Amis pour la vie

This is the story of the friendship of two Italian schoolboys, admirably played by Geronimo Maynier(Mario) and Andrea Scire(Franco). Mario is a lively extrovert from a happy home, Franco is a lonely, more introverted boy who moves from hotel to hotel with his diplomat father. In a series of incidents at their homes and at school we see a happy friendship develop. There follows a rift in the friendship and finally there is a parting. The film is brilliantly directed by Franco Rossi. I first saw the film back in the 1950's and was very moved by it. I do not know if it has been issued on Video or DVD- it certainly should be for it deals in a simple and unmelodramatic way with the strong emotions of adolescent friendships as we have seen more recently in films like "Stand By Me".

"Franco" (Andrea Sciré) is the son of a diplomat and is quite well educated and worldly when he arrives at his new school where he quickly befriends "Mario" (Geronimo Meynier). The fact that he lives in an exclusive hotel causes a little consternation with his new friend's family at the beginning, but pretty soon the two boys are inseparable and getting up to all sorts of mischief. Then they hit an unexpected bump in the road that sees them both in the same running competition - and of course, only one of them can win. What now ensures is something that I think we can all relate to. The complexities of maintaining an intensive friendship - it's almost like an addiction, and the two young actors here really do immerse themselves in the roles and offer us an amiably engaging look at a friendship tempered with some stupidity and soft-headedness. Fortunately the adult characters are pretty much on board here, and are also adept at leaving their sons to solve their own problems whilst offering a shoulder and some words of wisdom as required. It also shines a light on the behaviour of classmates who, with varying degrees of nastiness, are envious of something they aren't part of. They see the boy's relationship as something to be torn down rather than celebrated when the first sign of a crack emerges. It can be quite funny and is really an enjoyably paced and jauntily scored celebration of a simple friendship that we all hope endures in the end.

This tale of the friendship between two boys of different background and character is funny as well as touching. It is a very intelligent entertaining story about the importance of love, trust, understanding and laughter. Set in Rome it shows how big events as well as small things can influence a relationship - a friendship that will last a lifetime, even if the two boys might never meet again.

Proof positive that there was,in the fifties, an alternative to Joselito Jimenez's soupy melodramas.

"Amici Per La Pelle" depicts a pure friendship between two teenagers ,a friendship which will endure,even,as if one user wrote,they were never to meet again.Mario is the would be tough guy sure of himself,but the last scenes show he breaks like a little boy (the writers are to be praised for not taking the easy way out).Franco is introverted,extremely sensitive ;he comes from the upper class of the society (his dad is an ambassador) but his relationship with his pal never suffers for it.True friendship knows no class,no race...Even for the father,it's only natural that his son should be taken in by his friend's family when he is away (and it must be pointed out that Mario's dad is an artist ,verging on bohemian life):the key to Franco's character is the loss of his mother ,which may explain he finds it hard to relate to girls.Now that his dear mother still lives on in his heart,he invents an imaginary girlfriend .

There's a stunning chemistry between the two young actors.

This movie had a huge influence on Luigi Comencini's later works which deal with childhood: "Cuore" ," Voltati Eugenio" and mainly ,mainly,'Incompreso" (it's no coincidence if his two young heroes are a consul's sons and their mom's dead).If you have liked "Amici Per La Pelle" ,Watch them.

NB:Geronimo Meynard's career ended with Freda's "Giuletta E Romeo "(1964) ,but time had taken its toll,and he was far from being as convincing,as moving as he is in Rossi's delicate drama.

I saw this film around 1957 in London and the memory has always stayed with me. Even now I can recall the music! See it if you can, unless you are one of those people who thought that "Wild Strawberries" was a tedious bore.