La terrasse

"During the dinner sequences, it is like operating an ensemble piece on a dime, DP. De Santis adroitly interposes long takes among various characters, discreetly listens to their conversations, or follows the kerfuffles, but there are no Altmanesque flourishes, which can concatenate all the fluid movements into a delectable visual orchestra. Here, Scala is more keen on building the signs of the times than showing off his sleight of hand, and juggling between studio and location shooting, LA TERRAZZA is an oddity that looks old school but attempts to say something au courant (the self-reflection of a society burdened with bureaucracy, commercialism and hypocrisy), therefore, it feels often luxuriate in the inner circles' own woes and melancholia. It is so cruel to see Mastroianni's Luigi the journalist, gets a cold shoulder from a young girl, the erstwhile Italian dreamboat now has been reduced to a gabby uncle figure that is so detached from the younger generation (a metaphor of Italian cinema's glorious days are on the ineluctable wane)."

keep reading my review on my blog: cinema omnivore, thanks

Adorable, intelligent and politic driven movie. The best Italian director ever commands great actors and conducts the audience through a journey of passionate and bitter fellows who dare to fight for their beliefs.

In La Terrazza there are some amazing speeches - which I don't recall exactly - about every human being's right to happiness and love.

Maybe I liked it so much because I'm already a big fan of Ettore Scola. I also recommend his masterpieces "C'eravamo Tanto Amati" (the best Victorio Gassman performance) and "La Cena" (the last Gassman appearance).

Good opportunity to see once again Scola's great sense of criticism and love for Italian contemporary society, mixing in a tragicomic way politics, middle-age crisis, failing marriage, love, infidelity, suicide, friendship, the rôle of intellectuals. His great ensemble direction rivals Robert Altman's. And just have a look at that cast - Mastroianni (effective as always), Trintignant (always so surprising), Tognazzi (in charge of his difficult rôle), Gassman (what a superb actor!), Reggiani (moving), the lovely Stefania Sandrelli and a débutante very young Marie Trintignant. For those who like Italian cinema and politically oriented films with a touch of humor. 8/10

Boring???maybe for who doesn't know or understand the Italian situation of the early eighties, and that typical attitude of the left-side radical chic inhabitants of Rome.I do,and I appreciated this movie a Lot.Scola fails so rarely,and this wasn't the case.A great cast made a great movie,probably one of the last successful "Italian comedy" ever.Everything works fine,from the narrative stile of the director,which shows once again how well he can deal with a crowded set,to the script,written as always by himself.Gassman and Satta Flores above all.I wish this movie was more known abroad,24 years are past,but it never lost its taste,still actual and ironic as it should be

Claudia

Ettore Scola has made at least two great films, C'eravamo tanto amati and Une giornata particolare. But this time he got carried away. It's not enough to put 20 great actors in a room to end up with a masterpiece. Call it self- indulgent, call it intellectual masturbation, I call it boring. Sorry, Ettore.