Peccato che sia una canaglia

This film of Alessandro Blasetti is not only extremely entertaining but fascinating in terms of the history of Italian cinema. It was released in the same year as de Sica's masterful 'Gold of Naples' in which Sophia Loren scored a hit under his Svengali-like guidance. Their professional relationship was to prove fruitful to say the least and here they are playing father and daughter. This also happens to be the first time that Loren appeared opposite Marcello Mastroianni who was then in what he later called his 'taxi driver phase', thus beginning a magical screen partnership. Alongside her sexual charisma La Loren shows a keen sense of comedy and improved artistry so one can only assume that de Sica is still a 'guiding hand' here. De Sica's own performance is one of perfect comedy timing and consummate artistry. As is customary in Italian films there is more than one screenwriter and this Roman Tale of Moravia has been adapted by two of the best in the business, Suso Checchi D'Amico and Ennio Flaiano. Blasetti keeps the pace brisk and there is a catchy score by maestro Alessandro Cicogna. There is also good use made of Sigman and Hilliard's 'Bingo Bango Bongo' which once heard, becomes what is commonly referred to as a musical 'earworm'. As a film this is lightweight to be sure but to watch the three leads bouncing off each other is hugely enjoyable especially in light of what is to come.

Marcello Mastroianni is a cab driver hired by Sophia Loren and two guys to take them to a beach out in the countryside. It's a ruse to steal his cab, but when it fails, Mastroianni is left with Loren, who he tries to take to the police. She gets away, but Mastroianni finds his way to her family, a clan of thieves headed by her father Vittorio De Sica. Mastroianni spends the film alternately falling in love with Loren and trying to turn her in to the police.

This is a delightful screwball comedy quite reminiscent at times of "The Lady Eve". Mastroianni and Loren appeared together in 14 films, and their chemistry is magnificent. That said, De Sica steals the film, especially in the climactic scene that sees everyone in a judge's chambers trying to explain what happened.

The "Bingo Bango Bongo" song will stay in your head for days.

Wow! Until you hear SOPHIA LOREN speak in her native language, you'd never guess how fast she can talk--especially when it comes to a breezy comedy like this involving a family of thieves run by VITTORIO DeSICA and trying to fleece, among others, MARCELLO MASTROIANNI from his cab while trying to stay one step ahead of the authorities.

Her fast talk is exceptional--and funny--considering the situations she gets into. She has a fluency in Italian that she never showed in her English speaking roles and a terrific sense of timing and humor. She also looks fabulous.

But the real star of the film is VITTORIO DeSICA as the smooth talking and very elegant head of a family of thieves. Grandma is adept at stealing wallets and the kids are handy at stealing tires off cars. From the start, it's obvious that Sophia (as Lina) and Marcello (as Paolo) are bound to fall in love despite the stormy relationship that has them embroiled in arguments over all of their mishaps.

It's amusing from start to finish, which has the predictable ending which has the two of them in a clinch from which they're in no hurry to abandon after a quarrel, not even with a bunch of onlookers wondering why he slapped her first.

It's a pure joy to watch these pros at work, but it's clear that DeSica has to be one of the most consummate actors of Italian cinema--just as wonderful before the camera as behind it. And Sophia and Marcello keep up with him every step of the way.

Watching this with subtitles is worth it, even though they speak so fast that you'll spend a lot of time just reading the English captions.

Mama Mia! La Gran -Sophia- at the tender age of -20-. Moreover in the kind of role she'd almost never be able to play in America at -any- age, let alone at the pinnacle of her astonishing sexual impact. The costumer put her in one understated but thoroughly boggling outfit after another.

The role suits the wardrobe and vice-versa. The Body going bawdy is exactly what the title infers, but with sufficient "screwball comedy" dialog to make it entertaining as well as educational. (The teacher -will- command your attention here. Yow.) Marcello is on top of his pre-Fellini game as the almost crafty-enough romantic lead, and De Sica does a fine local godfather. As a genre, post-war Italian cinema is almost always reliable, and this is no exception.

Guys (of any age): If you've got -any- sort of a masochistic yen for being manhandled by a world-class, hormone-heating, trick-or-treater, -this- will make your day. Hahahaha.

Paolo (Marcello Mastroianni), a Roman cab driver, picks up beautiful Lina (Sophia Loren), who tries to steal his car. The complaint to her father Signore Stropianni (Vittorio De Sica) is no use - he is the head of a whole family of thieves. After Paolo realizes that involving authorities into the criminal doings of the Stropiannis is for nothing, he decides to fall in love with Lina.

It's a zippy, very funny and entertaining comedy with the young screen couple Loren/Mastroianni and veteran De Sica, who really shines in here. Lina is an attractive woman, desired by many men and is never at loss of words. Paolo, a man of integrity and good will (at least it seems like he is), is not as faithful as his rich passengers would have assumed. Together they get deeply enmeshed with each others criminalities.

The film was very successful in Italy and regarded as one of the highlights of the Italian comedy series of the 50s. Mainly the rising star of Sophia Loren (and Marcello Mastroianni), who shaped up well to serious competition to sexbomb Gina Lollobrigida, contributed to the success. And that made Hollywood keeping an eye for her talent (three years later she starred in Kramer's "The Pride and the Passion" among Cary Grant and Frank Sinatra).