''Lazzarella'', is a 1957 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

Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...

and starring

Alessandra Panaro Alessandra Panaro (14 December 1939 – 1 May 2019) was an Italian film actress of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Panaro is best known for her films in the early 1960s, notably Luchino Visconti's crime drama '' Rocco e i suoi fratelli'' in 19 ...

and Mario Girotti (later best known as

Terence Hill Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with longtim ...

). It is loosely inspired by the lyrics of the song " Lazzarella" by Riccardo Pazzaglia and Domenico Modugno, with the same Pazzaglia serving as a screenwriter. The film was a box office success, being the tenth most viewed film in the 1957/58 season in Italy.

Plot

Luciano, who studies at the University, falls in love with Sandra, a high school student, who reciprocates his love. If her family is very rich, his is of modest extraction; the difference in conditions does not seem to be a problem, however, and Luciano's degree increases the hope of a happy future. Following a sudden financial crisis, however, Sandra's family business goes bankrupt: so, to come to the aid of her parents, the girl accepts the care of a very rich childhood friend, deciding to marry him to get his financial support. Luciano, not aware of the girl's motives, will leave her in a bad way. But Lazzarella's feelings will prevail and in the end he will find his love again.

Production

The film is inspired by the song of the same name sung by Aurelio Fierro and winner of the second prize at the Naples Festival in 1957. Written by Domenico Modugno and Riccardo Pazzaglia, the song had already been a huge success and had also been translated into French and performed by Dalida.

Cast

as Sandra de Luca aka Lazzarella *

Mario Girotti Terence Hill (born Mario Girotti; 29 March 1939) is an Italian actor, film director, screenwriter and producer. He began his career as a child actor and gained international fame for starring roles in action and comedy films, many with longtim ...

as Luciano Prisco *

Rossella Como Rossella Como (29 January 1939 – 20 December 1986) was an Italian actress and television personality. Life and career Born in Rome, Rossella Como started her career at just 16 years old as a TV presenter, in the RAI show ''Primo applauso''. S ...

as Fanny *

Luigi De Filippo Luigi De Filippo (10 August 1930 – 31 March 2018) was an Italian actor, stage director and playwright. Born in Naples, the son of actors Peppino De Filippo and Adele Carloni, he studied literature at the university, leaving the studies on the ...

as Baron Nicola Sant'Elmo * Domenico Modugno as Mimì * Irène Tunc as Brigitte Clermont *

Tina Pica Tina Pica (31 March 1884 – 15 August 1968) was an Italian supporting actress who played character roles on stage. Her film debut came in 1935 with '' The Three-Cornered Hat''. In the 1950s, she became a celebrity thanks to her role as Carame ...

as Widow Capuana *

Dolores Palumbo Dolores Palumbo (14 June 1912 – 30 January 1984) was an Italian stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Naples, the daughter of two stage actors, Palumbo debuted in 1930 with a bit role in the farce ''La bella trovata''. Shorty later ...

as Donna Carmela *

Aurelio Fierro Aurelio Fierro (13 September 1923 – 11 March 2005) was a successful Italian actor and singer who specialized in songs in the Neapolitan dialect. Career He was born in Montella, in the Province of Avellino, Italy. His singing career bega ...

as Aurelio * Madeleine Fischer as Sandra's mother * Riccardo Garrone as Sandra's father *

Turi Pandolfini Turi Pandolfini (1 November 1883 – 6 March 1962) was an Italian stage and film character actor. He appeared in 46 films between 1917 and 1961. Life and career Born in Catania, Sicily as Salvatore Pandolfini, the nephew of the actor Ange ...

as Professor Avallone * Mario Ambrosino as Scognamiglio * Roy Ciccolini as Fernando

References

External links

* Italian comedy films 1957 comedy films 1957 films Films directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Films scored by Carlo Rustichelli Titanus films Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub