''Sua Eccellenza si fermò a mangiare'' is a 1961 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

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy ...

and starring

Ugo Tognazzi Ugo Tognazzi (23 March 1922 – 27 October 1990) was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. Early life Tognazzi was born in Cremona, in northern Italy but spent his youth in various localities as his father was a travelling clerk fo ...

Plot

In Rome, during the early 30s, a con artist played by

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi de Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il Principe della risata ...

impersonates dr. Biagio Tanzarella,

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

's personal physician in order to blackmail Ernesto, an unfaithful husband. Ernesto's wife, Silvia, is very beautiful and charming but he resents her aloofness and has a tryst with an older woman, Lauretta, whom he perceives as more easygoing and desirable. Silvia's mother, Countess Bernabei, invites "Dr. Tanzarella" to her country estate where a Minister of State is to be her guest to inaugurate a monument to a minor local celebrity, she hopes, through her good offices with both the Minister and the Doctor, to further Ernesto's career, perhaps securing a government post for him. The false "doctor" at first tries to decline the invitation but, upon hearing that during the banquet offered to the Minister the Bernabei family will use a set of solid-gold tableware chiseled by world-famous Renaissance sculptor and jeweler

Benvenuto Cellini Benvenuto Cellini (, ; 3 November 150013 February 1571) was an Italian goldsmith, sculptor, and author. His best-known extant works include the ''Cellini Salt Cellar'', the sculpture of ''Perseus with the Head of Medusa'', and his autobiography ...

, he accepts and brings Lauretta with him pretending her to be his wife; he does so to keep Ernesto from revealing his true identity. Lauretta, to whom Ernesto told to be married with a much older and ugly woman, seethes with rage seeing that his wife is actually younger and prettier than her. During their stay at the country villa errors and misunderstandings abound with a richness of comedic situations stemming from the intricate web of lies tying the various characters together and from Dr. Tanzarella's relentless efforts to steal the golden tablewares; later the Minister is revealed to have tried, years before, to seduce Lauretta in a train carriage only to suffer an embarrassing sexual defaillance. In the end the false doctor manages to get away with the loot, in plain sight of the guests with the aid of a fake phone call from The Duce himself, Ernesto and Silvia are reconciled and the flame of their marital affection rekindled once and for all, the Minister elevates Ernesto to a high government post and manages to make up for his failed love performance with Lauretta.

Cast

as Dr. Biagio Tanzarella *

as Ernesto *

Virna Lisi Verna or Virna may refer to: People * Verna Aardema (1911–2000), American author of children's books * Verna Bloom (1939–2019), American actress * Virna De Angeli (born 1976), Italian former sprinter * Virna Dias (born 1971), Brazilian reti ...

as Silvia *

Lauretta Masiero Lauretta Masiero (25 October 1927 – 23 March 2010) was an Italian actress and singer. Biography Dancing career Venetian born Lauretta Masiero debuted in the theater of varieties as a dancer with Wanda Osiris. In 1945 she debuted with Macar ...

as Lauretta * Lia Zoppelli as Countess Bernabei *

Raimondo Vianello Raimondo Vianello (7 May 1922 – 15 April 2010) was an Italian film actor, comedian, and television host. He was a well-known Italian television personality. Biography He was born in Rome, but spent his youth in Pula, where his father, an ...

as Minister *

Francesco Mulé Francesco, the Italian (and original) version of the personal name " Francis", is the most common given name among males in Italy. Notable persons with that name include: People with the given name Francesco * Francesco I (disambiguation), sev ...

as Inspector *

Vittorio Congia Vittorio Congia (4 November 1930 – 26 November 2019) was an Italian film actor and dubber.Pietro De Vico Pietro De Vico (1 February 1911 – 10 December 1999) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 70 films between 1948 and 1991. He was born in Naples, and died in Rome. He was married, from 1937 until his death in 1999, to actress Anna Campo ...

as Waiter *

Mario Siletti Mario Giovanni Siletti (22 July 1903 – 19 April 1964) was an Italian actor. He was born in Turin. He performed in more than 160 films from 1932 to 1964. He began appearing in American films no later than 1946. From 1962 to 1964, he also portra ...

as Count Tommaso Bernabei *

Nando Bruno Nando Bruno (6 October 1895 – 10 April 1963) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 84 films between 1938 and 1961. He was born in Rome, Italy and he died there. Selected filmography * ''A Lady Did It'' (1938) - Un collego di Pasquale ...

as Innkeeper *

Anna Campori Anna Campori (22 September 1917 – 19 January 2018) was an Italian actress. From 1951 onwards, she appeared in 70 films. Life and career Born in Rome, Italy, after the debut on stage in a small company of prose Campori moved shortly after in ...

as Innkeeper's wife *

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 Gennarino * Ely Drago as Gina

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Sua Eccellenza Si Fermo A Mangiare 1961 films 1960s Italian-language films 1961 comedy films Italian black-and-white films Films directed by Mario Mattoli Films set in Rome