''Abracadabra'' is a 1952 Italian

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending (black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the ol ...

directed by

Max Neufeld Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica. Select ...

and starring

Mario Riva Mario Riva (26 January 1913 – 1 September 1960) was an Italian television presenter and actor. He appeared in 51 films between 1941 and 1960. Life and career Born in Rome as Mariuccio Bonavolontà, the son of a composer, Giuseppe (Joseph) ...

Riccardo Billi Riccardo Billi (22 April 1906 – 15 April 1982) was an Italian film actor and comedian. With Mario Riva he appeared as ''Billi & Riva'', one of the most popular Italian comic duos in the 1950s. He appeared in around 85 films between 1938 a ...

and

Lilia Landi Lilia Landi (born 24 August 1929) is a retired Italian film actress.Burke p.381 Selected filmography * ''My Beautiful Daughter'' (1950) * ''Turri il bandito'' (1950) * '' Era lui... sì! sì!'' (1951) * '' Licenza premio'' (1951) * ''Destiny'' (1 ...

.Chiti, Roberto & Poppi, Roberto. ''Dizionario del Cinema Italiano: Dal 1945 al 1959''. Gremese Editore, 1991. p. 16. . It was shot at

Cinecittà Studios Cinecittà Studios (; Italian for Cinema City Studios), is a large film studio in Rome, Italy. With an area of 400,000 square metres (99 acres), it is the largest film studio in Europe, and is considered the hub of Italian cinema. The studios wer ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Alfredo Montori Alfredo Montori (1893-1969) was an Italian art director. He designed the sets for more than a hundred films.Smith p.116 Selected filmography * '' My Little One'' (1933) * '' Lady of Paradise'' (1934) * '' The Ferocious Saladin'' (1937) * ''A Lad ...

and Camillo del Signore.

Plot

Three crooks scheme to swindle a wealthy widow out of her fortune, but their plans are thwarted by the sudden return of her husband who is far from dead.

Cast

as Amleto *

as Antonio *

as Carmela *

Guglielmo Inglese Guglielmo Inglese (24 November 1892 – 14 January 1972) was an Italian actor, radio personality and playwright. Life and career Born in Naples into a family of Apulian origins, Inglese debuted on stage as a child actor at 2 years old, and t ...

as Nicola Caiazzo *

Alberto Sorrentino Alberto Sorrentino (16 February 1916 – 31 January 1994), was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 89 films between 1943 and 1988. He was born in La Spezia, Italy. Selected filmography * '' The Last Wagon'' (1943) - Un passante * '' I c ...

as Fernando, detto Fefè * Paul Muller as Alfredo *

Marcella Rovena Marcella Rovena (22 January 1905 – 6 October 1991) was an Italian film and voice actress. Born in Conegliano, she started her career on the big screen in 1932 with director Nunzio Malasomma Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 J ...

as Cesira Caiazzo *Simona Gori as Maria * as Antonietta *

Marco Tulli Marco Tulli (20 November 1920 – 20 March 1982) was an Italian character actor, probably best known in the role of "Smilzo" in the Don Camillo film series. Born in Rome, Tulli debuted as actor while he was still a university student, at the end ...

as Il maggiordomo *

Silvio Bagolini Silvio Bagolini (4 August 1914 – 26 September 1976) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1936 and 1973. Life and career Born in Bologna, Bagolini studied architecture at the Bologna University, without gr ...

as Il signore balbuziente *

Bruno Corelli Bruno Corelli (20 August 1918 – 17 February 1983) was an Italian actor. Life and career Born in Bologna, after being part of a dramatic society of his hometown Corelli moved to Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. He ma ...

as Il Decio *

Pietro Tordi Pietro Tordi (12 July 1906 – 14 December 1990) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1942 and 1988. He was born in Florence, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Doctor Antonio'' (1937) - L'altro conspiratore * '' Don C ...

as Giacomo

References

External links

* 1952 comedy films Italian comedy films Films directed by Max Neufeld Films shot at Cinecittà Studios Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub