When you start out watching The Secret of Santa Vittoria, you'll see a quaint Italian village, local residents (although not filmed in the actual city, it was filmed nearby), and a classic larger-than-life Anthony Quinn performance. He stars as the lovable moron Bombolini, the wine seller in town who's drunk more often than sober. When the film starts, he's stuck (and drunk) by the town's water tower, over a hundred feet in the air. His strong and coarse wife, Anna Magnani, doesn't care, but the villagers have gathered to see him either fall or climb down. When he finally raises a defiant fist to the air and exclaims, "I am coming down!" there's a deafening roar - and the cue to Ernest Gold's charming theme to play.
Anthony Quinn's powerful energy can carry any movie, but the story of this heartwarming comedy is fantastic enough to carry itself. I've read the original novel, and while the basic story is the same, the movie puts a much more comedic spin on it. The Secret of Santa Vittoria takes place at the close of WWII. When Mussolini reaches his downfall, there's a change of power everywhere in Italy, even in this small town. Tony is appointed to be the new mayor because they think he'll be stupid and malleable. But when they learn the Nazis are coming to occupy the village, everyone panics and worries that they've made a mistake in giving Tony all the power. The village's only income is their wine. They have a million bottles of wine, and if the Nazis confiscate them, the entire town will be ruined. What will the peasants do?
You might think it's a silly movie when you first start watching it, but it's actually quite moving. Just like a family, the different residents who clash and fight with each other under normal circumstances all pull together during tough times. The aloof Contessa Virna Lisi and the renegade soldier Sergio Franchi (who would have thought he could act?) fall in love, and Anna and Tony scream and fight like any normal Italian couple.
Obviously, I recommend this movie. I've seen it four times so far, and I already can't wait to watch it again. It's an emotional experience from start to finish, aided by the acting and director Stanley Kramer. The wine sequence gave me goosebumps the first time I watched it, and it stayed with me for a very long time. Anthony Quinn is fantastic, and Anna Magnani, whom I normally don't like, is believable and very funny. Hardy Kruger adds so many subtleties to his performance, balancing out the gregarious Italian culture. When he makes his entrance and steps out of his motorcycle sidecar, he limps for a few seconds. It's a small touch, but it shows us he's traveled a long way without stopping because he's stuck to his schedule, and he straightens himself quickly because he's proud and wants to show strength to the Italians. You can immediately he doesn't want to be there but he's taking his orders like a good soldier - all without him saying a word.
With Rag nominations for Anthony Quinn, Hardy Kruger, Anna Magnani, Stanley Kramer, and Ernest Gold - and winning Best Picture and Comedic Screenplay - this movie is not to be missed.
Anthony Quinn's powerful energy can carry any movie, but the story of this heartwarming comedy is fantastic enough to carry itself. I've read the original novel, and while the basic story is the same, the movie puts a much more comedic spin on it. The Secret of Santa Vittoria takes place at the close of WWII. When Mussolini reaches his downfall, there's a change of power everywhere in Italy, even in this small town. Tony is appointed to be the new mayor because they think he'll be stupid and malleable. But when they learn the Nazis are coming to occupy the village, everyone panics and worries that they've made a mistake in giving Tony all the power. The village's only income is their wine. They have a million bottles of wine, and if the Nazis confiscate them, the entire town will be ruined. What will the peasants do?
You might think it's a silly movie when you first start watching it, but it's actually quite moving. Just like a family, the different residents who clash and fight with each other under normal circumstances all pull together during tough times. The aloof Contessa Virna Lisi and the renegade soldier Sergio Franchi (who would have thought he could act?) fall in love, and Anna and Tony scream and fight like any normal Italian couple.
Obviously, I recommend this movie. I've seen it four times so far, and I already can't wait to watch it again. It's an emotional experience from start to finish, aided by the acting and director Stanley Kramer. The wine sequence gave me goosebumps the first time I watched it, and it stayed with me for a very long time. Anthony Quinn is fantastic, and Anna Magnani, whom I normally don't like, is believable and very funny. Hardy Kruger adds so many subtleties to his performance, balancing out the gregarious Italian culture. When he makes his entrance and steps out of his motorcycle sidecar, he limps for a few seconds. It's a small touch, but it shows us he's traveled a long way without stopping because he's stuck to his schedule, and he straightens himself quickly because he's proud and wants to show strength to the Italians. You can immediately he doesn't want to be there but he's taking his orders like a good soldier - all without him saying a word.
With Rag nominations for Anthony Quinn, Hardy Kruger, Anna Magnani, Stanley Kramer, and Ernest Gold - and winning Best Picture and Comedic Screenplay - this movie is not to be missed.