Ciao, Professore! (1992)
"Io speriamo che me la cavo" (original title)

Marco Sperelli is a teacher, he is divorced and he is sent to work in Corzano, a town near Naples. The first day of work he finds in the school only the school-caretaker and few girls and ... See full summary »

Director:

Lina Wertmüller

Writers:

Alessandro Bencivenni, Leonardo Benvenuti,

Stars:

Paolo Villaggio, Isa Danieli, Gigio Morra

1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Paolo Villaggio	...	Marco Sperelli
Isa Danieli	...	The Principal
Gigio Morra	...	Custodian
Sergio Solli	...	Cardboard Dealer
Ester Carloni	...	Zia Esterina
Paolo Bonacelli	...	Ludovico Mazzullo
Pierfrancesco Borruto	...	Peppiniello
Annarita D'Auria	...	Lucietta
Maria Esposito	...	Rosinella
Roberta Galli	...	Sorella di Totò
Luigi Lastorina	...	Totò
Filomena Lieto	...	Cecchina
Carmela Pecoraro	...	Tommasina
Salvatore Terraccino	...	Salvatore
Ilaria Troncone	...	Flora

Storyline

Marco Sperelli is a teacher, he is divorced and he is sent to work in Corzano, a town near Naples. The first day of work he finds in the school only the school-caretaker and few girls and boys in the class-room. He goes out looking for them and he discovers then a wretched life led by the boys and the girls of Corzano. A life in which only power and violence are worth respecting. Sperelli tries to teach something different but he gets their respect only by slapping Raffaele, on the way to became a camorrist. His presence and his work, however, disturb too many persons and he will be transferred.

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Plot Keywords:

teacher | school | naples italy | title directed by female | italy | 

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Genres:

Comedy

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Motion Picture Rating (MPAA)

Rated R for language

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

15 July 1994 (USA)

Also Known As:

Ciao, Professore!

Filming Locations:

Royal Palace, Caserta, Campania, Italy

Box Office

Gross:

$1,113,435 (USA)

Company Credits

Production Co:

Penta Film, Cecchi Gori Group Tiger Cinematografica, Eurolux Produzione S.r.l.

Technical Specs

Runtime:

100 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby

Color:

Color

Did You Know?

Soundtracks

"Ain't Misbehavin"
(Fats Waller (as Waller) / Harry Brooks (as Brook) / Andy Razaf (as Raza))
Performed by Louis Armstrong
EMI Music - Publishing

User Reviews

Great, light hearted social commentary

I saw this film originally in 1999 with with an Italian 101 class. My recollection was that the film told of the tribulations of a bunch of ruffian Italian school kids who are given hope by an idealist teacher (a familiar theme, think "Stand and Deliver", "Teachers", etc.) However, on recently watching it again, I was impressed with how the story is really a very unique social commentary on Northern and Southern Italy in the pre-EU days.

The plights of the South are conveyed in third-grader's essays, showing how children absorb the environment, but retain the innocence that could make it possible for them to turn out all right. As an instructional Italian film, you are bound to be overwhelmed by some of the most colorful phrases imaginable for swearing at people. But they are all delivered by 9-year-olds who, with their creative gestures, can clearly be seen as recordings of their own observations of adults.

This film may not be as socially relevant as it was in 1999, since the Euro and free trade have transformed much of Europe. But with Italy's economic status being regarded as presently unstable, I think this film is worth watching even today. You'll laugh as you are appalled at the same time by the children's view of the world around them. It is a theme that could be applied to the children of any oppressed culture.