Big Deal on Madonna Street (I soliti ignolti)
Directed by Mario Monicelli
Written by Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli et al
1958/Italy
Cinecittá, Lux Film, Vides Cinematografica
Repeat viewing/Netflix rental
[box] Tiberio: Stealing is a serious profession. You need serious people, not people like you. All you can do at your best is work.[/box]
Some of Italy’s stars of the 1950’s get together for this spoof of the era’s heist movies.
Cosimo is in prison for the umpteenth time. Inside, he hears of a fool-proof plan for robbing a pawn shop and is desperate to get out. He sends his lawyer to hire a scapegoat who will confess to his crime. The lawyers try out all his old cronies from the neighborhood but all have previous commitments. Finally, a boxer (Vittorio Gassman) who has no criminal record agrees. In the first of many set-backs in the movie, all three men – Cosimo, the boxer, and the lawyer – are thrown in the clink. Cosimo reveals his plan to the boxer and the boxer steals it from him when he is released on probation.
An old master (Toto), who seems to spend most of his time in a bathrobe, trains the motley gang of losers that the boxer puts together in the art of safe-cracking. The rest of the movie covers the meticulous planning for and disastrous execution of the job. With Renato Salvatori, Marcello Mastroianni and Claudia Cardinale in her film debut.
This film was inspired by Rififí and follows the heist formula perfected in that film to comedic effect. At the same time, it spoofs neo-realism and makes fun of some familiar Italian stereotypes. For some reason, I didn’t find it as funny this time as on the first go round. Still, it is worth seeing.
Trailer
