MovieGuy-10924

Ernest Borgnine listed his five favorite films. Among them were Marty and The King of Poggioreale.

Here he plays a black marketeer who rose up to feed and care for Naples, with the help of his crime syndicate, during and after WW2. Borgnine seems to be having so much fun throughout this movie that it's contagious. The supporting actors all are infected by it and make it fun to watch. I don't want to oversell it, but it's done really well.

The story is supposedly true based on the exploits of Giuseppe Navarra that he himself told various sources. The parts of the story that include his son are likely made up to add some drama to the story. It seems that in reality Navarra had a son who was killed in a bombardment.

If you want to see a great farce and are willing to overlook the awkward sections of forced drama made up about his son, then this is a great choice.

This has the components to be a good series, but is unfortunately not written to live up to its capabilities.

The main character keeps performing actions that there is no reason for, other than attempting to intrigue the audience. This makes everything unbelievable. I remember an Alfred Hitchcock film where a deaf/mute woman suddenly revealed that she could hear and speak. What purpose did she have for pretending to be a deaf/mute? None, other than for some false intrigue. This entire series (as far as I've watched, and won't bother watching further) follows that same failed idea.

I wish that writers would have more faith in the audience.

The main character was great in his role, particularly because he didn't quite fit the mold. I wish there could have been better writers.

Intrigue for the sake of intrigue without logic is a losing formula.

This film follows two friends who work together as tour bus operators. They deal with normal life issues as well as some extraordinary life issues as they try to find success and love.

The story includes a number of supporting characters who add a bit of depth and richness to the story.

There are some nice storylines and some nice characters, as well as some annoying situations that could have very easily been left out to everyone's benefit. Mario Carotenuto is always fun to see on the screen. His scenes as a charlatan psychic were good and silly, but there were rather insulting and sad sequences involving a heavy set woman that were a little too mean spirited for this kind of a movie.

It was very pleasant to hear Claudio Villa, one of the leads, singing throughout the course of this film.

This movie wasn't bad, but it wasn't great either. I wouldn't recommend it, but I wouldn't try to talk you out of seeing it.