This movie is made up of three separate vignettes starring Sophia Loren and Morcello Mastrianni playing three different couples. Each segment differs greatly as far as their length and quality.
The first is the longest, and for me, the least interesting. It's about a woman who continues to have baby after baby after baby in order to stay out of prison for a petty crime. Considering she ultimately had 7 kids in the process, the story seems to drag on and on. She could have done it once or twice or even three times, but the skit went on and on with not nearly enough payoff.
The second is by far the shortest and is about a selfish spoiled rich brat. It's mildly interesting but that's about all.
The final skit makes the movie. If it weren't for this one, the movie might have been scored a 4 or 5. It's about a prostitute who has turned the head of a young man in training to be a priest. At the same time, Mastriani is a customer who is again and again and again thwarted in his goal of bedding Loren. It may not sound funny based on the description, but it's very entertaining and her striptease is very sexy to say the least!
My overall impression of the movie is only fair. I think that's because I am a BIG fan of the earlier Neo-Realistic films directed by DeSica. They are almost totally different from this movie--having none of the expensive production values or polished actors. However, they were simply better movies. If you compare UMBERTO D., MIRACLE IN MILAN or any of his other Neo-Realistic films of the 40s, they show the director at the top of his form. Ieri, oggi, domani just looks contrived and ordinary in comparison.
