''I magi randagi'', internationally released as ''We Free Kings'', is a 1996 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

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'', ...

. The film won the

Silver Ribbon The Nastro d'Argento, also known by its translated name Silver Ribbon, is an Italian film award awarded each year since 1946 by the Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists (Italian: ''Sindacato Nazionale Giornalisti Cinematografici Italiani ...

for Best Original Story.

Plot summary

Three amateur actors in theater are chased away by their performance, because the satirically subject from their complaint treats in a controversial manner the cruelty of the

Nazis Nazism ( ; german: Nazismus), the common name in English for National Socialism (german: Nationalsozialismus, ), is the far-right totalitarian political ideology and practices associated with Adolf Hitler and the Nazi Party (NSDAP) in Na ...

. The three actors take refuge in a rural country where they, having the bright idea to recite a sacred drama on the birth of

Jesus Christ Jesus, likely from he, יֵשׁוּעַ, translit=Yēšūaʿ, label=Hebrew/Aramaic ( AD 30 or 33), also referred to as Jesus Christ or Jesus of Nazareth (among other names and titles), was a first-century Jewish preacher and religious ...

, have to interpret the three

Biblical Magi The biblical Magi from Middle Persian ''moɣ''(''mard'') from Old Persian ''magu-'' 'Zoroastrian clergyman' ( or ; singular: ), also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men or (Three) Kings, also the Three Magi were distinguished foreigners in the G ...

. The show is so successful and magically the villagers give birth to a son on Christmas Eve for every family, and there the faith in Jesus is regained.

Cast

Silvio Orlando Silvio Orlando (born 30 June 1957) is an Italian actor. Orlando was born and raised in Naples, where he started acting in theatre in 1976. He made his film debut in 1988 with a supporting role in the comedy '' Kamikazen: Last Night in Milan'', ...

: Melchiorre *

Rolf Zacher Rolf Zacher (28 March 1941 – 3 February 2018) was a German actor. Life and career Zacher appeared in about 190 films and television shows between 1961 and 2016, often in illustrious or eccentric character roles. He starred in the 1971 fil ...

: "Augusto"/ Gaspare *

Patrick Bauchau Patrick Nicolas Jean Sixte Ghislain Bauchau (born 6 December 1938) is a Belgian actor best known for his roles in the films ''A View to a Kill'', '' The Rapture'' and ''Panic Room'', as well as the TV shows '' The Pretender'' and '' House''. ...

: Baldassarre *

Gastone Moschin Gastone Moschin (8 June 1929 – 4 September 2017) was an Italian stage, television and film actor. Career Born in San Giovanni Lupatoto (Veneto), Moschin graduated from the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico and then began hi ...

: Don Gregorio *

Laura Betti Laura Betti ( Trombetti; 1 May 1927 – 31 July 2004) was an Italian actress known particularly for her work with directors Federico Fellini, Pier Paolo Pasolini and Bernardo Bertolucci. She had a long friendship with Pasolini and made a document ...

: Chorus girl *

Franco Citti Franco Citti (; 23 April 1935 – 14 January 2016) was an Italian actor, best known as one of the close collaborators of director Pier Paolo Pasolini. He came to fame for playing the title role in Pasolini's film ''Accattone'', which brought hi ...

: Attore *

Ninetto Davoli Giovanni "Ninetto" Davoli (born 11 October 1948) is an Italian actor who became known through his roles in several of Pier Paolo Pasolini's films. Biography Davoli was born in San Pietro a Maida, Calabria. He was discovered by poet, novelist ...

: Comparsa

Critical reception

In ''

Time Out New York ''Time Out'' is a global magazine published by Time Out Group. ''Time Out'' started as a London-only publication in 1968 and has expanded its editorial recommendations to 328 cities in 58 countries worldwide. In 2012, the London edition becam ...

'',

Andrew Johnston (critic) Andrew Johnston (1968–2008) was a film and TV critic. He wrote primarily for ''Time Out New York'' and ''Us Weekly'' and was also editor of the "Time In" section of ''Time Out New York''. Biography Andrew Johnston was born in Washington, D.C., ...

wrote: "Warm performances from its lead troika and beautiful photography of the Italian countryside help compensate for the film's fairly flimsy nature. ... The humor is low-key but relatively consistent, and the three leads make a good comedy team."''Time Out New York, 4–11 December 1997, p. 83.

References

External links

* 1996 films 1990s Christmas comedy films Films directed by Sergio Citti Films scored by Ennio Morricone Italian Christmas comedy films 1990s Italian-language films 1990s Italian films {{Christmas-film-stub

Plot summary

Cast

Critical reception

See also

References

External links