I watched this film with a bit of sadness. There will never be another set of Italian films that boast of the passion, truth, and joy of the neorealism period of Italian cinema. Not just a few films, but several dozen of them one after another, year in and year out until the mid-1970s. The combination of DeSica and Lollobrigida guaranteed this film would be a smash hit; and it was. What a delightful little film about everyday life in a small village, where a secret lasts about as long as a fresh loaf of bread. Do yourself a favor; watch this one with somebody you care for.
Plot summary
Marshal Antonio Carotenuto is sent to Sagliena, an imaginary little village in the center of 1950s Italy, to assume his new mandate. In the village he meets Maria (Frisky) AKA 'la Bersagliera', who is secretly in love with a policeman (Carabiniere) reporting to Antonio. But Paoletta, the priest's niece, also loves him. Things become more complicated when Annarella, the midwife, starts demonstrating her love to Antonio. She is hiding a secret and the Marshal soon will be in a predicament.
Uploaded by: FREEMAN
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Movie Reviews
Unheralded Little Italian Gem - Bread Love and Dreams
Charmful
Just take the lead actor Vittorio. Now having seen a couple of his movies on Netflix, I can only imagine how succesful and popular he must have been in Italy. And when you watch his movies you can't escape his charm. Yes the movies are mostly about love and family (the ones I've seen that is) and to some that may sound boring.
It will depend on what you like to see in movies - but that is true for any movie. So if you can dig the drama, you will have a lot of humor to enjoy too. Very down to earth and easy to watch overall. And again, the charme of the cast here is quite contagious ... if you let it.
A naive and old Italian romantic comedy
A beautiful naive Italian romantic comedy from the 1950s.