Frisky (1954)

The relationships between a veteran marshal, his bride-to-be, a rookie and his fiancée are severely tested when the young carabiniere is temporarily sent to a distant town.

Director:

Luigi Comencini

Writers:

Ettore Maria Margadonna (story) (as E.M. Margadonna), Luigi Comencini (story)

Stars:

Vittorio De Sica, Gina Lollobrigida, Marisa Merlini

1 win.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Vittorio De Sica	...	Maresciallo Carotenuto
Gina Lollobrigida	...	La Bersagliera
Marisa Merlini	...	La levatrice
Roberto Risso	...	Carabiniere Stelluti
Maria Pia Casilio	...	Paoletta
Virgilio Riento	...	Don Emidio
Saro Urzì	...	Il capocomico
Tina Pica	...	Caramella
Tecla Scarano	...	Teresinella
Vittoria Crispo	...	Madre della Bersagliera
Memmo Carotenuto	...	Carabiniere Baiocchi
Fausto Guerzoni	...	Uomo col cannocchiale
Nino Vingelli	...	Venditore ambulante
Gigi Reder	...	Ricuccio
Nico Pepe	...	Maresciallo Spotti

Storyline

In a small Italian village, Maria De Ritis is engaged to army Lieutenant Pietro Stelluti. Stelluti's superior officer, Marshal Antonio Carotenuto, is contemplating marriage to Annarella Mirziano, but he will be forced to resign if he marries Annarella, since she has an illegitimate child and that is against regulations for army officers. When Stelluti leaves town for a few weeks, the town-gossips create an affair out of the innocent relationship between Maria and Antonio. Stelluti returns and accuses Maria of infidelity, and, she, in reprisal, runs off and joins a traveling theatrical troupe as a dancer. Antonio, after convincing Annarella that he has not betrayed her love, encounters more trouble when the father of Annarella's child shows up and asks that she and the child go away with him. Antonio tells Annarella that it is her decision to make, and she chooses the child's father and leaves with him. Maria arrives back in town, as does an earthquake that destroys her home, but she ...

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Plot Keywords:

village | father | troupe | theatrical troupe | marriage | 

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Taglines:

Another Gay and Sparkling Comedy Comes Your Way! (original USA poster)

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Genres:

Comedy | Romance

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Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

6 December 1954 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Frisky

Filming Locations:

Abruzzo, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Titanus

Technical Specs

Runtime:

97 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Italian censorship via #17598 delivered on 23 November 1954.

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Connections

Followed by Pan, amor y Andalucía (1958)

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Soundtracks

Aida
(uncredited)
Composed by Giuseppe Verdi

User Reviews

A joyous, innocent classic from a bygone era

PANE, AMORE E FANTASIA and PANE, AMORE E GELOSIA, both directed with admirable lightness of touch by Luigi Comencini, are representative of the best comedies produced by the Italian cinema in the 1950's. In fact, after two decades of brilliant works directed by the likes of Dino Risi, Mario Monicelli, Pietro Germi and a few others, the golden period of Italian comedy ends abruptly in the late 1970's with the work of Lina Wertmuller. In the two Comencini films we see a marvelous case of typical "Commedia dell'arte" plot, character development and acting styles brought to life in rural post-war Italy. Sagliena could well be Subiaco, Gina Lollobrigida's birthplace, or any other small town in Abruzzo or Lazio. This is comedy of character at its best and Comencini was inspired in casting both films. Vittorio DeSica seldom attained the variety of tone and the beautifully controlled exuberance he displays here, except for his legendary turn as the lawyer in Alessandro Blasetti's ALTRI TEMPI. Gina Lollobrigida's sylvan beauty is pure magic, and her acting is a lesson in "commedia" playing. She could be a perfect Colombina in any Goldoni play. The other actors - Tina Pica, Marisa Merlini, Memmo Carotenuto, Roberto Risso, Virgilio Riento, Maria Pia Casilio - form an ideal ensemble that lends support to the principal players. Two classics movies to be revisited always.