john_w_steed

Alongside the contemporary movie Cornetti alla Crema, Spaghetti a Mezzanotte proves that the pair Banfi-Martino is a not matched top comedy makers (as also seen in the ultra cult "L'allenatore nel Pallone", a funny view of Italian football world). Martino is a well accomplished director and despite he's internationally known for early 70's thrillers he was very eclectic directing different genre of movies and you will always recognize his trademarks. In this comedy, a late effort in the mature sexy comedy genre of the 70's, the action is focused on the cheating: everybody as a lover, and a lover's lover, it's just a world of lovers and cheaters. And the adultery fuses with the hedonistic utopia. Savino is a southern man in the city of Asti, a classic Italian beautiful little city but spelled like all the north of Italy by foggy, and he is an advocate. His professional rating are so low that a frightened mob would even ask him to defend in his trial in order to go to jail and avoid a sure murder. Savino is short fat and bald while his wife (Barbara Bouchet, a splendid of a woman, then known in Italian TV for a Jane Fonda style fitness show) is a typical fit woman in his late 30, full of sex appeal. She wants him to get slim and even forces him to weird hair loss cure. Savino is a hot blooded southern Italian man and despite his funny look even has a beautiful lover (Alida Chelli), the wife of a jealous public minister (Daniele Vargas). He can't even imagine that his wife could have a lover and like any southern man would go for a honor murder (still not punished in Italy in 1980). Other caracthers are the black news journalist Fefè (Pippo Santonastaso) and the posh and flighty architect Andrea (a young Teo Teoccoli still a cabaret mask at the time, that established himself as a number 1 showman in late 90's). At the time of this movie Banfi reached the highest point of his acting career providing an incredible performance. He is the center of the movie and all the funny scenes are focused only about him. He doesn't disappoint. From the beginning to the end this movie will make you laugh and you will forget all your problems leaving just the living breathing time.

This is one of the latest effort of the genre called Italian sexy comedy. this genre came out in mid seventies, direct son of Decamerotico from which takes the job's characters from the Boccaccio. There were the teacher, the colonel, the doctor, the nurse, and a various example of jobs. All was used to show the usual the stereotyped art comedy mask. This genre, riding the sexual liberation of the media in mid seventies, opposed itself to the great Italian comedy of the early 60s and its bitter humor with a chemistry of sex and comedy in different mixtures. During the second half of the seventies there are hundreths of production of which few are really remembered now. One of them is Giovannona Coscialunga (1973) with Edwige Fennech and directed by the eclectic Sergio Martino. After 8 years Martino directs Cornetti alla crema that could be defined (with the earlier Spaghetti a Mezzanotte) the top of the sexy comedy. In this case the stereotyped masks are abandoned and the actors are given a bigger range to show their capabilities. Domenico Petruzzelli, a Lino Banfi in his best interpretation, is a vatican tailor that own a well know factory in rome. His wife (Milena Vukotic from Fantozzi contro tutti) is a typical catholic housewife. His son is fat and stupid, blocked by years at elementary schools. Domenico's aim is to obtain the san Eunorio honor, by his cardinal customer, that would made great his factory. In this bizarre world there's Gabriele Arcangelo (a Gianni Cavina well fitting in the shoulder role) who, despite his name, is a hooker addicted and lives on the upper floor of Domenico, disturbing not less the calm life of his family; still Domenico and Gabriele are very good friends. Edwige Fennech plays Marianna, a opera singer wannabe, that would become Domenico's lover... Well the movie is a must see. Behind this regular life patterns hide an incredible amounts of gags and situations that will climax in which the 2 protagonist will switch identity in the face of Marianna. I love this movie and I saw it first at 8 years old and I remember I laughed for the whole movie. Probably not really understandable by foreign but i advice this gem to everyone that wanna laugh