Amarcord (1973)

A series of comedic and nostalgic vignettes set in a 1930s Italian coastal town.

Director:

Federico Fellini

Writers:

Federico Fellini (story), Tonino Guerra (story)

Stars:

Magali Noël, Bruno Zanin, Pupella Maggio

Won 1 Oscar. Another 18 wins & 8 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Pupella Maggio	...	Miranda
Armando Brancia	...	Aurelio
Magali Noël	...	Gradisca (as Magali' Noel)
Ciccio Ingrassia	...	Teo
Nando Orfei	...	Patacca
Luigi Rossi	...	Lawyer
Bruno Zanin	...	Titta
Gianfilippo Carcano	...	Baravelli
Josiane Tanzilli	...	La Volpina
Maria Antonietta Beluzzi	...	Tobacconist
Giuseppe Ianigro	...	Grandpa
Ferruccio Brembilla	...	Fascist
Antonino Faà di Bruno	...	Count (as Antonino Faa' Di Bruno)
Mauro Misul	...	Philosophy Professor
Ferdinando Villella	...	Prof. Fighetta

Storyline

One year in a small northern Italian coastal town in the late 1930s is presented. The slightly off-kilter cast of characters are affected by time and location, the social mores dictated largely by Catholicism and the national fervor surrounding Il Duce aka Benito Mussolini and Fascism. The stories loosely center on a mid-teen named Titta and his household including his adolescent brother, his ever supportive mother who is always defending him against his father, his freeloading maternal Uncle Lallo, and his paternal grandfather who slyly has eyes and hands for the household maid. Other townsfolk include: Gradisca, the town beauty, who can probably have any man she wants, but generally has no one as most think she out of their league; Volpina, the prostitute; Giudizio, the historian; a blind accordionist; and an extremely buxom tobacconist. The several vignettes presented include: the town bonfire in celebration of spring; life at Titta's school with his classmates and teachers; ...

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Plot Keywords:

group of friends | men masturbate together | big breasts | satire | surrealism | 

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Taglines:

The Fantastic World of Fellini!

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Certificate:

R

Details

Country:

Italy France

Language:

Italian Greek, Ancient (to 1453)

Release Date:

19 September 1974 (USA)

Also Known As:

Amarcord

Filming Locations:

Anzio, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

F.C. Produzioni,PECF

Technical Specs

Runtime:

123 min

Sound Mix:

Mono

Color:

Color (Technicolor)

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1

Did You Know?

Trivia

Director Federico Fellini has denied that the movie is autobiographical, but agreed that there are similarities with his own childhood.

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Goofs

The banners promoting the Mille Miglia indicate that it was the seventh event (VII). However, the seventh running of the event was in 1933, and Beau Geste was not released until 1939. The Mille Miglia was not held in 1939.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Miranda: The puffballs.
Aurelio Biondi, Titta's Father: When the puffballs come, cold winter's almost gone.

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Connections

References The Thin Man (1934)

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Soundtracks

Stormy Weather
(uncredited)
Written by Harold Arlen and Ted Koehler
This tune is heard several times during the film.

User Reviews

It's much like a catalogue of bitter-sweet memories

In the corners of the mind there are memories....bitter, sweet, scary, embarrassing, wonderful....and they topple out unexpectedly and for little reason at any moment.

Such is Fellini's treatment of this film. With no real story line, we are offered a series of events....a collection drawn from his own experiences and I would suspect from his vivid imagination.

While all the characters are interesting in their earthy approach to life and its problems, some of the episodes related are scarcely worth mentioning while others are quite outstanding in their appeal. I like particularly the Greek lesson in which a little girl is taught correct pronunciation, the excitement of a celebratory bonfire with little boys playfully exploding crackers among unsuspecting villagers, a priest rather too interested in details during the confessional, Uncle Teo's eccentric behaviour and the rifle fire bringing down the bells from the belfry.

There are magic moments too. The builder afloat with friends on a calm sea looks up at the night sky filled with stars. Turning philosopher he muses at the miracle. "What keeps all that stuff up there?" he asks. and thoughtfully adds "There are no foundations!"

Another beautiful moment is the announcement of Spring after the long cold icy Winter when Nature sets free all the fluffy seeds drifting about in the wind.

In retrospect there is something in this film for everybody. I am surprised how many of the little episodes bring to mind incidents in my own life which I have long forgotten.