Pippo Franco comedies often feature wacky dream sequences and this one is no different. He plays a meek school teacher working in a very bad Italian neighborhood where not a single wall inside or out that hasn't been defaced with slanderous graffiti and all the students carry guns. Lucky for him most of these turn out to be water pistols, but still, you can never be to careful. Anyway, during the opening credits we are introduced to the entire staff, most of whom, like Pippo go by their actual first names (Bombolo as Bombolo, Lino Banfi as Lino Pasquale - which happens to be the man's birth name). Only in this sequence they are the students, wearing those outrageously silly Donald Duck like uniforms that children were apparently still forced to wear in Italy during the last century. It's a good thing this scene soon turns out to be one of those aforementioned dream sequences, for I don't think I would have lasted all the way through if all of these bald, middle aged men were dressed like this for the full 95 minutes. Lucky for me, Alvaro Vitali does not appear as his signature character Pierino, though most every other Italian comedian of the era is present and accounted for.
Lonely Pippo takes a tandem every day to work and has to pass a gaggle of prostitutes who scold him every time for not having anyone to share his two-seater. Crafty Lino is taking advantage of the criminal element in and around the school by dabbling in drug trafficking and Headmaster Gianfranco D'Angelo constantly wears army fatigues and has his desk surrounded by barbed wire. Laura Troschel plays Lalla, a feminist who teaches craftsmanship as well as role reversal. It is she who ends up taking the first step in having a relationship with Pippo and in a couple of funny romantic montages turns the tables on the typical male-female role pattern. Oh, and then there is also a priest at the school (Jack La Cayenne) who likes to spontaneously burst out in musical numbers about Jesus set to 50s style music. During three such acts, there is a noticeable influence from Grease as well as the inescapable Saturday Night Fever reference. However, it is quite a revelation to see Franco wearing John Travolta's outfit from the prom dance in Grease instead of the clichéd white disco suit, and his singing (if that is actually him) ain't bad either. As for Laura Troschel, she sings in a surprisingly deep voice and doesn't appear to have any underwear on beneath her high split red gown.
Less engaging is the subplot about the student committee constantly clashing with the school board, which either leads to explosions from the science lab or more dancing on separate occasions. Also, the main prostitute (Isabella Biagini) keeps popping up at inappropriate places to have her say. The film runs out of steam during the last 30 minutes or so, which are devoted to Pippo's character having to get rid of 3 million worth of drugs hidden in a copy of the novel 'Cuore' and turning to his dear old aunties (or possibly his two grannies) for help. Not even with help from his scruffy looking concierge (Bombolo) can keep our mild mannered schoolteacher from serving time for that one (and what do people always do in the movies when they end up in jail when the film is almost through? That's right, they put on a show). Luckily this part is only briefly touched upon before Pippo & Bombolo are given a heroes welcome just in time for the already touched upon tribute to late Seventies Travolta to burst loose again.
6 out of 10
Lonely Pippo takes a tandem every day to work and has to pass a gaggle of prostitutes who scold him every time for not having anyone to share his two-seater. Crafty Lino is taking advantage of the criminal element in and around the school by dabbling in drug trafficking and Headmaster Gianfranco D'Angelo constantly wears army fatigues and has his desk surrounded by barbed wire. Laura Troschel plays Lalla, a feminist who teaches craftsmanship as well as role reversal. It is she who ends up taking the first step in having a relationship with Pippo and in a couple of funny romantic montages turns the tables on the typical male-female role pattern. Oh, and then there is also a priest at the school (Jack La Cayenne) who likes to spontaneously burst out in musical numbers about Jesus set to 50s style music. During three such acts, there is a noticeable influence from Grease as well as the inescapable Saturday Night Fever reference. However, it is quite a revelation to see Franco wearing John Travolta's outfit from the prom dance in Grease instead of the clichéd white disco suit, and his singing (if that is actually him) ain't bad either. As for Laura Troschel, she sings in a surprisingly deep voice and doesn't appear to have any underwear on beneath her high split red gown.
Less engaging is the subplot about the student committee constantly clashing with the school board, which either leads to explosions from the science lab or more dancing on separate occasions. Also, the main prostitute (Isabella Biagini) keeps popping up at inappropriate places to have her say. The film runs out of steam during the last 30 minutes or so, which are devoted to Pippo's character having to get rid of 3 million worth of drugs hidden in a copy of the novel 'Cuore' and turning to his dear old aunties (or possibly his two grannies) for help. Not even with help from his scruffy looking concierge (Bombolo) can keep our mild mannered schoolteacher from serving time for that one (and what do people always do in the movies when they end up in jail when the film is almost through? That's right, they put on a show). Luckily this part is only briefly touched upon before Pippo & Bombolo are given a heroes welcome just in time for the already touched upon tribute to late Seventies Travolta to burst loose again.
6 out of 10
