Il gaucho

Vittorio Gassman strikes again in this tragicomic comedy, this time the liar and cocky Marco Ravicchio (Gassman) a typical Italian works as press agent of a low cinematography company on a film festival at Buenos Aires overseen of a bunch of secondary actress and crew of the movie, in fact he is bad financial conditions, there they are welcome by a Italian Cattle's tycoon Marucchelli (Amedeo Nazzari) who live at Argentina, henceforth Marucchelli is a kind of sponsor to them, among all sort of misunderstood and troubles Marco enjoys the spotlights which the festival gave to them, meanwhile he looking for his Italian old mate Stefano (Nino Manfredi) in low harbor area, they pretend each other in optimal financial matters, actually both are broken, a bitter plot with crude jokes over Italian descendants who living at Argentina, the movie has many strengths as when Marco finds a Hitler's clone working there since the end of the war as gardener, priceless moments, a slight politically incorrect nowadays for many reasons, indeed a good movie Gassman-Manfredi despite the last one has a small role, simply unmissable!!!

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First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 7.5

THE GAUCHO was made two years after Vittorio Gassman's collaboration with Dino Risi in IL SORPASSO (THE EASY LIFE), perhaps their best of many films together. Although not as strong as the earlier film, this is a movie of substantial merit and deserves to be much better known. Gassman plays Mario Ravicchio, a financially-strapped press agent who accompanies an Italian production company on its trip to Buenos Aires to present a film at a festival there. He spends much of his time, when not seducing women, trying to accumulate some money, whether by gambling or attempting to finagle capital from expatriate Italian Marucchelli (Amedeo Nazzari), now a rich industrialist in Argentina. He gets friendship, nice words, but no money. Mario tries to tap another former friend from Rome, Stefano, but the guy turns out to be more impoverished than he is. The man is played by comic actor Nino Manfredi (of BREAD AND CHOCOLATE fame) in a short but magnificently acted supporting role as a down-and-out emigrant who has given up hope of success. The first encounter between Manfredi and Gassman with the exuberant exchange of affection between old friends is a treasure to behold. Italian actress Silvana Pampanini does a nice turn as an over-the-hills actress trying to marry a well-off Argentine who has been courting her for some time. Mario returns to Italy disillusioned but not without that saving `gioia di vivere' that characterizes him throughout this likable film with its many little rewards for the viewer. Ettore Scola, who later directed Gassman in DOWN AND DIRTY, lent his hand to the screenplay.

Leaded by boor p.r. Marco Ravicchio (Vittorio Gassman), an Italian cinematographic crew goes to Buenos Aires to join a film festival. Housed by rich engineer Marucchelli (Amedeo Nazzari), nostalgic expatriated and braggart, everybody lives the dream of a better life in Argentina, and even Marco, between a love court and a small con, dreams to stay there for ever, until he meets his old friend Stefano (Nino Manfredi), an emigrant who didn't get fortune at all.

Underrated jewel of Italian comedy, a bitter, cynical film on Italian faces in Argentinean promised land, land of sadness and disillusions: these are the faces of an Italy, petty, upstart, boor, vain, eccentric, buffoon, folkloristic, hypocrite, frivolous, but also human, pathetic and ridiculous at the same time. The script is brilliant, actors are exceptional and histrionic: we laugh loud, but with a bitter fond of guilt.

***½ out of 5