Spoonatects Am i the only one who thinks........Average?

Hayden Kane There is, somehow, an interesting story here, as well as some good acting. There are also some good scenes

Cheryl A clunky actioner with a handful of cool moments.

Billy Ollie Through painfully honest and emotional moments, the movie becomes irresistibly relatable

lasttimeisaw It may sound snobbish to call this a "backwoods" spoof censuring the uncivilised marriage system not that far time ago, but the Sicily populace shouldn't take it too personal since it is a truthful recount of that provincial and religion-brainwashed era, we can only progress when we are not ashamed to face up our own shortcomings. DIVORCE Italian STYLE was a massively successful comedy at its time, with sleek camera-work in monochromatic glamour and an engaging score by Rustichelli, even conquered the demography overseas, and harvested three Oscar nominations (including BEST LEADING ACTOR, BEST DIRECTOR) with one win for its original script, quite a phenomenon for a foreign language picture.A do-nothing baron Ferdinando (Mastroianni) intends to kill his annoying wife Rosalia (Rocca), so that he can marry his young cousin Angela (a fourteen-year-old Sandrelli, it is not just incestuous, also borderline pedophiliac, the noble family's fortune is in decline, however this inglorious bent runs deeply in their blue-blooded genes). Like father like son, the film cunning reveals, his hoary father Don Gaetano (Spadaro), shares the same voyeuristic habit to the same subject within their family. So, what is Fefe's (Ferdinando's nickname in the family) plan when divorce is not an option to get rid of his wife? The only solution is to bloodily murder her during a crime-of-passion for her infidelity, for which he will only serve for some shortened years in prison. This is exactly what the story unwinds when conveniently he finds out Carmelo Patanè (Trieste), a painter recently arrives in the town, is actually an old acquaintance of Rosalia, who admires her as if she is the reincarnation of Madonna. Obviously, Fefe is a morally corrupted person, but in a comical way, viewers cannot help rooting for his murder plan thanks to Mastroianni's first-class force-of-personality, with a hovering doubt of whether he will do it or not. Injecting a sublime likableness into Fefe's stalemate, Mastroianni unleashes a superlative demeanour of drollness, his comedic knack is unparalleled in the film, who would have expect that it was under the hand of Pietro Germi, whose directorial prowess in comedy hadn't been tested at then. One of the takeaways is Fefe's habitual twitch on his left cheek, which I have a personal affinity with.Another functional trickery to render sympathy towards Fefe is Germi's caricatural portrayal of Rosalia, (Rocca, was Germi's lover then, whose career would be truncated after the breakup, which unfortunately would also traumatise her mental state), deliberately uglifies her with a prominent moustache and a manually designed unibrow, she emerges as an insufferable shrew who is also overly love-wanting. Rocca sacrifices her voluptuous appeal for being a generic laughing stock, yet, Germi unexpectedly proffers her with the most meritorious virtue amongst the cast, she is the one who is brave enough to elope with her paramour, in sheer contrast with Fefe's cowardice in nature and subjugation of the small-town's parochiality which overtly he despises. It elevates her as the most integral character, and overshadows all the others in this rotten family. That's why her denouement is rather shocking when the cruelty submerged under the farcical guise finally takes a whoop to generate something other than genuine laughters, in fact it is a scorching social commentary using a jaunty allure as a beguiling front. It is further solidified by the killing ending, literally in the last ten-seconds, utterly outsmarts our trepidation of impending bathos. Truth is, this sterling comedy again is a sound testimony that a film can be wholeheartedly diverting and at the same time, sates audience's intellectual appetite as well, well done, Mr. Germi and his team.

jadekite22 "Divorce - Italian Style," released as the 286th addition to the Criterion Collection, is a film that is heavy on theme but doesn't preach to you. It's a film that is stylized but never calls attention to itself. Most importantly, it's a film that screams "classic" without so much as a subliminal whisper.Marcello Mastroianni's Baron Fernando Cefalu is a man known by all and watched by all, like any celebrity, with judgmental eyes. This is probably why he's stayed with his overbearing wife (Daniela Rocca) for fifteen years. But, as his age shows through his suave looks, he begins to question how much longer he can take it. In comes Angela (Stefania Sanderelli), his much younger cousin whose ever-so-slight passes at him force him to decide to either take a risk and pursue her or accept his current situation as a dedicated husband with a reputation to uphold. While he makes up his mind. . . he fantasizes about various ways to kill his wife, eventually finding one that's practically achievable and sets forth to make it a reality.Don't worry if this infidelity plot sounds familiar to you because the film is perfectly aware of that, even being nearly 60-years old. Also don't be concerned if such low-stakes social dramas don't interest you. In fact, that would actually make you the perfect candidate for this particular film for it's a satire, a damned great one at that.The usual complaint for the films, or harlequin romances, "Divorce" satirizes is that if the characters aren't developed that well, it's difficult to care whether the situation works out or not, especially if it involves a murderer for which it's hard enough to have sympathy for as it is. Director Pietro Germi and screenwriter Ennio De Concini set up the film in a deceptively simple way that avoids this conflict, effectively making you root for the Baron based on the situation alone-- it's even said that American audiences who saw this in its original release were laughing throughout without the assistance of subtitles because of this technique. The viewer merely needs to be introduced to the Baron as a man who can't get a wink of sleep in his own bed without telling his wife how much he loves her until she's satisfied, which is never. With that, the viewer is already thinking about their own escape plan, not realizing that the most painless strategy is murder. In a sense, the film makes you forget this too as its coying sense of humor distracts you from the horrible end task.An example of this is, after the Baron finds out that he must set up the murder to look like a crime of passion (in order to get the shortest jail sentence), he attempts to find an unknowing participant to pin an affair with his wife to. This results in him looking to anyone and everyone, from subtly alluded-to homosexuals to a man who's already having his own affair with the Baron's housekeeper, each time resulting in hilarity.It also helps that the actors are so perfectly cast here. Marcello Mastroianna is akin to the Italian Pepe le Pew, balancing his cartoonish good looks (of which he's in denial of in the film) with just enough sympathy to make his bastard character seem almost noble. To avoid commenting on what less-than-attractive physical traits Daniela Rocca brought to her character as the wife *cough* facial hair*cough*, let's just say this reviewer was convinced by her very funny performance that the Baron deserved to aim higher. Also, the supporting cast, with a special shout-out to the man who played Angela's father, absolutely nailed it as the archetypal Italian characters you would picture while listening to Adam Ferrara's stand-up comedy.The DVD, while lacking a commentary track that would be perfect for a film of this short-but-sweet length, features a good set of special features and a pristine transfer one would expect from the folks at Criterion. There were a few distracting scratches on the corners of some of the frames, but it's doubtable this was avoidable considering the film's age, though it still looks quite beautiful today. Martin Scorcese and others contribute essays to a booklet that rivals the short interviews on the supplementary disc as well, complimented by cover art by comic artist Jaime Hernandez of Love & Rockets fame.Overall, this film is a masterpiece of comedy in the tone of later successes like Alfred Hitchcock's "The Trouble With Harry" and should not be missed regardless of whether you enjoy simple black humor or are looking for answers to why many of today's similar comedies ("The Bounty Hunter") fail.

kenjha An Italian big shot with a nagging wife concocts ways to be rid of her so he can be free to lust after his cousin. Mastroinni, sporting a pencil-thin mustache, seems to be trying very hard to make it funny, but is let down by a witless script. Rocca, also sporting a pencil-thin mustache (no kidding), as well a uni-brow, plays the nagging wife. Sandrelli is the cousin, and nobody makes an issue of cousins having an affair (Oh those Italians!). Everybody overacts and the humor is forced and rather cartoony. Good comedies are marked by two traits - they are funny and they don't overstay their welcome. This one fails on both accounts.

Cristi_Ciopron Divorzio all'Italiana (1961)is the story of a man's gradual decline,the Sicilian Baron Cefalú who,disgusted with his wife (Daniela Rocca) and her advances,aims at a very young woman's charms,and he finds her in his own household.To be with her,the fretted Baron has to get rid of his boring wife.So,the movie is in the "how to kill your ..." scheme.Good-looking,sly,randy,lithe, almost young,Marcello Mastroianni wants to escape from his marriage's mire;his smoldering passion for the graceful Stefania Sandrelli (here,a teenager) breaks out,after a series of fortuitous encounters with the child:he runs into her in the street, on the beach,in the church.The girl's secret diary confesses that the erotic feelings are mutual.The film records this crescendo,the multiple factors that compete to bring the two hearts together.But Stefania Sandrelli's grumpy father has no respect for privacy,and reads her diary ....Marcello Mastroianni's role as Cefalú is brilliant,staggering, astonishing, much above the sarcastic,shameless story.In his bright 30s and 40s,Marcello Mastroianni,here 37 years old,and one year after The Sweet Life,made several sex comedies (Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow ; Matrimonio all'Italiana ,1964;Oggi, Domani, Dopodomani ,1965;L'Uomo Dei Cinque Palloni,1965;Casanova '70,1965;A Slightly Pregnant Man,etc.), giving constantly radiant and wonderfully inspired performances that are among cinema's gems.One can not speak about Marcello Mastroianni otherwise than with infinite respect.He belongs to the rank of the greatest film actors ever,on a par with Pierre Fresnay,Louis Jouvet,Michel Simon,Simone Signoret, Jeanne Moreau,Gérard Depardieu,Erich Von Stroheim ,James Cagney.Now,one word about my favorite actress,Stefania Sandrelli.I admire her since I was 18 years old.Her stunning role as Angela is one of the two definitive expressions of her sexuality (the other being Teresa Rolfe in La Chiave, 1983). Divorce, Italian Style is the sheer definition of the level of showmanship that even the popular Italian cinema reached in the '60s.It evokes the Meridional communal existence ,the family life of a Sicilian baron,and his retreats counterpoise his family life (wife,sister,genitors,etc.).The strength of this brutal and gruesome sex comedy is its low-brow self assurance.Yet,it has a finesse,a cynicism that do not recommend it to the adolescence's mind;it is simultaneously brutal and of a certain fineness,it demands,to be enjoyed,interest for life.The music is languorous and desirous in the first half,and funeral in the second.In Divorzio all'Italiana (1961),the nudity,that is Stefania Sandrelli's ,skimps to a naked spotless shoulder,and her body is more bright,tender and luminous than ever.The erotic run in this movie,the sex race,is symmetrical to the one to be found in another famous Italian sex comedy,Malèna (2000).The barrister is the same,his pleading ,his declamation arise from the same chasm of ridicule.The provincial society is,also,the very same."Divorzio ..." is a more cynical,derisive, biting satire,Pietro Germi is a more brutal and corrosive satirist than Giuseppe Tornatore, and less indignant.Having already done remarkable ,defining roles in The Night ,The Sweet Life ,White Nights ,Chronicle of Poor Lovers,Marcello Mastroianni's role in "Divorzio ..." is a fashioned,vigorous,resourceful and vivid expression of his charm and intelligence.He is drowsy,sagging,bored,he becomes tetchy and devilish,then bewildered,then blasé.At first,he seems an almost entitled,in his exasperation,gentleman,but then,he comes out as a dullard,a rather disgusting profligate,a wanton dolt. Gradually,the philanderer Cefalú looses our sympathy.On its level,this vulgar and lively,fast paced comedy is somehow flawless.But its real value comes from the quality of its two leads. The entire cast is deserving and skilled (Daniela Rocca,Margherita Girelli,Leopoldo Trieste ...),but Marcello Mastroianni and Stefania Sandrelli are,here,at their energies' peak;an early one,for Stefania Sandrelli.I remember Mastroianni dreaming of transforming his wife into soap,or of sending her in space as a laughing Gagarin.Quite fallow jokes,but Marcello Mastroianni gives them force.Daniela Rocca had a short career,only a few movies in the '50s and '60s.Pietro Germi made several interesting movies,the last one is from 1972; he died in 1974.