''Wife for a Night'' ( it, Moglie per una notte) is a 1952

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

film starring

Gina Lollobrigida Luigia "Gina" Lollobrigida (born 4 July 1927) is an Italian actress, photojournalist, and politician. She was one of the highest-profile European actresses of the 1950s and early 1960s, a period in which she was an international sex symbol. As o ...

. It was based on the play ''The Dazzling Hour'' by Anna Bonacci, which was later updated for the

Billy Wilder Billy Wilder (; ; born Samuel Wilder; June 22, 1906 – March 27, 2002) was an Austrian-American filmmaker. His career in Hollywood spanned five decades, and he is regarded as one of the most brilliant and versatile filmmakers of Classic Hol ...

film ''

Kiss Me, Stupid ''Kiss Me, Stupid'' is a 1964 American sex comedy film produced and directed by Billy Wilder and starring Dean Martin, Kim Novak, and Ray Walston. The screenplay by Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond is based on the play ''L'ora della fantasia'' (''Th ...

''.

Plot

The late nineteenth century: Count d'Origo, a notorious roué, spots an attractive woman. Hoping to seduce her, he attempts to find out who she is. In fact she is Geraldine, a practiced

courtesan Courtesan, in modern usage, is a euphemism for a "kept" mistress or prostitute, particularly one with wealthy, powerful, or influential clients. The term historically referred to a courtier, a person who attended the court of a monarch or other ...

. However, the local mayor tells the Count that she is Ottavia, the wife of his nephew, Enrico, a struggling young musician. Enrico is hoping to stage his newly completed opera. With the Count's support he will get the backing he needs. His uncle hopes to help Enrico by employing Geraldine to impersonate Ottavia, so she can be "seduced". Before she submits, Geraldine will extract a promise from the Count to stage her "husband"'s opera. Geraldine, Ottavia and Enrico agree to go along with the plot. However, as Enrico introduces Geraldine to the eager Count he becomes increasingly jealous as the Count moves in. Eventually he forces the Count to leave after becoming angered by his advances. Charmed by his protectiveness, Geraldine asks him to pretend she is really his wife for one night, so that she can live her dream of having a normal life with a devoted husband. Meanwhile, the real Ottavia has been staying at Geraldine's home, where she becomes intrigued by the courtesan lifestyle. She is coached in skills of flirtation by Geraldine's maid. Pretending to be Geraldine, she entertains two buffoonish suitors. Sexually frustrated, the Count learns about the courtesan Geraldine and visits her home. He is entranced by Ottavia. When she learns that her husband threw the Count out to be alone with Geraldine, she swears she will revenge herself on him. The maid persuades her to force the Count to agree to put the opera on; she will get her revenge by making her husband both jealous and indebted to her. Ottavia pretends to offer herself to the Count, but keeps delaying, playing music from the opera on the piano. She refuses to go to bed with him until he agrees to get it performed. Eventually he gives in. As he tries to kiss her, looking forward to a night of passion, Ottavia pretends to faint. The Count is forced to sit up with her for the rest of the night while she "recovers". Some months later the opera is performed to great acclaim. The principal characters meet once again in their true identities.

Cast

Gino Cervi Luigi Cervi (3 May 1901 – 3 January 1974), better known as Gino Cervi (), was an Italian actor. He was best known for portraying Peppone in a series of comedies based on the character ''Don Camillo'' (1952-1965), and police detective Jules ...

as Count d'Origo *

as Ottavia *

Nadia Gray Nadia Gray (born Nadia Kujnir; 23 November 1923 – 13 June 1994) was a Romanian film actress. Biography Gray was born into a Jewish family in Bucharest. Her father moved to Romania from Russia, and her mother was from Akkerman (Bessarabia). ...

as Geraldine *

Armando Francioli Armando Francioli (21 October 1919 – 6 April 2020) was an Italian actor. He appeared in over 50 films since 1942. Selected filmography References External links

* 1919 births 2020 deaths Male actors from Rome Italian centenaria ...

as Enrico Belli *

Paolo Stoppa Paolo Stoppa Knight Grand Cross (6 June 1906 – 1 May 1988) was an Italian actor. Biography Born in Rome, he began as a stage actor in 1927 in the theater in Rome and began acting in films in 1932. As a stage actor, his most celebrated ...

as Agusto *

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 ru ...

as Maurizio *

Paolo Panelli Paolo Panelli (15 July 1925 – 18 May 1997) was an Italian comedian and film actor. He appeared in 55 films between 1948 and 1996. He was married to Bice Valori. Selected filmography * '' Guarany'' (1948) * ''Arrivederci, papà!'' (1948 ...

as Gualteri *

Eugenia Tavani ''Eugenia'' is a genus of flowering plants in the myrtle family Myrtaceae. It has a worldwide, although highly uneven, distribution in tropical and subtropical regions. The bulk of the approximately 1,100 species occur in the New World tropics, ...

as Grand Duchess *

Nietta Zocchi Nietta Zocchi (10 July 1909 – 23 April 1981) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 70 films between 1936 and 1976. Selected filmography * ''The Amnesiac'' (1936) - Zelinda (uncredited) * '' To Live'' (1936) - Una spettatrice al concer ...

as Yvonne * Marisa Pintus as Bettaldi *

Silvio Bagolini Silvio Bagolini (4 August 1914 – 26 September 1976) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1936 and 1973. Life and career Born in Bologna, Bagolini studied architecture at the Bologna University, without g ...

as Silvio

References

External links

* 1952 films 1950s historical comedy films 1950s Italian-language films Italian historical comedy films Italian films based on plays Films about prostitution in Italy Films set in the 1890s Films produced by Angelo Rizzoli Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films {{historic-film-stub