I tre desideri

THREE WISHES is a very loose adaptation of Grimm's fairy tale in which an evil person is given three wishes which lead inevitably to very unsatisfying results. The same happens here with two not-so-evil but really ambitious main characters: Maria, who wants to become a singer, and Roberto, who wants to become an inventor to rival Marconi. Their wish-beneficiary is the wealthy industrialist-magus, somewhat akin to John Beresford Tipton in the 1950s TV show "The Millionaire."

Nothing works out. Robert's inventions have no success, Maria struggles against orchestrated opposition to her talents. The two are in love, and in the end they still have their love, and love is all that counts, they know. Predictable stuff.

The performers are very appealing. Luisa Ferida plays Maria with a good deal of charm and fervor. (In real life she was to meet a tragic end when she was shot during the last days of World War II by partisans for her enthusiastic collaboration with Mussolini's Salo' government.) Antonio Centa, matinee idol of long standing, makes a credible Roberto.

The movie was made in two versions, a Dutch version directed by Kurt Gerron, and the Italian version by Giorgio Ferroni…or perhaps both Gerron and Ferroni. The credits list Gerron in this Italian version seen.

All in all, the movie is nothing special, just charming mindless drivel that I found myself enjoying.