Director Mario Monicelli delivers this deft satire of the classic caper film Rififi, introducing a bungling group of amateurs -- including an ex-jockey (Carlo Pisacane), a former boxer (Vittorio Gassman) and an out-of-work photographer (Marcello Mastroianni). The crew plans a seemingly simple heist with a retired burglar (Totó), who serves as a consultant. But this Italian job is doomed from the start.
Monicelli's seminal Italian comedy, a spoof of heist movies with great performances by Gassman, Mastroianni, Toto, and Cardinale, had major impact on many American satires, past and present.
...because the characters are so likable and their plan for breaking into the safe is genuinely interesting, it's easy enough to overlook the few dull spots.
This was far from what I expected from reading the reviews. This Movie is from the Criterion Collection Spine Number 113. This movie made in 1958 in Black & White reminds me of movies made in the thirties. Yes a comedy but of little interest and very boring at times. A disappointment to me as most Criterion Collection
Movies are pretty good. Still for time frame and reading the very fast English Subtitles I will push it to 4 Stars.
November 21, 2011
Bruce Bruce
Super Reviewer
Excellent caper movie all'italiana. Superb all-star cast, full of situations as absurd as hilarious, and the usual caustic view upon italian society and traditions.
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