Boccaccio '70 (1962)

Inspired by Boccaccio's novellas, each episode focuses on sex, love and seduction in Italy's 1960s, an era of economic growth and major cultural changes.

Directors:

Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini

Writers:

Giovanni Arpino (screenplay), Suso Cecchi D'Amico (screenplay)

Stars:

Anita Ekberg, Sophia Loren, Romy Schneider

1 nomination.

Cast

Complete credited cast:
Marisa Solinas	...	Luciana (segment "Renzo e Luciana")
Germano Gilioli	...	Renzo (segment "Renzo e Luciana")
Anita Ekberg	...	Anita (segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio")
Peppino De Filippo	...	Dr. Antonio Mazzuolo (segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio")
Romy Schneider	...	Pupe (segment "Il lavoro")
Tomas Milian	...	Conte Ottavio (segment "Il lavoro") (as Thomas Milian)
Romolo Valli	...	Lawyer Zacchi (segment "Il lavoro")
Sophia Loren	...	Zoe (segment "La riffa")
Luigi Giuliani	...	Gaetano (segment "La riffa")
Alfio Vita	...	Cuspet (segment "La riffa")

Storyline

Four directors tell tales of Eros fit for a 1970s Decameron. Working-class lovers, Renzo and Luciana, marry but must hide it from her employer; plus, they need a room of their own. A billboard of Anita Ekberg provocatively selling milk gives a prudish crusader for public decency more than he can handle. The wife of a count whose escapades with call girls make the front page of the papers decides to work to prove her independence, but what is she qualified to do? A buxom carnival-booth manager who owes back taxes offers herself for one night in a lottery: a nerdy sacristan and a jealous cowboy make for a lovers' triangle. In each, women take charge, but not always happily.

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Plot Keywords:

episodic structure | anthology | italy | anthology film | portmanteau film | 

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Taglines:

Three stories of the sexes...somewhat daring, somewhat different

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Genres:

Comedy | Fantasy | Romance

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Certificate:

Unrated

Did You Know?

Trivia

Only the Italian release consisted of four parts. For the Cannes Festival in 1962, the Monicelli part of the movie was already left out. Out of solidarity, the other three directors did not attend the Cannes screening of their collective work.

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Quotes

Anita (segment "Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio"): When I move my hips, convents shake.

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Alternate Versions

The original Italian version had four segments, starting with Act 1 "Renzo e Luciana", directed by Mario Monicelli. The total length being over 3 hours (195 min for the four acts plus credits) the producers decided to shorten it for commercial purposes just before the feature went to the Cannes Film Festival in 1962 for the opening screening. Although Mario Monicelli had sued Boccaccio '70 went to be released worldwide without "Renzo e Luciana".

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Connections

Referenced in Costumes from the Films of Visconti (1978)

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Soundtracks

'I te vurria vasa'
Written by Eduardo Di Capua (as Di Capua)

User Reviews

Romy is the best

I've seen "Boccaccio" just few days ago and so I can express my fresh opinion of it. And I have seen FOUR segments of it - including "Renzo e Luciana" of Monicelli which is quite good. It puts some accent on social criticism and tells about young consorts that due to their poverty and constrained conditions have to bear many difficulties in their family life. The second of Fellini I almost forced myself to look to the end - I'm not fond of big bust and hips like ones of Ekberg. This segment seemed to me too flashy and tasteless (just imagine the plump Cupidon with the silky wings and nuns in the paper burlesque frock)though it's main idea concerning with the sexual complexes that obsess the most convinced moralists is very clear. I regret to write this as I didn't expect such a disappointment from Fellini whom I esteem much for his wonderful "Le notti di Cabiria". The third segment - 'Il Lavoro" ( The job) - is the most exquisite, thoughtful, plastic and stylish. Here Visconti tried to subject to his rigorous analysis the question of what lies in the base of a modern marriage. It's also the story of a young well-off little woman ( Romy Schneider) that one day faces the necessity of earning money by her own (thanks to her light-minded husband's behavior) and understand that she has nothing to offer in this men's world except her body. Romy dressed up by Chanel is very sexual (but when I use this word it means something very far from vulgar, something surrounded with the mist of secret and desire) and touching; after the number of the roles of cheerful ingenuous girls she for the first time found the image suiting her real abilities and qualities. The forth segment is "La riffa" (The raffle) be de Sica. De Sica made some good film in the time of realism but then yielded to the commercial cinema and seemed to be unable for the more or less significant criticism. Thus his segment is very light and benevolent with a lot of spicy humor and a lot of Loren

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian German

Release Date:

26 June 1962 (USA)

Also Known As:

Boccaccio '70

Filming Locations:

E.U.R., Rome, Lazio, Italy

Box Office

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$10,641

Company Credits

Production Co:

Cineriz, Concordia Compagnia Cinematografica, Francinex

Technical Specs

Runtime:

205 min 125 min (3 episodes) (cut) 158 min (3 episodes) 150 min (3 episodes) (cut) 150 min (3 episodes) (cut) 208 min (4 episodes)

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor/Eastmancolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.66 : 1