L'homme aux cent visages

I recently have been watched a lot of Italian comedies, more I watch more I like, quite simple, they are witty, the partnership Gassman and Dino Risi were of an unparalleled quality, assigned by their writers as Sergio Pugliese, Ettore Scola among others who supplied fuels it needs to boost their natural gifts, Il Mattatore Gassman plays Gerardo Latini an already retiree slicker after his forced marriage with the eye candy Elena (Dorian Gray) when a crook tries fool him, he debonairly tells him his adventures when used to cheating, deceiving in smallest details, also his mentor and complicit, for Latin moral standards is very plausible and usual, a slight crude an amoral characters, but who cares anyway, indeed the picture has a priceless acting by the unmatched Vitorio Gassman, actually we cross our fingers for the crooks, seems crazy at first look but wasn't, it's an unharmful farce, very widespread in those time, laugh one's head off with a striking closing!!

Resume:

First watch: 2020 / How many: 1 / Source: DVD / Rating: 8

Dino Risi is one of the greatest Italian film directors ever. Very prolific and very talented. He made a lot of great movies and excelled in comedy. I will name just a few of the best: "The Monsters" (1963)I mostri(original title) (one of the best Italian films of all time, also with Vittorio Gassman), "The Treasure of San Gennaro" (1966 )Operazione San Gennaro(original title), "The Tiger and the Pussycat" (1967)Il tigre (original title), "Torture Me But Kill Me with Kisses" (1968) Straziami ma di baci saziami(original title), "Dirty Weekend"(1973) Mordi e fuggi (original title), "Scent of a Woman"(1974)Profumo di donna (original title) (again with Vittorio Gassman) (in the American remake, Al Pacino would win an Oscar for Best Actor in a Leading Role). Vittorio Gassman, along with Alberto Sordi, Ugo Tognazzi and Nino Manfredi, is one of the 4 Great Italian Comedian Actors, and 4 of the greatest actors in the world of all time. Great acting performance for Vittorio Gassman here in this "Love and Larceny", an opportunity for him to show his unique talent. Dorian Gray, Anna Maria Ferrero and Mario Carotenuto are also very good in their roles. However, in today's world, it's a film only for those who appreciate Italian cinema (the best of all) and, especially, for those who know and appreciate Vittorio Gassman.

Vitorrio Gassman is brilliant as a con artist in this movie. As best as I can remember it (last time I saw it was in the early 70's in 16mm) there are about 6-8 separate scenarios in which he pulls various cons, all of which are hilarious. I've been searching for it in some form -- I'd even buy it in 16mm.

Unlike "The Easy Life" ("Il Sorpasso"), in which he plays a similar character and the movie is somewhat bittersweet, in "Love and Larceny" the mood is always outrageous as the scams become more and more daring. The plot itself is a flashback, gradually working its way up to the surprise ending in the present.

According to the Italian Wikipedia, this movie was adapted from an eponymous Italian TV show. It consists of loosely-assembled sketches where Gassman is given a free hand to go through various characters and disguises.

The whole thing is watchable, of course, but suffers from the lack of dramatic tension since there's barely a storyline. Besides, most sketches were possibly funny 60 years ago, now they bring a smile at best - you see the gags coming from a distance. Gassman is of course a terrific presence, but in some episodes he's completely over-the-top.

Strangely enough, the most endearing moments of the movie, as far as I'm concerned, were some "transition" sequences which show peeks of everyday's life in the Italy of 1960 - scenes with Dorian Gray, the restaurant sequences, shots of the poor Roma suburbs... All in all a minor movie.

This very good comedy by Dino Risi is a treat, especially for the performance of Vittorio Gassman! His memories of a long life as a petty crook allow us to see him at work in a multitude of short stories and disguises, each one more funny than the others. A great performance by this excellent actor from the golden years of Italian cinema. Just enjoy it!