A Brief Vacation (1973)
"Una breve vacanza" (original title)

A women lives a miserable life in the basement of her Milan apartment, with her boring inlaws and three children (boys). Her husband has been injured. Her bleak life takes an unexpected ... See full summary »

Director:

Vittorio De Sica

Writers:

Rodolfo Sonego (story), Cesare Zavattini,

Stars:

Florinda Bolkan, Renato Salvatori, Daniel Quenaud

5 wins.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Florinda Bolkan	...	Clara Mataro
Renato Salvatori	...	Franco Mataro, the husband
Daniel Quenaud	...	Luigi, Clara's lover
José María Prada	...	Dr. Ciranni
Teresa Gimpera	...	Gina
Hugo Blanco	...	Brother-in-law
Julia Peña	...	Edvige
Miranda Campa	...	Nurse Guidotti
Angela Cardile	...	La Rossa, the redhead
Anna Carena	...	Mother-in-law
Monica Guerritore	...	Maria
Maria Mizar	...	Nurse Garin
Alessandro Romanazzi	...	Son
Adriana Asti	...	Scanziani
Enrico Baroni

Storyline

A women lives a miserable life in the basement of her Milan apartment, with her boring inlaws and three children (boys). Her husband has been injured. Her bleak life takes an unexpected turn when she is diagnosed with tuberculosis and has to go to a sanatorium in the Italian Alps. At the medical clinic in Milan she meets young mechanic with the similar health problems. At the sanatorium she meets again the same man and they start a passionate love affair. All good things must come to an end. When she is cured, she has to return to that rathole from which she only briefly emerged.

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Plot Keywords:

tuberculosis | railway station | mother superior | applause | depression | 

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Taglines:

For everyone who has had a private moment of love. Or wishes for one.

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Certificate:

PG

Details

Country:

Italy Spain

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

9 February 1975 (USA)

Also Known As:

A Brief Vacation

Box Office

Gross:

ESP 14,087,243 (Spain)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Verona Produzione, Azor Films

Technical Specs

Runtime:

112 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

According to producer Arthur Cohn, Elizabeth Taylor, Sophia Loren and Jane Fonda all wanted to play the role of Clara Mataro which ultimately went to Florinda Bolkan.

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Connections

Referenced in Carrie (1976)

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Soundtracks

"Stay"
Music by Manuel De Sica
Lyrics by Gene Lees
Sung by Christian De Sica

User Reviews

Sad and beautiful.

This is an amazingly beautiful film. The story of a woman of little means and a horrendous family life who learns much about the world in a sanatorium in the Italian alps. It gives her a brief vacation from a hard life. And understanding. And hope. Truly wonderful. Florinda Bolkan is a great actress ... emoting without emotion. This movie has many levels of plot and story rolled into a single, seemingly simple story. There are many levels of relationships in the movie. Of particular interest is the set of relationships formed between patients from the upper class, the 'paying' patients and those who are in the sanatorium paid for by the national health. The juxtapositions between have and have not, happy and sad, sick and healthy, doctor and patient, hardworking and lazy and many others form the basis of what we see as Clara's learning process and set of life dilemmas.

Hard to find but worth it. Belongs on the top 250 list....but not enough people have seen it to vote.