''Sex with a Smile'' is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by
Sergio Martino
Sergio Martino (born 19 July 1938) is an Italian film director and producer, notable for his contributions to the giallo genre.
Martino is the brother of the late producer Luciano Martino (who died in 2013). They collaborated frequently in their ...
and starring
Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
,
Barbara Bouchet
Barbara Bouchet (born Bärbel Gutscher; 15 August 1943)
glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com; ...
,
Edwige Fenech
Edwige Fenech (, ; born 24 December 1948) is an Algerian-born Maltese-Sicilian actress and film producer. She is mostly known as the star of a series of ''commedia sexy all'italiana'' and ''giallo'' films released in the 1970s, which turned her ...
, and
Dayle Haddon
Dayle Haddon (born May 26, 1948) is a Canadian model and actress, presently known for promoting anti-aging products manufactured by L'Oréal. Additionally, she is credited as author of ''Ageless Beauty: A Woman's Guide to Lifelong Beauty and Well ...
. While the cast was relatively popular internationally, advertising for the film in the U.S. concentrated almost exclusively on Marty Feldman, even though he only appeared in one segment of the film.
The original Italian title was ''40 gradi all'ombra del lenzuolo'',
TCM.com
/ref> colloquially translatable as ''40 Degrees Under the Sheets'' (40 degrees Celsius equals 104 degrees Fahrenheit). It was followed later in 1976 by a sequel titled '' Spogliamoci così senza pudor'', colloquially translatable as ''Let's Get Naked Without Modesty''.
Synopsis
An Italian anthology film
An anthology film (also known as an omnibus film, package film, or portmanteau film) is a single film consisting of several shorter films, each complete in itself and distinguished from the other, though frequently tied together by a single theme ...
sex comedy that features a series of five short comedic sketches that parody Italian sexual mores.
Segments
One for the Money ("I soldi in bocca")
In Switzerland, an affluent Italian wife (Barbara Bouchet
Barbara Bouchet (born Bärbel Gutscher; 15 August 1943)
glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com; ...
) of a traveling executive is visited by an eccentric stranger (Enrico Montesano
Enrico Montesano (born 7 June 1945) is an Italian actor and showman.
Career
Montesano comes from a family involved in theatre, and he made his debut in 1966 in a show named ''Humor nero'', alongside of Vittorio Metz. Later he became a very ...
), also Italian, who offers her 20 million lira to have sex with him. Initially put off by the idea, she ultimately agrees to his offer, unaware of the stranger's actual business.
The Bodyguard ("La guardia del corpo")
A pampered and bored socialite (Dayle Haddon
Dayle Haddon (born May 26, 1948) is a Canadian model and actress, presently known for promoting anti-aging products manufactured by L'Oréal. Additionally, she is credited as author of ''Ageless Beauty: A Woman's Guide to Lifelong Beauty and Well ...
) grows weary of the extreme measures her bodyguard (Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
) employs to keep tabs on her. However, when she steals away for an impulsive encounter with a visiting artist, she realizes his level of devotion may have been justified.
Catch It While It's Hot ("L'attimo fuggente")
What initially appears to be a tryst between a countess (Giovanna Ralli
Giovanna Ralli, (born 2 January 1935), is an Italian stage, film and television actress.
Life and career
Born in Rome, Ralli debuted as a child actress at 7; at 13 she made her theatrical debut, entering the stage company of Peppino De Filip ...
) and her put-upon chauffeur (Alberto Lionello
Alberto Lionello (12 July 1930 – 14 July 1994) was an Italian film actor, voice actor, singer and presenter.
Life and career
Born in Milan into a family of Venetian origins, after studying acting at the Accademia dei Filodrammatici Lione ...
) reveals surprising secrets about the woman, man, and circumstances of their rendezvous.
Dream Girl ("La cavallona")
An extremely attractive lawyer's wife (Edwige Fenech
Edwige Fenech (, ; born 24 December 1948) is an Algerian-born Maltese-Sicilian actress and film producer. She is mostly known as the star of a series of ''commedia sexy all'italiana'' and ''giallo'' films released in the 1970s, which turned her ...
) is ogled by almost all the men in her neighborhood, but one particularly nebbishly man (Tomas Milian
Tomas Milian (born Tomás Quintín Rodríguez-Varona Milián Salinas de la Fé y Álvarez de la Campa; 3 March 1933 – 22 March 2017) was a Cuban-born actor and singer with American and Italian citizenship, known for the emotional intensity and ...
) regularly phones her, complaining of the many erotic dreams she has inspired in him. Over time, she finds her own dreams impacted by their conversations, and she asks to meet him so that they can both get back to normal.
A Dog's Day ("Un posto tranquillo")
A vertigo sufferer (Aldo Maccione
Aldo Maccione (born 27 November 1935) is an Italian film actor and singer who is a member of the Italian comedy rock band Brutos. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1964. He was born in Turin, Italy.
Filmography
* '' La Grande maffia ...
) considering renting an apartment discovers a woman (Sydne Rome
Sydne Rome (born March 17, 1951) is an American-Italian film actress. Her first name is often misspelled ''Sydney'' or ''Sidney''.
Biography
Born in Akron, Rome grew up in a wealthy, Jewish family in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Her father was preside ...
) from the apartment next to his space, out on her ledge, appearing to contemplate suicide. He coaxes her into his room for safety, and they are quickly attracted to each other. She insists on entertaining him in her own apartment, but when he joins her, he runs afoul of Othello, her extremely jealous dog.
Cast
*Marty Feldman
Martin Alan Feldman (8 July 1934 – 2 December 1982) was a British actor, comedian and comedy writer. He was known for his exophthalmos, prominent, strabismus, misaligned eyes. He initially gained prominence as a writer with Barry Took on ...
: Alex (The Bodyguard)
*Giovanna Ralli
Giovanna Ralli, (born 2 January 1935), is an Italian stage, film and television actress.
Life and career
Born in Rome, Ralli debuted as a child actress at 7; at 13 she made her theatrical debut, entering the stage company of Peppino De Filip ...
: Esmeralda (Catch it While it's Hot)
*Dayle Haddon
Dayle Haddon (born May 26, 1948) is a Canadian model and actress, presently known for promoting anti-aging products manufactured by L'Oréal. Additionally, she is credited as author of ''Ageless Beauty: A Woman's Guide to Lifelong Beauty and Well ...
: Marina (The Bodyguard)
*Edwige Fenech
Edwige Fenech (, ; born 24 December 1948) is an Algerian-born Maltese-Sicilian actress and film producer. She is mostly known as the star of a series of ''commedia sexy all'italiana'' and ''giallo'' films released in the 1970s, which turned her ...
: Emilia Chiapponi (Dream Girl)
*Sydne Rome
Sydne Rome (born March 17, 1951) is an American-Italian film actress. Her first name is often misspelled ''Sydney'' or ''Sidney''.
Biography
Born in Akron, Rome grew up in a wealthy, Jewish family in Upper Sandusky, Ohio. Her father was preside ...
: Marcella Fosne (A Dog's Day)
*Barbara Bouchet
Barbara Bouchet (born Bärbel Gutscher; 15 August 1943)
glamourgirlsofthesilverscreen.com; ...
: The rich woman (One for the Money)
*Tomas Milian
Tomas Milian (born Tomás Quintín Rodríguez-Varona Milián Salinas de la Fé y Álvarez de la Campa; 3 March 1933 – 22 March 2017) was a Cuban-born actor and singer with American and Italian citizenship, known for the emotional intensity and ...
: Cavaliere Marelli (Dream Girl)
*Aldo Maccione
Aldo Maccione (born 27 November 1935) is an Italian film actor and singer who is a member of the Italian comedy rock band Brutos. He has appeared in more than 50 films since 1964. He was born in Turin, Italy.
Filmography
* '' La Grande maffia ...
: Adriano Serpetti (A Dog's Day)
*Enrico Montesano
Enrico Montesano (born 7 June 1945) is an Italian actor and showman.
Career
Montesano comes from a family involved in theatre, and he made his debut in 1966 in a show named ''Humor nero'', alongside of Vittorio Metz. Later he became a very ...
: Salvatore (One for the Money)
*Alberto Lionello
Alberto Lionello (12 July 1930 – 14 July 1994) was an Italian film actor, voice actor, singer and presenter.
Life and career
Born in Milan into a family of Venetian origins, after studying acting at the Accademia dei Filodrammatici Lione ...
: Filippo (Catch it While it's Hot)
* Christian Aligny: Dracula (Dream Girl)
*Franco Diogene
Franco Diogene (20 October 1947 – 27 May 2005) was an Italian actor and comedian.
Life and career
Born Concetto Francesco Diogene in Catania, he was the son of a Sicilian father and a Ligurian mother. At 5 years old, Diogene moved to Genoa ...
: Ignazio (One for the Money)
*Nello Pazzafini
Nello Pazzafini (15 May 1933 – 9 January 1996) was an Italian actor who appeared in a very large number of Peplum movies, Spaghetti Westerns and Poliziotteschi. He was an ex-bodyguard and often played a "tough guy" character.
Partial filmog ...
: Rental car clerk (Catch it While it's Hot)
American release
While an English-language export version was created by the producers, American distributor Centaur/Surrogate significantly altered it for their domestic release. The credit sequence was truncated to a single title card that featured Marty Feldman's credit, omitting all other credits for the cast and above the line crew (though primary cast members were ultimately credited at the beginning of the story they appeared in), and the closing credit crawl was removed. Also, the order of the segments was changed to present "Dream Girl" first, followed by "The Bodyguard", "One For the Money", "Catch it While it's Hot," and closing with "A Dog's Day."
See also
* List of Italian films of 1976
A list of films produced in Italy in 1976 (see 1976 in film):
References
Footnotes
Sources
*
*
External linksItalian films of 1976at the Internet Movie Database
{{DEFAULTSORT:Italian Films Of 1976
1976
Films
A film ...
References
External links
*
*
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{{DEFAULTSORT:Sex with a Smile
1976 films
Films directed by Sergio Martino
1970s Italian-language films
English-language Italian films
1970s English-language films
Commedia sexy all'italiana
Films set in Emilia-Romagna
Films set in Rome
Films set in Switzerland
Films set in Naples
Films scored by Guido & Maurizio De Angelis
Italian anthology films
Films with screenplays by Tonino Guerra
1970s sex comedy films
1976 comedy films
1970s Italian films
1976 multilingual films
Italian multilingual films