10 Italian comedies that will not only make you laugh, but also move you to the core

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

From classics by Vittorio De Sica to a very funny parody of Breaking Bad.

1. Yesterday, today, tomorrow

• Italy, France, 1963.
• Melodrama, comedy.
• Duration: 114 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 3.

Vittorio De Sica's film consists of three stories that share the theme of the relationship between a man and a woman. Cinema legends Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren play three roles at once.

From the first novel, viewers learn about a mother with many children, who finds an original way to escape justice. In the second, a socialite and her lover appear, having a quarrel over nonsense. And in the final episode, the call lady takes a vow of chastity, which generates a lot of comic situations.

2. Alfredo, Alfredo

• Italy, France, 1972.
• Melodrama, comedy.
• Duration: 107 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 5.

Bank clerk Alfredo marries a beauty named Maria Rosa, but the newly-made wife turns out to be a real nymphomaniac. The hero does not like this at all, and here he meets Carolina - her complete opposite.

Director Pietro Germi, author of the hilarious Italian Divorce, took on the lead role of American actor Dustin Hoffman - and he was right. He created an expressive and very accurate portrait of the "little man" on the screen.

3. Fantozzi

• Italy, 1975.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 97 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 9.

The petty clerk, Hugo Fantozzi, is a typical jerk. He lives with an unloved wife and a terribly ugly daughter and at the same time constantly finds himself in various ridiculous and ridiculous situations.

Comedian Paolo Villaggio personally invented the unfortunate accountant Hugo Fantozzi, and in the late 1960s wrote many humorous stories about him. Later, this character became the center of a whole series of comedy films with Villaggio in the title role. In total, 10 films were made about Fantozzi, and the name of the hero in Italy has become a household name.

4. Signor Robinson

• Italy, 1976.
• Melodrama, comedy, adventure.
• Duration: 107 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 7.

A simple inhabitant Robie, together with his wife Magda, goes on a sea voyage on a liner, but foolishly finds himself alone on a desert island. There he has to go through the path of Robinson Crusoe - until the hero meets his Friday, a beautiful black aboriginal woman.

The cutest comedy directed by Sergio Corbucci with the hilarious Paolo Villaggio and the gorgeous Zeudi Araya caused a sensation not only in Italy, but also in the USSR. And for the sake of the Ethiopian beauty, many viewers even went to the cinema several times.

5. Bluff

• Italy, 1976.
• Crime comedy.
• Duration: 110 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 5.

Dangerous woman Belle Duke forces the swindler Felix to help another swindler escape from prison - her former lover Philip Bang, with whom she passionately wants to get even. But two scoundrels collude and organize a large-scale scam against Belle.

The role in the film of Sergio Corbucci is rightly considered one of the best in the career of Adriano Celentano. But American Anthony Quinn, who made an excellent, bright comedy tandem with Celentano, distinguished himself no less here.

6. The Taming of the Shrew

• Italy, 1980.
• Melodrama, comedy.
• Duration: 104 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

The cynical farmer Elia hates women fiercely. But one day the charming Liza bursts into his life, to whom the uncouth provincial seems so extraordinary and charismatic that she decides to conquer him.

Courageous Adriano Celentano and seductive Ornella Muti fit perfectly into the images of their characters. The movie turned out to be unassuming and light, although it is still not worth taking the relationship of the heroes for a role model in our time.

7. Life is beautiful

• Italy, 1997.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 116 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 7.

A cheerful young man, Guido Orefise, a Jew by nationality, moves from village to city and falls in love with the teacher Dora. He takes care of the girl in a very unusual way, marries her, and they have a wonderful son, Josue. But the Nazis come to power, and Guido, along with his family, is sent to certain death in a concentration camp. And there he convinces his son that all this is a game, the main prize in which is a tank.

It would seem that it is impossible to make a comedy about the Holocaust, but the director Roberto Benigni (who also wrote the script and played the main role) succeeded. The first half of the film is filled with humor and more than once will give reason to remember Charlie Chaplin, but the second will make any viewer cry.

By the way, the chemistry between the characters of Guido and Dora is real: Benigni shot his wife Nicoletta Braschi in the film.

8. I will want and jump off

• Italy, 2014.
• Crime comedy.
• Duration: 100 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 0.

Neuroscience professor Pietro invents a new algorithm for modeling organic molecules, but loses his job. Desperate because of lack of money, the hero gathers a gang of other unemployed scientists in order to sell a synthetic drug - formally legal, since it is not included in the official list of prohibited substances.

The debut of director Sydney Sibilia thundered not only in Italy but around the world. The creators were inspired by the TV series "Breaking Bad", as well as the sitcom "The Big Bang Theory". It turned out so well that the film later received two sequels, albeit less successful.

9. To hell with the horns

• Italy, 2015.
• Comedy.
• Duration: 86 minutes.
• IMDb: 6, 6.

The bureaucrat and slacker Kekko, when they try to cut him, refuses to leave the service. Then, to get rid of annoyance, the authorities send him to the North Pole, where incredible adventures await the hero.

Comedian Gennaro Nunziante is the king of the box office. His films "What a beautiful day" and "The sun is pouring out of a bucket" broke all popularity records, and the funny film "To hell with horns" became the highest-grossing film in the history of Italian cinema.

10. Perfect strangers

• Italy, 2015.
• Drama, comedy.
• Duration: 96 minutes.
• IMDb: 7, 8.

Seven old friends are throwing a party about cell phones and secrets. The wife of one of the heroes jokingly offers to read aloud all the messages that will come during the evening, and answer calls on the speakerphone. Those gathered reluctantly agree, and as a result, their worst secrets are revealed.

Painting by Paolo Genovese can serve as a visual aid on how to make an excellent film for minimal money. The action almost does not go beyond one room, and only seven actors are involved on the screen. But the project was so successful that its remakes were later filmed in many countries, including Russia ("Loudspeaker").