The Little World of Don Camillo (Don Camillo)
Directed by Julien Duvivier
Written by Julien Duvivier and René Barjavel from a novel by Giovanni Guareschi
1952/Italy/France
Produzione Film Giuseppe Amato/Rizzoli Editore/Francinex
First viewing/Netflix rental

Crocefisso: Where did you get that cigar, Camillo?
Don Camillo: Peppone had two. I think I took it without asking him. You know he believes in equal distribution of wealth.

It took me a bit to warm up to this, my first exposure to famed French comedian Fernandel, but once I did I found it very charming.

This is the episodic story of the gentle war between Don Camillo (Fernandel), an Italian priest, and his long-time frenemy Peppone, the newly elected Communist mayor of the village he ministers to.  Don Camillo is assisted and/or chided by the voice of the crucifix in his church throughout.

At his inauguration, Peppone promises his followers two things – to build a community center and to create jobs.  Don Camilo manages to wangle a new church-sponsored playground out of the deal.  There is also a running Romeo-and-Juliet romance between Peponne’s son and the daughter of one of the local landowners.

The crisis comes when Peponne calls a strike of farm laborers after the local landowners refuse to pay a tax levied to raise funds for a couple of additional construction projects needed to create jobs.  The moral seems to be that Italians continue to act like Italians no matter what their ideological difference.

I was initially disappointed because I expected this to be laugh out loud funny.  One I got over that misimpression, I thoroughly enjoyed the film.  There are many genuinely amusing situations and such an enchanting warmth to the thing despite all the bickering.  I imagine it was even funnier at the time it was made.  Recommended.

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