Girl with a Suitcase (1961)

Lorenzo, who's 16 and born to a wealthy family in Parma, tries to make things right toward a showgirl, Aida, whom his older brother has mistreated. In extending kindness and standing up for... See full summary »

Director:

Valerio Zurlini

Writers:

Leonardo Benvenuti (story) (as Leo Benvenuti), Piero De Bernardi (story)

Stars:

Claudia Cardinale, Jacques Perrin, Luciana Angiolillo

1 win & 1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Claudia Cardinale	...	Aida Zepponi
Jacques Perrin	...	Lorenzo Fainardi
Luciana Angiolillo	...	Aunt of Lorenzo
Renato Baldini	...	Francia
Riccardo Garrone	...	Romolo
Corrado Pani	...	Marcello Fainardi
Gian Maria Volontè	...	Piero Benotti (as Gianmaria Volontè)
Romolo Valli	...	Don Pietro Introna
Elsa Albani	...	Lucia
Enzo Garinei	...	Pino
Ciccio Barbi	...	Crosia
Nadia Bianchi	...	Nuccia
Angela Portaluri

Storyline

Lorenzo, who's 16 and born to a wealthy family in Parma, tries to make things right toward a showgirl, Aida, whom his older brother has mistreated. In extending kindness and standing up for her, he comes of age. But, is there anything he can do that will alter Aida's situation or her prospects?

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Plot Keywords:

coming of age | italy | 1960s | seaside resort | parma italy | 

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Genres:

Drama | Romance

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Did You Know?

Trivia

In 2008, the film was selected to enter the list of the 100 Italian films to be saved (100 film italiani da salvare). The list was created with the aim to report "100 films that have changed the collective memory of the country between 1942 and 1978". The project was established by the Venice Days ("Giornate degli Autori") in the Venice Film Festival, in collaboration with Cinecittà Holding and with the support of the Ministry of Cultural Heritage.

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Goofs

In the opening scene when Aida takes an emergency bathroom break in the ditch, there is a noticeable paper cup like white object in the middle of the road. It comes and goes and moves around.

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Connections

Featured in Hep Taxi!: Claudia Cardinale (2017)

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Soundtracks

Abrete sesamo
Written by Ramón Márquez (as Marques) and Julian Novelo Molina (as Molina)
Sung by Peppino Di Capri
Courtesy of Pemola Music

User Reviews

Million Dollar Baby

I watched this together with Eastwood's "Million Dollar Baby." I knew I would be challenged by that film (you can read my comment), and I wanted something that I knew would be a safe island after the offenses therein.

I chose this. Its between "Million" and "Nights of Cabiria" and more perfect than both in my view. The spine of this film is a story of a prostitute/dancer, an adventuress with few skills for the job. We see some encounters that provide insights, not into her character so much, but what limits her, and that matters because we discover many of those same limits in us.

Its a good film, largely forgotten today because its merely competent and not showy or overtly experimental as so many from that block were. But if you want an antidote to those bad films of good men, come here.

It has the economy of Eastwood, in fact this very tradition is where he learned his directorial craft. But its economy directed toward conveying the environment, the context in which our two characters find themselves. It's geared to the context not the actors, who after all can only tell you what is in themselves, not is what is in their world.

It has the depressing rootlessness of those early Fellini films, but it emerges from the real world we see instead of being an overt essay on what we know is Fellini's perspective that starts from the very beginning. This emerges.

Ted's Evaluation -- 3 of 3: Worth watching.

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

11 September 1961 (USA)

Also Known As:

Girl with a Suitcase

Filming Locations:

4 viale Arturo Toscanini, Parma, Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Titanus, Société Générale de Cinématographie (S.G.C.)

Technical Specs

Runtime:

121 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Westrex Recording System)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1