''Mortacci'' is a 1989 Italian dark comedy film directed by

Sergio Citti Sergio Citti (30 May 1933 – 11 October 2005) was an Italian film director and screenwriter, born in Rome. He often worked with Pier Paolo Pasolini, but also worked for others such as Ettore Scola. His own films include '' We Free Kings'', f ...

Plot summary

In a small town cemetery, the deceased every night host a meeting. They are doomed not to enter the next stage of the afterlife, till the last living human who remembers them passes away. Through the recollection of their lives and deaths, the different characters are introduced: Alma, a theater actress (

Carol Alt Carol Ann Alt (born December 1, 1960) is an American model and actress. Early life Alt was born in Flushing, Queens, New York, the daughter of Muriel, an airline employee and model, and Anthony Alt, a fire chief in the Bronx. She was noticed wai ...

) who witnesses every night the futile attempt of her ex lover (

Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is a British actor, producer, and television presenter. He is best known for portraying Alex DeLarge in ''A Clockwork Orange.'' He was born in the Horsforth suburb of Leeds and raised in ...

) to commit suicide over her grave; Angelo, a womanizer (

Andy Luotto André Paul "Andy" Luotto (born 30 July 1950) is an American actor, comedian, musician, chef, and restaurateur. He has resided in Italy since the mid-1970s, where he is a prolific television personality, and is the owner and operator of the Lá re ...

) who died out of shame; Felice and Giggetto, two beggars (Eraldo Turra and Luciano Manzalini) who soon leave the group as the last woman (

Mariangela Melato Mariangela Melato (19 September 1941 – 11 January 2013) was an Italian cinema and theater actress. She began her stage career in the 1960s. Her first film role was in ''Thomas e gli indemoniati'' (1969), directed by Pupi Avati. She played in ma ...

) who remembers them dies while visiting their grave. The narration is interrupted by the arrival of Lucillo (

Sergio Rubini Sergio Rubini (born 21 December 1959) is an Italian actor, film director and screenwriter. Life and career Rubini was born in Grumo Appula, Apulia, but soon moved to Rome to study acting. After some roles in theater, he debuted in a feature ...

), a soldier who was presumed dead in a military mission in Lebanon and who is forced by his fellow villagers to die for real, as they built a huge business on his hero status and fame. The cemetery warden Domenico (

Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important productions ...

) supervises all the operations, from opening the gates to stealing valuables from the dead, without knowing that the deceased see him and everything that happens in the small cemetery.

Cast

as Domenico *

as Alma Rossetti *

as Edmondo *

Galeazzo Benti Galeazzo Benti (6 August 1923 – 21 April 1993) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1942 and 1991. Life and career Born Galeazzo Bentivoglio in Florence, Italy, a descendant of the Bentivoglio family, which rul ...

as Tommaso Grillo *

as Jolanda *

as Lucillo Cardellini *

Nino Frassica Antonino "Nino" Frassica (born 11 December 1950) is an Italian actor, Duke of Gela and television personality. Biography and career Born in Messina, Frassica is mostly known for his deadpan humour, characterized by absurd jokes he described as ...

as La guida *

as Angelo Cuoco, aka "Scopone" * Aldo Giuffré as the undertaker *

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 Torquato *

Silvana Bosi Silvana Bosi (23 July 1934 – 10 August 2020) was an Italian actress. Partial filmography *''Soldati - 365 all'alba'' (1987) *''The Strangeness of Life'' (1987) *''Mortacci'' (1989) *''The Voice of the Moon'' (1990) *''Rossini! Rossini!'' (1991 ...

as Torquato's mother * Eraldo Turra as Felice * Luciano Manzalini as Giggetto * Donald O'Brien as Archibald Williams *

Michela Miti Michela Miti (born Michela Macaluso; June 12, 1963) is an Italian actress and television presenter. In the years 1979–80 she hosted the first edition of the Italian kid television show '' 3,2,1 … contatto!''. She became renowned for her nud ...

as the bartender *

Gina Rovere Gina or GINA or ''variation'' may refer to: Gina Gina may refer to: * Gina (given name), multiple individuals * Gina (Canaan), a town in ancient Canaan * Arihant (Jainism), also called gina, a term for a human who has conquered his or her inner p ...

as Ada

References

External links

* 1989 films 1980s black comedy films Films directed by Sergio Citti Films scored by Francesco De Masi Italian black comedy films Films with screenplays by Vincenzo Cerami 1989 comedy films 1980s Italian-language films 1980s Italian films {{1980s-Italy-comedy-film-stub