''Mano rubata'' (''stolen hand'') is a 1989 Italian television movie directed by

Alberto Lattuada Alberto Lattuada (; 13 November 1914 – 3 July 2005) was an Italian film director. Career Lattuada was born in Vaprio d'Adda, the son of composer Felice Lattuada. He was initially interested in literature, becoming, while still a student, a mem ...

. The film concerns

gambling Gambling (also known as betting or gaming) is the wagering of something of value ("the stakes") on a random event with the intent of winning something else of value, where instances of strategy are discounted. Gambling thus requires three el ...

and is the last work of Lattuada.Mano rubata on MyMovies
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Plot

The story takes place in

Paris Paris () is the capital and most populous city of France, with an estimated population of 2,165,423 residents in 2019 in an area of more than 105 km² (41 sq mi), making it the 30th most densely populated city in the world in 2020. S ...

. Günther Mayer, a young writer, is impressed by a beautiful woman whom he sees for the first time through the window of a flower shop. After that he meets her briefly for a few times. The opportunity to meet the beautiful stranger occurs at a party in the house of Marianne, a friend of his. Among the guests there is a writer, a professor of psychology, an aristocrat, a starlet, a painter, and a hypochondriac woman. The stranger, Juliette Carfienne, arrives at Marianne's house while Günther, bored, is leaving. After they meet she refuses Günther's offers of friendship. He offers the guests a game:

poker Poker is a family of comparing card games in which players wager over which hand is best according to that specific game's rules. It is played worldwide, however in some places the rules may vary. While the earliest known form of the game w ...

elimination that will finally have one winner only and who will be the only one who will stay dressed; losers must undress themselves or commit

suicide Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Mental disorders (including depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, personality disorders, anxiety disorders), physical disorders (such as chronic fatigue syndrome), and s ...

. In the last hand between Juliette and Günther, the latter wins. All losers undress except Juliette who chooses to commit suicide. As a sign of defiance, Günther takes an automatic pistol from his jacket and hands it to Juliet. While the latter is about to shoot, Günther removes the weapon from her hand and wants to be who lost the game; then he undresses. Juliette declares herself defeated and also strips. After the party, the guests leave; on the stairs Günther tells Juliet that he has only seen her eyes; both leave together.

Cast

Carmen Loderus ''Carmen'' () is an opera in four acts by the French composer Georges Bizet. The libretto was written by Henri Meilhac and Ludovic Halévy, based on the Carmen (novella), novella of the same title by Prosper Mérimée. The opera was first perfo ...

, as Juliette Carfienne * Ralph Schicha, as Günther Mayer *

Milena Vukotic Milena Vukotic (, ; born 23 April 1935) is an Italian former ballerina and a stage, television, and film actress. Biography Vukotic was born in Rome, to a Serb Montenegrin comedy playwright father and an Italian pianist/composer mother. A ...

, as Fabienne * Geneviève Omini, as Marianne *

Clément Harari Clément Harari (10 February 1919 – 16 February 2008) was an Egyptian-born French film and television actor.Bazin p.14 Selected filmography * '' It Happened in Paris'' (1952) * ''Ça va barder'' (1955) - Sammy Kern * ''Mon curé chez les pauv ...

, as a professor of psychology *

Christiane Jean Christiane is a given name, a form of the Latin ''Christiana'', feminine form of ''Christianuis'' (see Christian), or a Latinized form of Middle English ''Christin'' 'Christian' (Old English ''christen'', from Latin).. A short form is Chris. Alter ...

, as a female hypochondriac *

Christian de Tillière Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a Monotheism, monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ (title), Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive ...

, as an aristocrat * Roger Miremont, as a painter * Patrick Bonnel, as a writer * Herma Vos, as a starlette * Marie Florestan

References

External links

*{{IMDb title, 1466059 1989 television films 1989 films Italian television films 1989 drama films Films set in Italy Films directed by Alberto Lattuada Films scored by Armando Trovajoli 1980s Italian-language films