''L'arbitro'' (internationally released as ''Playing the Field'', ''Football Crazy'' and ''The Referee'') is a 1974

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

Luigi Filippo D'Amico Luigi Filippo D'Amico (9 October 1924 – 28 April 2007) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. His 1974 film ''Il domestico'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy at the 67th Venice International Film Festival. Sele ...

. The main character, Carmelo Lo Cascio, is inspired on the referee

Concetto Lo Bello Concetto Lo Bello (13 May 1924 – 9 September 1991) was an Italian association football international referee. He holds the record for refereeing the most games in Serie A (328). His career spanned the years 1944 to 1974, refereeing his first ...

. The theme song, "Football Crazy", is sung by the football player

Giorgio Chinaglia Giorgio Chinaglia (; 24 January 1947 – 1 April 2012) was an Italian footballer who played as a striker. He grew up and played his early football in Cardiff, Wales, and began his career with Swansea Town in 1964. He later returned to Italy to ...

Cast

Lando Buzzanca Gerlando "Lando" Buzzanca (24 August 1935 – 18 December 2022) was an Italian stage, film, and television actor whose career spanned 65 years. Life and career Early years Born in Palermo the son of a cinema projectionist, at 16 years old Buz ...

as Carmelo Lo Cascio *

Joan Collins Dame Joan Henrietta Collins (born 23 May 1933) is an English actress, author and columnist. Collins is the recipient of several accolades, including a Golden Globe Award, a People's Choice Award, two Soap Opera Digest Awards and a Primetime ...

as Elena Sperani *

Gabriella Pallotta Gabriella Pallotta (born 6 October 1938) is an Italian film actress. She appeared in 22 films between 1956 and 1974. For the film ''The Pigeon That Took Rome ''The Pigeon That Took Rome'' is a 1962 American comedy war film directed and written ...

as Laura, wife of Lo Cascio *

Ignazio Leone Ignazio Leone (19 April 1923 – 30 December 1976) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 105 films between 1952 and 1976. Selected filmography * '' The Walk'' (1953) * ''I Chose Love'' (1953) * ''Amici per la pelle'' (1955) * '' A Woma ...

as Fichera *

Marisa Solinas Marisa Anna Solinas (30 May 1939 – 12 February 2019), best known as Marisa Solinas, was an Italian actress and singer. Life Born in Genoa to a Sardinian father and a Tuscan mother from Garfagnana, Marisa Solinas made her film debut in 1961, ...

as Luisella, wife of Fichera *

Massimo Mollica Massimo Mollica (19 March 1929 – 1 May 2013) was an Italian actor and stage director. Born in Pace del Mela, Messina, the son of an elementary school teacher, Mollica started acting at the university.Giancarlo Colombo. ''Who's Who in Ita ...

as La Forgia *

Daniele Vargas Daniele Vargas, stage name of Daniele Pitani (20 April 1922 – 7 January 1981) was an Italian film actor. Life and career Born in Imola, a small town in the district of Bologna, after attending high school with Pier Paolo Pasolini, Daniel ...

as the president * as himself * as himself *

Bruno Pizzul Bruno Pizzul (; born 8 March 1938) is an Italian journalist and a former professional Association football, football player. He is best known for being the TV Sports commentator, commentator of matches involving the Italy national football team ...

as himself * Nicolò Carosio as himself * as *

Gianfranco Barra Gianfranco Barra (born 5 April 1940) is an Italian film, television and stage actor. He has appeared in more than 80 films. Born in Rome, Barra studied at the Silvio d’Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts in his hometown. First active on stage, he ...

as policeman in Terni * as * as *

Umberto D'Orsi Umberto D'Orsi (30 July 1929 – 31 August 1976) was an Italian character actor and comedian. Born in Trieste, D'Orsi took a degree in law in 1953, but he was already active in theater from 1950, performing in small companies of prose and revu ...

as the doctor * as *

Renato Terra Renato Terra (26 July 1922 in Naples – 28 November 2010 in Rome) had a career working in film as an actor, and has appeared in over 80 movies. In 1977 he retired to become a poet. Young, he attended the Experimental Center of Cinematography in ...

as * as * as *

Carla Mancini Carla Mancini (born 21 April 1950) is an Italian film and television actress.Cox p.295 A graduate of the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia she made numerous appearances in films of the early 1970s. Selected filmography * '' Rough Justice'' (1 ...

as *

Alvaro Vitali Alvaro Vitali (; born 3 February 1950) is an Italian actor. He was an electrician until he was discovered by Federico Fellini and played a small part in ''Satyricon'' (1969), it led to other roles, notably in the movie '' Amarcord'' (1973). I ...

as the postman

References

External links

* 1974 films Italian sports comedy films Italian association football films Films directed by Luigi Filippo D'Amico 1970s sports comedy films Films scored by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis 1970s Italian-language films Films with screenplays by Giulio Scarnicci 1970s Italian films Films shot in Sicily Films shot in Kenya {{1970s-Italy-comedy-film-stub

Cast

See also

References

External links