Miracle in Milan (1951)

An open hearted and unrelentingly energetic orphan struggles to make the best out of his life on the streets of Milan.

Director:

Vittorio De Sica

Writers:

Cesare Zavattini (novel), Cesare Zavattini (screenplay)

Stars:

Emma Gramatica, Francesco Golisano, Paolo Stoppa

Nominated for 2 BAFTA Film Awards. Another 4 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Emma Gramatica	...	La vecchia Lolotta
Francesco Golisano	...	Totò
Paolo Stoppa	...	Rappi
Guglielmo Barnabò	...	Mobbi
Brunella Bovo	...	Edvige
Anna Carena	...	Marta, la signora altezzosa
Alba Arnova	...	La statua che prende vita
Flora Cambi	...	L'innamorata infelice
Virgilio Riento	...	Il sergente delle guardie
Arturo Bragaglia	...	Alfredo
Erminio Spalla	...	Gaetano
Riccardo Bertazzolo	...	L'atleta
Checco Rissone	...	Il comandante in secondo (as Francesco Rissone)
Angelo Prioli	...	Il comandante in primo

Storyline

An old woman finds a baby among the cauliflowers in her garden. She takes care of the orphan, and calls him Totò. When she dies, he is sent to an orphanage, which he leaves as a teenager. When Totò goes out in the world, he expects everyone to be open-hearted as himself, but it isn't so. Without belongings and a place to live, he soon turns up among other homeless people, living scattered in boxes and cement pipes on a vast, barren field outside Milano. With his energy and enthusiasm Totò quickly engages the outcasts in transforming the place into a small shanty town. The eccentric misfits are turned into a warm-hearted community. But when the wealthy Mr. Mobbi buys the land he will try to get rid of the outcasts.

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Plot Keywords:

magic | orphan | poverty | homelessness | baby found in cabbage patch | 

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Taglines:

An impudent, riotous laugh on the lives and morals of our day!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama | Fantasy

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian English

Release Date:

17 December 1951 (USA)

Also Known As:

Miracle in Milan

Filming Locations:

Duomo, Milan, Lombardia, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Produzioni De Sica, Ente Nazionale Industrie Cinematografiche (ENIC)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono Mono (RCA Sound System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Cesare Zavattini's original choice for the film's title was "The Poor are a Disturbance".

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Connections

Edited into Histoire(s) du cinéma: Une vague nouvelle (1999)

User Reviews

Cheerful and refreshing

This movie was my first touch with Mr Sica so I really didn't know what to expect. But what I saw just broke all my expectations - in a good way.

The storyline is not complex and shows us a life of found boy- orphan and particularly his connection into the community of poor people who together built themselves a hood of simple metal plate houses. This little city in another city lives own life and things are going fine. But one day there is a water resource found and a rich nobles man is getting interested in the buying the place. But as the title of the movie hints - there is a miracle taking place. Our character gets a wonder dove from his dead mother. What is he going to do to protect his friends and all built city as well?

It was just a masterpiece of natural comedy. There is shown the behavior of poor people and how money and property can talk and play with people. Also many funny moments and scenes are included - at the beginning with the spot where sun is shining and many more.

So according to the fact that I m not a comedy lover you should see this movie because I liked it much

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