''The Little Devil'' (original Italian name ''Il piccolo diavolo'') is a 1988 Italian film directed by and starring Roberto Benigni, also starring

Walter Matthau Walter Matthau (; born Walter John Matthow; October 1, 1920 – July 1, 2000) was an American actor, comedian and film director. He is best known for his film roles in '' A Face in the Crowd'' (1957), ''King Creole'' (1958) and as a coach of a ...

, Stefania Sandrelli, Nicoletta Braschi and John Lurie. In some European countries and in Australia, an English version of the film, with local subtitles, has been screened and circulated in VHS. In the English version, the voices of the main actors are dubbed by themselves; some scenes may have been filmed in both languages.

Plot

In the North American Pontifical College, in Rome, Father Maurice (Walther Matthau) is in deep turmoil because of Patricia (Stefania Sandrelli), a woman who loves him and expects him to make up his mind and clear out his position towards her. While he is trying to do so, he is summoned by a novice for an emergency. The emergency turns out to be a fat woman possessed by a demon. Father Maurice performs the rite of exorcism and expels the demon from the woman. The demon (Roberto Benigni), a little escaped devil named Giuditta, having nowhere else to go, starts following Father Maurice everywhere and often indulges in mischief getting Maurice in trouble. In one instance Giuditta replaces a sick Father Maurice in Mass, turning the solemn ceremony in a beauty parade. Maurice tries to get rid of Giuditta in several failed efforts. Showing signs of exhaustion, his peers advise him to take a vacation. Eventually another agent "from where Giuditta came from" appears as Nina (Nicoletta Braschi) and manages to attract Giuditta who finally leaves Maurice and follows her "elsewhere".

Cast

* Roberto Benigni as Giuditta, the little devil *

as Father Maurice * Nicoletta Braschi as Nina * Stefania Sandrelli as Patrizia * John Lurie as Cusatelli *Paolo Baroni as Saverio * Franco Fabrizi as Prete *Annabella Schiavone as Giuditta, the woman

Awards

Roberto Benigni won the

David di Donatello The David di Donatello Awards, named after Donatello's ''David'', a symbolic statue of the Italian Renaissance, are film awards given out each year by the ''Accademia del Cinema Italiano'' (The Academy of Italian Cinema). There are 26 award cat ...

Award for Best Actor.

External links

* * *
''The Little Devil''
at Variety Distribution 1988 films 1988 comedy films 1980s Italian-language films Films set in Italy Films shot in Tuscany Films shot in Rome Films directed by Roberto Benigni Films with screenplays by Vincenzo Cerami Italian comedy films Columbia Pictures films 1980s Italian films {{1980s-Italy-comedy-film-stub