Liebe, Brot und Eifersucht

PANE, AMORE E FANTASIA and PANE, AMORE E GELOSIA, both directed with admirable lightness of touch by Luigi Comencini, are representative of the best comedies produced by the Italian cinema in the 1950's. In fact, after two decades of brilliant works directed by the likes of Dino Risi, Mario Monicelli, Pietro Germi and a few others, the golden period of Italian comedy ends abruptly in the late 1970's with the work of Lina Wertmuller. In the two Comencini films we see a marvelous case of typical "Commedia dell'arte" plot, character development and acting styles brought to life in rural post-war Italy. Sagliena could well be Subiaco, Gina Lollobrigida's birthplace, or any other small town in Abruzzo or Lazio. This is comedy of character at its best and Comencini was inspired in casting both films. Vittorio DeSica seldom attained the variety of tone and the beautifully controlled exuberance he displays here, except for his legendary turn as the lawyer in Alessandro Blasetti's ALTRI TEMPI. Gina Lollobrigida's sylvan beauty is pure magic, and her acting is a lesson in "commedia" playing. She could be a perfect Colombina in any Goldoni play. The other actors - Tina Pica, Marisa Merlini, Memmo Carotenuto, Roberto Risso, Virgilio Riento, Maria Pia Casilio - form an ideal ensemble that lends support to the principal players. Two classics movies to be revisited always.

In the second part of this trilogy of love intrigues and complications in the Abruzzi in a small village, things turn into a more serious direction and almost into a noir in the best Italian neorealistic style, as la Bersagliera becomes the victim of slander and village gossip, which turns her sheepish cavalier away from her, while at the same time the Maresciallo finds his inamoration with the local midwife impossible, as he can't marry her, since it's against regulations for a Maresciallo to marry someone with an illegitimate child. On top of this, the child's father turns up and makes his claims. La Bersagliera tries to break away from all these complications, but an eartquake turns everything upside down. Nevertheless, the Maresciallo finds himself saved by the discovery of a new attractive lady - without illegitimate children.

It is not as good as the first part but rather more dramatic and definitely on the same level, so it deserves no less praise than the first, and they definitely stick together and should be seen in sequence. The second part finishes the Abruzzi story, but still there is a third part.

If you love drama and comedy combined ... if you love family gatherings and the little subtle but sometimes annoying things that happen when large gatherings happen of people who love or at least like each other ... well you are in for a treat! And not just when everyone is sitting down for a meal.

I've seen the main actor here in quite a few movies from that era, so I can only guess that he was really famous back in the day ... and well sought after too of course. Someone who is able to play gullible but also menacing ... someone who knows his job well then.

A fun little movie that seems to have a predecessor ... which is also on my watch list. They don't make them like they used to ... which you either think is good or a bad thing.