Matrimônio à Italiana

Well I think that you should watch this wonderful Italian film. It is taken from the comedy "Filumena Marturano" by Eduardo De Filippo. Marcello Mastroianni is superb and Sophia Loren is excellent. It's a pity she didn't won the second Oscar as best actress of this film.

The title-song "'O cielo ce manna 'sti 'ccose" by Fred Bongusto is absolutely wonderful.

After anthologies "Boccaccio 70" and "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," director Vittorio De Sica returns to a single story format with his favorite actress Sophia Loren, joined yet again by Marcello Mastroianni, evoking memories of her Oscar-winning turn in "Two Women" as Filumena, devoted companion to Mastroianni's wealthy Domenico, who discovered her as a frightened 17 year old in a bordello during a wartime bomb raid, putting her to work as a domestic in his mother's home rather than waste his position in society on a woman below his station. 20 years pass and she now lies on her deathbed, requesting the presence of a priest who promptly joins the two in marriage (just as he's prepared to wed a girl half his age), Domenico stunned to see Filumena up in no time and fighting fit, and more determined than ever to emerge the victor in this battle of the sexes, not so much for herself but for the three sons she has secretly cared for over the years. There are amusing moments to be sure but it's by heart a serious drama in which Sophia effortlessly ages from bubbly coquette to middle aged dowager over 100 minutes yet still meets her perfect match in Marcello Mastroianni, who has no business being so likable when he's essentially portraying a cad.

One of the biggest hits of the "Italian Comedy", starred by the top of the Italian star-system. De Sica give us a solid film all along the length, taking us from drama to comedy, they're separated by a faint border; as the life itself.

Obviously, the time has passed and some points are old-fashioned (technical resources, technology, life's perspective) but it's true the film gets one realistic approach (it couldn't be less being this film one of the examples of Italian neo-realism) about the drama of a woman who looks for dignity and fights for the good of her children.

This pink neo-realism sows us the common life of Italian people after WWII. Mediterranian country, misogyny, catholic, conservator, noisy… similar to Spain (españolada, Landismo), Greece, etc.

Good performances form Mastroianni, who is a playboy but with a good heart at least, and, especially Sophia Loren, at her prime, as Filomena, a prostitute who will fight for her honesty, dignity and her sons, a woman with attitude, tough in her acts and with some real curves. In other words the best "donna", along with Magnani, in all history.

De Sica, without reaching the lever of previous works in the 40's, makes a gret work in a field he controls like only a few people more. Good photography and ambiance. Music as Italian music, little cloying but it don't bother and it suits the film.

Thou, there are some negative points: - Relationship with children and their reaction are unnatural and the aren't worked as it'd be necessary. - Story could be analyzed in a deeper way. It's a good topic. - Make-up of Loren at 17, she doesn't look even for a moment, her body is different, no one can't do it something about it with that clothes, but the make-up could be better.

But it's a good movie, despise of these thing and the fact that is a movie made in the early 60's and other things I can't remember. You can enjoy this film and discover if you didn't make it earlier the refreshing Italian cinema.

Yes, Sophia Loren is breathtakingly beautiful in this movie - at times - but there is much more to it than that.

This movie does a remarkable job of developing two characters, especially Loren's character, over more than 20 years. There are no stereotypes - the warm-hearted prostitute, etc. - here, no facile caricatures. Rather, Loren, directed by di Sica, is able to develop a complex and fascinating character who goes from a 17 year old girl to a woman in her 50s. Loren does this not with fancy make-up, etc., but by ACTING. She is believable as the terrified young girl thrown into prostitution by abject poverty; she is completely believable as the 50+ year old woman defending her three children. (She was 30 when she made this movie.) I couldn't stop watching this movie. Loren is so real in it that you HAVE to find out what will become of her character.

This movie shows you what a good movie can be: something with complex, real characters whom you want to know more about. It is the complete opposite of the caricature-, stereotype-ridden formulaic pictures we get too often.

Sophia Loren was the greatest actress of her generation when directed by Vittorio De Sica. Watching "Marriage Italian Style" in 2009 confirms that notion, totally. She is mesmerizing in this tragicomic creation by the great Neapolitan author Edoardo De Filippo. We manage to travel away from her external beauty, not an easy thing to do, and dive into her interior beauty and Oh God, how extraordinary! She is beyond truthful, she transforms the most basic element in a woman's heart into pure undiluted art. I was surprised to realize what a villain Domenico Soriano (Marcello Mastroianni) was. And he is the romantic counterpart! Here is where the Italians excel. What a terrifying act of self examination. The Italian male, as written by De Filippo, directed by De Sica and interpreted by the amazing Mastroianni is an everyday, almost acceptable monster in a society that breathes this kind of monster. Strange watching this now, Italy then, as far as women were concerned, were not that far away from a Muslim country. Women's role was basically subservient and a character like Mastroianni's could forge ahead un-accused and unrepentant. Besides the magic of the storytelling and the incredible performance by La Loren, this is is an excruciating document of its day.