar
Pippo Franco	...	Bellachioma
Renaud Verley	...	Angelo Targhini
Marco Tulli
Bruno Erba
Maria Cristina Farnese
Emilio Marchesini
Stefano Oppedisano	...	Drunk boy
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Franco Abbiana
Bob McQuarry
Piero Nistri
Stefano Riva

Also Known As:

Les conspirateurs (France)
The Conspirators (International: English title)

Runtime:

France:98 min | Italy:100 min | Spain:98 min | Argentina:100 min

Country:

Italy | France

Language:

Italian | Afrikaans | English | German | Italian

Color:

Color (Eastmancolor)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Argentina:13

Company:

Franco Films

Bittersweet historical comedy with an excellent cast

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

Loosely based on a true historical event of the Italian "Risorgimento", the movie is set in Rome in 1825. Two "carbonari" revolutionaries, doctor Leonida Montanari (Hossein) and young Targhini (Verley) attempt to murder a traitor, and are arrested. As we follow their ordeal, we also get to know humble Cornacchia (Nino Manfredi), who is secretly the satirical poet Pasquino; Jew Giuditta (Claudia Cardinale), who is in love with Montanari; Cardinal Rivarola (Ugo Tognazzi), who is one of the revolutionaries' fiercest enemies; Captain Nardoni (Enrico Maria Salerno); and, finally, a friar (Alberto Sordi), who is given the task to assist the prisoners.

Nell'anno del Signore (In the year of the Lord) could seem a movie that treads on thin ice, since it portrays a real fact with a tone that oscillates from serious to facetious; however, the mix of comedy and dramatic moments works well and give the whole movie a bittersweet tone, rather than self-important and ponderous. It's not an easy result to achieve, but director Luigi Magni succeeds.

The acting is solid, with a special mention for the always brilliant Nino Manfredi, who shines as the simple but resourceful Cornacchia/Pasquino; also brilliant are Ugo Tognazzi as Rivarola - Tognazzi resists the temptation to make him a slimy, sneering villain and portrays him as clever, cold and a little dreary; and Alberto Sordi in a scene-stealing, intentionally over-the-top turn as the friar.

I would be remiss if I didn't mention the beautiful soundtrack, which helps making the movie - and especially the last scene - memorable.

8/10