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IMDbPro

A Special Day

Original title: Una giornata particolare
  • 19771977
  • ApprovedApproved
  • 1h 46m
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
14K
YOUR RATING
Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
Italian cinema's most iconic screen couple, Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni - here cast against glamorous type - deliver the finest and most nuanced performances of their career in this rarely seen masterpiece finally presented, restored and remastered in 4K - with striking desaturated colours - as originally created by its multi-awarded director Ettore Scola.
On this special day in 1938, all of fascist Rome has been mustered to a parade for Hitler visiting Mussolini. Loren's working-class housewife, Antonietta, left alone to her chores, meets the only other person left in their block, Gabriele (Mastroianni), a persecuted homosexual radio announcer. The two, who are poles apart, forge an unexpectedly close friendship that will change their perceptions of love, politics and life itself...
Play trailer1:16
1 Video
74 Photos
  • Drama
Two neighbors, a persecuted journalist and a resigned housewife, meet during Hitler's visit to Italy in May 1938.Two neighbors, a persecuted journalist and a resigned housewife, meet during Hitler's visit to Italy in May 1938.Two neighbors, a persecuted journalist and a resigned housewife, meet during Hitler's visit to Italy in May 1938.
IMDb RATING
8.1/10
14K
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Ettore Scola
  • Writers
    • Ruggero Maccari(screenplay)
    • Ettore Scola(screenplay)
    • Maurizio Costanzo(collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Sophia Loren
    • Marcello Mastroianni
    • John Vernon
Top credits
  • Director
    • Ettore Scola
  • Writers
    • Ruggero Maccari(screenplay)
    • Ettore Scola(screenplay)
    • Maurizio Costanzo(collaboration)
  • Stars
    • Sophia Loren
    • Marcello Mastroianni
    • John Vernon
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 58User reviews
    • 47Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Nominated for 2 Oscars
      • 13 wins & 5 nominations total

    Videos1

    A Special Day trailer
    Trailer 1:16
    A Special Day trailer

    Photos74

    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)
    Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni in A Special Day (1977)

    Top cast

    Edit
    Sophia Loren
    Sophia Loren
    • Antonietta Taberias Antonietta Taberi
    Marcello Mastroianni
    Marcello Mastroianni
    • Gabrieleas Gabriele
    John Vernon
    John Vernon
    • Emanuele Taberias Emanuele Taberi
    Françoise Berd
    Françoise Berd
    • Conciergeas Concierge
    Patrizia Basso
    • Romana Taberias Romana Taberi
    Tiziano De Persio
    • Arnaldo Taberias Arnaldo Taberi
    Maurizio Di Paolantonio
    • Fabio Taberias Fabio Taberi
    Antonio Garibaldi
    • Littorio Taberias Littorio Taberi
    Vittorio Guerrieri
    • Umberto Taberias Umberto Taberi
    Alessandra Mussolini
    • Maria Luisa Taberias Maria Luisa Taberi
    Nicole Magny
    • Officer's Daughteras Officer's Daughter
    Galeazzo Ciano
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Adolf Hitler
    Adolf Hitler
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    King Victor Emmanuel III
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    Benito Mussolini
    Benito Mussolini
    • Selfas Self
    • (archive footage)
    • (uncredited)
    • Director
      • Ettore Scola
    • Writers
      • Ruggero Maccari(screenplay)
      • Ettore Scola(screenplay)
      • Maurizio Costanzo(collaboration)
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

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    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Trivia
      Marcello Mastroianni's character, Gabriele, is partially based on Nunzio Filogamo, an Italian radio broadcaster and presenter. During the 1930s, Filogamo was persecuted by the Fascist regime for his homosexuality, but he was so popular with the Italian people that the government couldn't fire him or deport him. Instead, Filogamo was required to carry a medical card stating that he was not a homosexual (as Gabriele mentions he is required to do in the film).
    • Goofs
      Hitler's address, heard in the background, is not from his visit to Rome but from the 1934 Nuremberg Party Meeting, more particularly from his address to the German Youth on the third day. He's heard summoning them to be "strong and peaceful", "courageous and peace-loving".
    • Quotes

      Gabriele: We always end up conforming to what others think, even when they're wrong.

    • Connections
      Edited into Marcello, una vita dolce (2006)
    • Soundtracks
      Horst Wessel Lied
      Composed by Horst Wessel in 1929.

      Heard on piano as Mastroianni's character is led away to prison

    User reviews58

    Review
    Top review
    Wonderful
    A SPECIAL DAY (Ettore Scola - Italy/Canada 1977).

    Every once in a while, you come across a film that really touches a nerve. This one offers a very simple premise, almost flawlessly executed in every way and incredibly moving at the same time. It's surprising Ettore Scola's "Una giornate particulare" is relatively unheralded, even hated by some critics. Time Out calls it 'rubbish' and Leonard Maltin, somewhat milder, 'pleasant but trifling.' I disagree, not only because this film is deeply moving, but within its simple story it shows us more insights about daily life in fascist Italy than most films I've seen. The cinematography is distinctly unflashy, even a bit bland, and the storyline straightforward, which might explain the film's relative unpopularity. Considering late '70s audiences weren't exactly spoiled with great Italian films, it's even stranger this one didn't really catch on with the critics.

    The film begins with a ten-minute collage of archive footage from Hitler's visit to Italy on may 8th 1938. Set against this background, we first meet Antonietta (Loren), a lonely, love-ridden housewife with six children in a roman apartment building. One day, when her Beo escapes, she meets her neighbour Gabriele (Mastroianni), who seems to be only one in the building not attending the ceremonies. He is well-mannered, cultured and soon she is attracted to him. During the whole film, we hear the fascist rally from the radio of the concierge hollering through the courtyard. Scola playfully uses the camera to make us part of the proceedings. After the opening scene, the camera swanks across the courtyard of the modernist (hypermodern at the time) apartment block, seemingly searching for our main characters, whom we haven't met yet.

    Marcello Mastrionani and Sophia Loren are unforgettable in the two leading roles, all the more astonishing since they are cast completely against type. Canadian born John Vernon plays Loren's husband, but he is only on screen in the first and last scene. I figure his voice must have been dubbed, since he's not of Italian descent and never lived there, to my knowledge, so I cannot imagine he speaks Italian. If his voice has been dubbed, I didn't notice at all. On the contrary, he's completely believable as an Italian, even more than the rest of the cast. The story is simple but extremely effective, the performances are outstanding, the ending is just perfect and the framing doesn't come off as overly pretentious but works completely. Don't miss out on this one.

    Camera Obscura --- 9/10
    helpful•27
    1
    • Camera-Obscura
    • Dec 28, 2006

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • October 1977 (United States)
    • Countries of origin
      • Italy
      • Canada
    • Language
      • Italian
    • Also known as
      • Ein besonderer Tag
    • Filming locations
      • Viale XXI Aprile, Rome, Lazio, Italy
    • Production companies
      • Compagnia Cinematografica Champion
      • Canafox Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 46 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Mono
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.85 : 1

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