Lots and lots of little touches, little moments and the comedy is handled as delicately. It takes a 'light touch' to make pastry and Monicelli, the beloved Italian director of comedies has that light touch. The beloved comedian Toto does a delicately nuanced turn as the master safe-cracker. Mastroianni sheds his glamour and is quite believable as a lowlife with a baby and wife in jail. The old man, Carlo Pisacane, reveals a great talent for comedy in this his best role.
The 'loot' at the end of this 'Rififi' style caper is... a pot of leftover pasta and beans. And the crooks ENJOY the pasta. It is really very good, they are hungry from working hard to break through the wrong wall and that moment of gastronomic joy and fellowship, I understood something about life that a dozen serious movies never taught me.
The 'loot' at the end of this 'Rififi' style caper is... a pot of leftover pasta and beans. And the crooks ENJOY the pasta. It is really very good, they are hungry from working hard to break through the wrong wall and that moment of gastronomic joy and fellowship, I understood something about life that a dozen serious movies never taught me.