Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell

Former sex goddess Gina Lollobrigida is a gorgeous 40ish redhead in this fast-paced comedy filmed on location in Italy in 1968.

La Lollo plays the mother of the lovely Janet Margolin, whose American soldier father was supposedly killed during World War II. The thing is, Gina isn't sure who the father was, since she was friendly with three soldiers at the time, (played by Peter Lawford, Phil Silvers and Telly Savalas), and all are very much alive. Each of the three thinks he is the father and has been financially supporting the girl in secret for over 20 years. Trouble and hilarity ensue when the three men and their wives return to the Italian village for an Army reunion, and Gina has to juggle all six of them while keeping her daughter from finding out the truth.

It's a funny script that hearkens back to Hollywood's great screwball comedies, with especially good jobs from Silvers and Savalas and Shelley Winters and Lee Grant as their wives. But it's Gina who steals the show with her glamorous mugging.

Gina Lollobrigida plays a "widow" in Italy with a teenage daughter played by Janet Margolin. In reality Gina was never married but had, in the 1940s, sex with three different Army men (Telly Savalas, Phil Silvers and Peter Lawford) who all believe they're the father! Now they're all coming to town for a reunion and things go crazy.

Light, breezy comedy beautifully filmed on location in Italy. It has a good cast all doing very well in their roles. The standouts are Lollobrigida who is very beautiful and surprisingly good at comedy; Silvers who gets laughs from the stupidest lines and Shelley Winters who is hysterical as his overbearing wife. The only bad acting is by Margolin and Lee Grant as Savalas' wife--but she isn't given much to work with. And there's some hysterically bad process shots when people are riding cars. But these are minor complaints. This is just a silly, fun comedy.

Hard to believe that this was once considered risqué. It was originally rated M (which is the R rating today). It's now been lowered to a PG. I admit is DOES make adultery look OK but who's going to take this film seriously? Recommended. I give it an 8.

Absurd but fun little comedy enlivened by Gina's feisty performance in the lead.

The supporting cast is sprinkled with quality performers all giving good performances, even the usually obnoxious Silvers comes across well, but this is Gina's show and she carries the film easily. Most of the supporting players are simple types that the actors manage to flesh out the best they can. Telly Savalas and Lee Grant take theirs one step further and create a believably troubled couple who have spent so many years battling they fail to realize that what they both want is the same thing. On the surface they seem mismatched but because of subtle playing they expand the character beyond what was on the page.

Back to Gina, under the direction of the competent Melvin Frank, whom had guided her through Strange Bedfellows previously, she has a fine comic sensibility never betraying any doubt that the preposterous situation she finds herself in doesn't make perfect sense. And boy is she a stunner!

Full to the brim with beautiful scenery shot in glorious Technicolor, marred only by obvious but probably necessary process shots while Gina is driving, you'll want to jump a plane to Italy at the film's conclusion.

A potential seamy subject that could have devolved into crassness is handled with the proper light touch making this a genial farce and terrific showcase for Miss Lollobrigida.

As of 1/24/2007. I absolutely loved the movie, viewing it from the frame of mind of that era, versus what extreme technology, effects and scripting of the present. I can absolutely say how FUNNY and Hilarious it was to view!

I had watched this movie on the T.M.C. and wasn't really knowing of Ms Gina L acting and performance, as well as her beauty! I just found myself rolling on the floor as well as witnessing the close calls of the three men she was juggling around and detouring them from her daughter. It was really cool to see the stars of the days then, and view the Italian parts and its people of that time.

Though this movie may slammed by others, my own input is that: I LOVED IT! From Ms G.L. to S.Winters, T.Savales, P.Silvers, P.Lawford and the rest of the unmentioned great ones as well. Thank you for giving me this opportunity to express my own comment and view...Joaquin.

I just saw a trailer for a new 2008 film called MUMMA MIA starring Meryl Streep in the Gina Lollobrigida role! Another remake!

Well this original from 1968 is a very funny film, and I guess, an extension of the 'caper comedy' style so popular in the mid-60s. I haven't seen the famous multi paneled trailer (sounds very Mad Mad Mad World) but we are in the cine-world of other adult level all star 'wacky marital mix-ups' with phrase titles like DIVORCE American STYLE, WHAT A WAY TO GO, NOT WITH MY WIFE YOU DON'T, BOY DID I GET A WRONG NUMBER etc, each the American idea of farce: yelling and door slamming. However, unlike some of those mentioned above MRS CAMPBELL is genuinely hilarious. In fact today would still make a good play, if it wasn't one already. I believe however it was an original screenplay by Melvin Frank who had already excelled with many 40s and 50s comedies and in the early 60s with LI'L ABNER and later with A TOUCH OF CLASS in '73. I clearly remember sitting in a large suburban cinema with a very entertained crowd roaring with laughter and marveling at how gorgeous Lollobrigida was then. Lee Grant as always is superb as someone's wife and moaning Shelley Winters is a great foil even for comedy against Phl Silvers and Telly Savalas. Even the horrible presence of bland and pointless Peter Lawford cannot spoil the clever comedy storyline of this uproarious well written heartfelt comedy. The charming and catchy theme song still plays in my head. Forgotten by 1970 and much unappreciated today, MRS CAMPBELL is by far the best of late 60s all star marriage farces and deserves a big new century DVD release. It makes you realize how these 60s films really knew how to entertain. It also makes one realize how far Holllywood has strayed from what worked. No wonder adults don't bother with going to the cinema much in 2005. However, even if this film was remade today with 2005 swearing and punching it would still be funny, such is the solid script and good story. Try and find this film and settle in for a great experience.