''Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'' ( it, Ieri, oggi, domani) is a 1963

comedy Comedy is a genre of fiction that consists of discourses or works intended to be humorous or amusing by inducing laughter, especially in theatre, film, stand-up comedy, television, radio, books, or any other entertainment medium. The term o ...

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 ...

by Italian director

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...

. It stars

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...

and

Marcello Mastroianni Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni (28 September 1924 – 19 December 1996) was an Italian film actor, regarded as one of his country's most iconic male performers of the 20th century. He played leading roles for many of Italy's top di ...

. The film consists of three short stories about couples in different parts of Italy. The film won the

Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film The Academy Award for Best International Feature Film (known as Best Foreign Language Film prior to 2020) is one of the Academy Awards handed out annually by the U.S.-based Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS). It is given to a ...

at the

37th Academy Awards The 37th Academy Awards honored film achievements of 1964. For the first time, an award was presented in the field of makeup. The Best Picture winner of 1964, director George Cukor's ''My Fair Lady'', was about the transformative training o ...

Plot

Adelina of Naples

Set in a working-class Naples neighborhood in 1954, this is the story of Adelina (

), who supports her unemployed husband Carmine (

) and child by selling

black market A black market, underground economy, or shadow economy is a clandestine market or series of transactions that has some aspect of illegality or is characterized by noncompliance with an institutional set of rules. If the rule defines the se ...

cigarettes. When she doesn't pay a fine, her furniture is to be repossessed. However her neighbors assist her by hiding the furniture. A lawyer who lives in the neighborhood advises Carmine that, as the fine and furniture are in Adelina's name, she will be imprisoned. However, Italian law stipulates that women cannot be imprisoned when pregnant or within six months after a pregnancy. As a result, Adelina schemes to stay pregnant continuously. After seven children in eight years, Carmine is seriously exhausted and Adelina must make the choice of being impregnated by their mutual friend Pasquale (

Aldo Giuffrè Aldo Giuffrè (10 April 1924 – 26 June 2010) was an Italian film actor and comedian who appeared in over 90 films between 1948 and 2001. He was born in Naples and was the brother of actor Carlo Giuffrè. He is known for his roles in '' The F ...

) or be incarcerated. She finally chooses to be incarcerated, and the whole neighborhood gathers money to free her and petition for her pardon, which finally comes and she is reunited with her husband Carmine and their children.

Anna of Milan

Anna (

dressed by

Christian Dior Christian Ernest Dior (; 21 January 1905 – 24 October 1957) was a French fashion designer, best known as the founder of one of the world's top fashion houses, Christian Dior SE, which is now owned by parent company LVMH. His fashion houses a ...

), the wife of a mega-rich industrialist, has a lover named Renzo (

). Whilst driving together in her husband's

Rolls-Royce Rolls-Royce (always hyphenated) may refer to: * Rolls-Royce Limited, a British manufacturer of cars and later aero engines, founded in 1906, now defunct Automobiles * Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, the current car manufacturing company incorporated in ...

, Anna must determine which is the most important to her happiness – Renzo or the Rolls. Renzo rethinks his infatuation with Anna when she expresses no concern when they nearly run over a child, and end up crashing the Rolls-Royce. She is infuriated by the damage to her Rolls-Royce, and ends up getting another passing driver to take her home, leaving Renzo on the road.

Mara of Rome

Mara (

) works as a prostitute from her apartment, servicing a variety of high class clients including Augusto (

), the wealthy, powerful and neurotic son of a

Bologna Bologna (, , ; egl, label= Emilian, Bulåggna ; lat, Bononia) is the capital and largest city of the Emilia-Romagna region in Northern Italy. It is the seventh most populous city in Italy with about 400,000 inhabitants and 150 different nat ...

industrialist. Mara's elderly neighbor's grandson Umberto (Gianni Ridolfi) is a handsome and callow young man studying for the priesthood but not yet

ordained Ordination is the process by which individuals are consecrated, that is, set apart and elevated from the laity class to the clergy, who are thus then authorized (usually by the denominational hierarchy composed of other clergy) to perform va ...

. Umberto and Mara talk one night asking each other about their occupations. Embarrassed, Mara tells him she does manicures. Umberto's grandmother (

Tina Pica Tina Pica (31 March 1884 – 15 August 1968) was an Italian supporting actress who played character roles on stage. Her film debut came in 1935 with ''The Three-Cornered Hat''. In the 1950s, she became a celebrity thanks to her role as Caramel ...

) sees them talking and, knowing that Mara is a prostitute, interrupts their conversation telling Mara that she'll go to hell. Umberto protests, but Mara defends herself. Umberto falls in love with her. To the shrieking dismay of his grandmother, the young man wishes to leave his vocation to be with Mara, or to join the

French Foreign Legion The French Foreign Legion (french: Légion étrangère) is a corps of the French Army which comprises several specialties: infantry, Armoured Cavalry Arm, cavalry, Military engineering, engineers, Airborne forces, airborne troops. It was created ...

, if Mara rejects him. Mara vows to set the young man on the path of righteousness back to the

seminary A seminary, school of theology, theological seminary, or divinity school is an educational institution for educating students (sometimes called ''seminarians'') in scripture, theology, generally to prepare them for ordination to serve as clergy, ...

and vows celibacy for a week, if she succeeds. For this, she enlists the reluctant Augusto. Umberto finally agrees to return to the seminary. Mara rewards Augusto with a

striptease A striptease is an erotic or exotic dance in which the performer gradually undresses, either partly or completely, in a seductive and sexually suggestive manner. The person who performs a striptease is commonly known as a "stripper" or an "ex ...

(with Loren coached by Jacques Ruet choreographer of

Le Crazy Horse de Paris Le Crazy Horse Saloon or Le Crazy Horse de Paris is a Parisian cabaret known for its stage shows performed by nude female dancers and for the diverse range of magic and variety 'turns' between each nude show and the next. Its owners have helped ...

), but remembering her vow, refuses to go to bed with him.

Cast

as Adelina Sbaratti / Anna Molteni / Mara *

as Carmine Sbaratti / Renzo / Augusto Rusconi *

as Pasquale Nardella (segment "Adelina") *

Agostino Salvietti Agostino Salvietti (28 August 1882 - 2 December 1967) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than forty films from 1924 to 1964. Filmography References External links * 1882 births 1967 deaths Italian male film actors {{It ...

as Dr. Verace (segment "Adelina") * Lino Mattera as Amedeo Scapece (segment "Adelina") *

Tecla Scarano Tecla Scarano (20 August 1894 – 22 December 1978) was an Italian actress and singer. She appeared in more than 30 films between 1937 and 1966. Life and career Born in Naples, the daughter of tenor Giovanni Moretti and operetta singer Ann ...

as Verace's sister (segment "Adelina") * Silvia Monelli as Elivira Nardella (segment "Adelina") *

Carlo Croccolo Carlo Croccolo (9 April 1927 – 12 October 2019) was an Italian actor, voice actor, director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Naples, Croccolo began his acting career on the radio and he appeared in more than 100 films since 1949. His debut ...

as Auctioneer (segment "Adelina") * Pasquale Cennamo as Chief Police (segment "Adelina") * Tonino Cianci as (segment "Adelina") (as Antonio Cianci) *

Armando Trovajoli Armando Trovajoli (also Trovaioli, 2 September 1917 – 28 February 2013) was an Italian film composer and pianist with over 300 credits as composer and/or conductor, many of them jazz scores for exploitation films of the Commedia all'italiana ...

as Giorgio Ferrario (segment "Anna") *

as Grandmother Ferrario (segment "Mara") * Gianni Ridolfi as Umberto (segment "Mara") (as Giovanni Ridolfi) * Gennaro Di Gregorio as Grandfather (segment "Mara")

Reception

John Simon of ''

The New Leader ''The New Leader'' (1924–2010) was an American political and cultural magazine. History ''The New Leader'' began in 1924 under a group of figures associated with the Socialist Party of America, such as Eugene V. Debs and Norman Thomas. It was p ...

'' described ''Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'' as an 'overrated dud'.

Awards

* 1965

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

for

Best Foreign Language Film This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

* 1965

BAFTA Award The British Academy Film Awards, more commonly known as the BAFTA Film Awards is an annual award show hosted by the British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) to honour the best British and international contributions to film. The cere ...

for Best Foreign Actor – Marcello Mastroianni * 1964

Golden Globes The Golden Globe Awards are accolades bestowed by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association beginning in January 1944, recognizing excellence in both American and international film and television. Beginning in 2022, there are 105 members of t ...

– Samuel Goldwyn Award - nomination * 1964 David di Donatello Awards – David for Best Production – Carlo Ponti

References

External links

* * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Yesterday Today And Tomorrow 1963 films 1960s Italian-language films 1960s crime comedy films Italian anthology films Best Foreign Language Film Academy Award winners Commedia all'italiana Italian crime comedy films Films about prostitution in Italy Films based on works by Alberto Moravia Films directed by Vittorio De Sica Films set in Milan Films set in Naples Films set in Rome Films with screenplays by Cesare Zavattini Films produced by Carlo Ponti Films scored by Armando Trovajoli 1963 comedy films 1960s Italian films