The first scenes were directed by Camillo Mastrocinque, who left the project some days later. The direction went then to Sergio Corbucci, who was also known as a connoisseur of the Roman Dolce Vita and had already directed Totò and Peppino De Filippo shortly before in Chi si ferma è perduto (1960).
The movie spoofs La Dolce Vita (1960) by Federico Fellini.Moreover, the production used most of the expensive scenery of Fellini's movie.
The plot was developed during the filming. Many scenes, in particular the one of Antonio ( Totò ) and Peppino Barbacane ( Chi si ferma è perduto (1960) ) at the cafe with two American girls, were improvised. indeed, it was reported that director Sergio Corbucci, when he took over the direction by Camillo Mastrocinque, was worrying about the lack of a screenplay: Totò reassured him and told him that he and Peppino would have taken care of everything. Corbucci stated that it was very funny for the crew to see them ad-libbing.
Censorship made modify or remove a lot of scenes and dialogues, in particular in the part of the castle party. The setting and the themes referenced were indeed very border-line for a 1960 movie (prostitution, drugs, sex, homosexuality). Some dialogues were modified, but making the final cut version a little chaotic in the sequence of dialogues.
Italian censorship visa # 34046 delivered on 23-2-1961.
Sergio Corbucci: a man who wants to use the telephone while Peppino Barbacane ( Peppino De Filippo ) is trying to reach his cousin. The scene is repeated two times in the movie. Corbucci did a cameo also in the first movie he directed with Totò and Peppino De Filippo shortly before this one, Chi si ferma è perduto (1960).