Hold-up à la milanaise

The title of this Italian heist comedy means "Daring Strike by the Usual Unknown Persons" and the movie is a sequel to the great comedy by Mario Monicelli "I soliti ignoti" or "Big Deal on Madonna Street," where a group of two-lira Roman thieves attempt to break into a bank vault. While this one has its moments of humor and engagement, it is not on the same par with its predecessor and is replete with longueurs, despite many of the first-rate performers from the previous entry including Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Claudia Cardinale, and that absolute treasure of a screen presence, Carlo Pisacane. The plot involves the same group of bunglers as in the previous film. Here they plot to steal the soccer pool after the big Milan championship match. (The film was known in the U.S. as "Fiasco in Milan.") Everything imaginable, of course, goes awry, before, during, and after the heist. The true heist here is that the film is stolen by the inimitable Carlo Pisacane as Capanelle, a shriveled, lovable old codger with a squeaky voice and totally useless member of the group. His passion is less for the spoils than for the food he gets along the way, and uncontrollably feeding his ravenous wrinkled old face at any and every moment he can. Bravo Carlo, this movie is yours! This picture was directed by Nanni Loy, who made the wonderful "Detenuto in attesa di giudizio," "Four Days of Naples" and "Scugnizzi."

This sequel to "Big Deal on Madonna Street" essentially begins with a gangster from Milan known simply as "Il Milanese" (Ricardo Garrone) approaching a small-time crook in Rome named "Peppe" (Vittorio Gassman) with a plan to steal the proceeds of an important soccer game being transferred by car after the match. To assist him in this theft, Peppe is asked to select several other men from Rome to help him out. Naturally, Peppe immediately turns to the same group of friends he trusted in the previous film--who each bring their own talents and assorted problems with them. Now, rather than reveal any more, I will just say that this was an amusing Italian comedy which, although being somewhat dated, still manages to entertain fairly well. Admittedly, I would have preferred a larger role for Claudia Cardinale (as "Carmela Nicosia") but, even so, it was still an enjoyable film for the most part, and I have rated it accordingly. Slightly above average.

I also saw "Made in Italy", "Café Express", Nanni Loy was a good comedy director. "Fiasco in Milan" (1959) Audace Colpo dei soliti ignoti (original title) has a full Vittorio Gassman, he has an excellent role. The other actors, all very good, Nino Manfredi, Renato Salvatori, etc. , although they have almost as much screen time, they are secondary, eclipsed by Gassman's personality and unmatched talent. Claudia Cardinale, very young, has a small role.