''In Olden Days'' ( it, Altri tempi, link=no, also known as ''Times Gone By'' and ''Infidelity'') is a 1952 Italian

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 ...

Plot

The cart of old books

A good-natured peddler of old books shows his customers some works from the past and is pranked by the rowdy son of a newsagent.

Excelsior dance

Filmed reconstruction of the Excelsior Ball, an allegorical late-century dance by the composer Romualdo Marenco performed for the first time at the Teatro alla Scala in Milan on 11 January 1881.

Less than a day

Two lovers, for contingent reasons, manage to see each other in a hotel room once a year, for a few hours, but due to some quarrels and jealousies they are unable to consume their relationship.

The Sardinian drummer

During the first war of independence fought against the Austrians, a very young drummer, delivering an important message to the Italian command, is hit and loses a leg (episode from the book "Cuore").

Matter of interest

Two peasants scramble for possession of manure dung.

The idyll

Tender summer idyll between two children from upper-class families. Guido, because of a kiss given to the sweet Greek girl Filli, wonders if the kiss could have generated a child and also fears for his maid, who had a baby without being married. With the end of the summer comes the painful separation.

The vice

A trader discovers his wife's cheating with his business partner. Upon returning home, at first he pretends nothing has happened, then with an excuse he sends the maid away and after denying his wife her forgiveness, threatening to take her children away from her, induces her to take her life.

Potpourri of songs

Story of a happy courtship and marriage, enlivened by the birth of a child and concluded with the departure of her husband for the war, from which she may not return. The songs to which the title refers are Lo specio me ga finger, Oh Trieste, oh blessed Trieste, Forbidden Music, Un peu d'amour, Le valse bleu, Baciami baciami, Santa Lucia and Tripoli bel suol d'amore.

The Trial of Phryne

Naples. A commoner is tried for trying to poison her husband and mother-in-law together. Thanks to her irrepressible beauty, the defense attorney appointed ex officio succeeds with an inspired and vehement harangue to overturn the situation, dragging the public and jurors to the side of the accused. Obtained from a short story by Edoardo Scarfoglio, and referring to an ancient story of the ethereal Phryne, he remained famous above all because Vittorio De Sica, in the role of the defender of the prosperous graces of a commoner (played by Gina Lollobrigida), coined the term "increased physics" which will in fact mark an era and will be widely used throughout the 1950s and most of the 1960s. The exact reference, in the sentence pronounced in the film by De Sica during the speech, is: "increased physics" as opposed to the phrase "psychic handicapped". Vittorio De Sica in this episode is at his first appearance alongside Gina Lollobrigida; both actors, the following year, will seize great popularity as the marshal and the bersagliera in the film Bread, love and fantasy directed by Luigi Comencini. It should only be noted that the scene of the "trial in court" for Italian cinema is an unmissable event, starting with the forerunners. Defendant, get up! by Mario Mattoli (1939) with Erminio Macario up to San Giovanni taken off by Amleto Palermi (1940) with Totò, and in this film he finds a fundamental scene for aficionados. Later scenes of trials will make the fortune of Nando Mericoni "American in Rome" (Alberto Sordi) in the duology of Stefano Vanzina Un giorno in magistrale (1953) and Un americano a Roma (1954), up to Christian De Sica who in 1984 will pay an explicit homage to this scene played by his father, as Praetor of the film Mi fa causa (1984).

Cast

Il carrettino dei libri vecchi

Aldo Fabrizi Aldo Fabrizi (; born Aldo Fabbrizi; 1 November 1905 – 2 April 1990) was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and comedian, best known for the role of the heroic priest in Roberto Rossellini's '' Rome, Open City'' and as partner of Totò i ...

: the street vendor of ancient books; *

Pina Renzi Pina Renzi (16 December 1901 – 13 July 1984) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1933 and 1959. She also directed one film, ''Cercasi bionda bella presenza'', in 1942. She was born in Morciano di Romagna ...

: the newsagent *

Enzo Staiola Enzo Staiola (born 15 November 1939) is an Italian actor best known for playing, at the age of nine, the role of Bruno Ricci in Vittorio De Sica's neorealist 1948 film ''Bicycle Thieves''. He appeared in several other films including, in 1954, ...

: his son *

Luigi Cimara Luigi Cimara (19 July 1891 – 26 January 1962) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 46 films between 1914 and 1960. He was born and died in Rome, Italy. Partial filmography * ''L'esplosione del forte B.2'' (1914) * ''Cura di baci'' ( ...

: gentleman on the convertible *

Marisa Merlini Marisa Merlini (6 August 1923 – 27 July 2008) was an Italian character actress active in Italy's post-World War II cinema. Merlini appeared in over fifty films during her career, which spanned from World War II to 2005. In Luigi Comencini's 19 ...

: lady on the convertible *

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 ...

: her lover *

Mario Riva Mario Riva (26 January 1913 – 1 September 1960) was an Italian television presenter and actor. He appeared in 51 films between 1941 and 1960. Life and career Born in Rome as Mariuccio Bonavolontà, the son of a composer, Giuseppe (Joseph) ...

: the fussy customer

Ballo Excelsior

Alba Arnova Alba Arnova (15 March 1930 – 11 March 2018) was an Italian-Argentine ballerina and film actress. Life and career Born in Buenos Aires as Alba Fossati, daughter of two Italian emigrants, Arnova studied piano at the Conservatory and enrolled ...

: the Progress * Carlo Mazzone-Clementi: the Obscurantism * Anna Maria Bugliari: Italy * Mirdza Capanna: the Light * Antonio Acqua: the Science * Dino Raffaelli: the Art * Filippo Morucci:

Alessandro Volta Alessandro Giuseppe Antonio Anastasio Volta (, ; 18 February 1745 – 5 March 1827) was an Italian physicist, chemist and lay Catholic who was a pioneer of electricity and power who is credited as the inventor of the electric battery and th ...

Meno di un giorno

: Matilde *

Andrea Checchi Andrea Checchi (21 October 1916 – 29 March 1974) was a prolific Italian film actor. Biography Born in Florence, Checchi appeared in over 150 films in his lengthy career, which spanned from 1934 to his death in 1974. The son of a painter, ...

: Camillo * Gondrano Trucchi: the station master *

Bruno Corelli Bruno Corelli (20 August 1918 – 17 February 1983) was an Italian actor. Life and career Born in Bologna, after being part of a dramatic society of his hometown Corelli moved to Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia. He m ...

: the waiter * Gabriele Tinti: the young man on the train *

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 gr ...

: the guide

Il Tamburino Sardo

Enzo Cerusico Enzo Cerusico (22 October 1937 – 26 November 1991) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1951 and 1984. Career in the United States Cerusico's first role on American television was in a 1966 episode of ''I ...

: il tamburino *

Vittorio Vaser Vittorio Vaser (1904–1963) was an Italian stage and film actor. He appeared in Alessandro Blasetti's 1929 film ''Sun'' about the reclamation of the Pontine Marshes.Verdone p.63 He was the son of the actor Ernesto Vaser. Selected filmography * ...

: il capitano * Attilio Tosato: il sergente *

Guido Celano Guido Celano (19 April 1904 – 7 March 1988) was an Italian actor, voice actor and film director. He appeared in 120 films between 1931 and 1988. He also directed two Spaghetti Westerns: '' Cold Killer'' and '' Gun Shy Piluk''. He was born ...

: il tenente *

Ugo Sasso Ugo Sasso, born Domenico Pasquale Giuseppe Sasso (23 March 1910 - 21 July 1981), was an Italian film and television actor. Life and career Born in Turin, in the early 1930s Sasso moved to Rome to attend the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografi ...

: a soldier *

Yvonne Cocco Yvonne is a female given name. It is the feminine form of Yvon, which is derived from the French name Yves and Yvette. It is from the French word ''iv'', meaning "yew" (or tree). Since yew wood was used for bows, Ivo may have been an occupati ...

: a nun *

Pietro Tordi Pietro Tordi (12 July 1906 – 14 December 1990) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 100 films between 1942 and 1988. He was born in Florence, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Doctor Antonio'' (1937) - L'altro conspiratore * ''Don C ...

: un infermiere

Questioni d'interesse

Arnoldo Foà Arnoldo Foà (24 January 1916 – 11 January 2014) was an Italian actor, voice actor, theatre director, singer and writer. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1938 and 2014. Biography Foà was born in Ferrara, Italy, to a Jewish fam ...

: il contadino *

Folco Lulli Folco Lulli (3 July 1912 – 23 May 1970) was an Italian partisan and film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1946 and 1970. He was the brother of actor Piero Lulli. Selected filmography * ''How I Lost the War'' (1947) * ' ...

: l'altro contadino *

Mario Mazza Mario Mazza (7 June 1882 - 22 November 1959) was an Italian educator. In 1916 he was one of the founding members of ASCI (Italian: l'Associazione Scautistica Cattolica Italiana) which became The Scouts Scouting, also known as the Scout Movem ...

: il carabiniere

L'idillio

Maurizio Di Nardo Maurizio is an Italian masculine given name, derived from the Roman name Mauritius. Mauritius is a derivative of Maurus, meaning ''dark-skinned, Moorish''. List of people with the given name Maurizio Art and music * Maurizio Arcieri (born 1945), ...

: Guido * Geraldina Parriniello: Filli *

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 ...

: Guido's father * Rina Morelli: Guido's mother *

Sergio Tofano Sergio Tòfano (20 August 1886 – 28 October 1973) was an Italian actor, director, playwright, scene designer and illustrator. Tofano was born in Rome. In 1909, he made his first appearance on stage with Ermete Novelli, then joined Virgi ...

: Guido's grandfather *

Jone Morino Jone Morino (28 April 1896 – ?) Birth name Jone Nicola Morino. was an Italian film actress. Born in Rome, Italy, appeared in at least 37 films between 1938 and 1956. Filmography *'' The House of Shame'' (1938) *''Validita Giorni 10'' ( ...

: Maddalena

La morsa

* Amedeo Nazzari: Andrea Fabbri *

Elisa Cegani Elisa Cegani (11 June 1911 – 23 February 1996) was an Italian actress. She appeared in 60 films between 1935 and 1983. Partial filmography * ''Aldebaran'' (1935) - Nora Bandi * ''Cavalry'' (1936) - Speranza di Frassineto * ''The Countess ...

: Giulia, his wife *

Roldano Lupi Roldano Lupi (8 February 1909 – 13 August 1989) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1942 and 1967. He was born in Milan, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Jealousy'' (1942) * ''Yes, Madam'' ...

: Antonio Serra, her lover *

Goliarda Sapienza Goliarda Sapienza (10 May 1924 – 30 August 1996) was an Italian actress and writer. She is best known for her 1998 novel '' L'arte della gioia'' (The Art of Joy). Life Early life Sapienza was born on 10 May 1924 in Catania, Sicily to Maria Giud ...

: Anna, la domestica

Pot-pourri di canzoni

Barbara Florian Barbara Florian (born 1931) is a retired Swedish film actress known for her work in Italian cinema.Small p.129 Selected filmography * '' The Devil in the Convent'' (1950) * '' Carcerato'' (1951) * ''Rome-Paris-Rome'' (1951) * '' Red Moon'' (195 ...

: the bride * Elio Pandolfi: lo sposo *

Amalia Pellegrini Amalia Pellegrini (16 June 1873 – 13 September 1958) was an Italian actress. She appeared in more than sixty films from 1935 to 1958. Selected filmography References External links * 1873 births 1958 deaths Italian film actresses ...

: the grandmother *

Oscar Andriani Oscar Andriani (28 December 1905 – 17 July 1987) was an Italian actor and playwright. He appeared in more than fifty films from 1937 to 1969. Life and career Born in Brescia, Andriani made his stage debut at 17 years old in the theatrical comp ...

: the father * Elena Altieri: la moglie del maggiore * Gian Aldo Bettoni: il maggiore

Il processo di Frine

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 ...

: Maria Antonia Desiderio *

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

: l'avvocato difensore *

Arturo Bragaglia Arturo Bragaglia (7 January 1893 – 21 January 1962) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1938 to 1961. Selected filmography References External links * 1893 births 1962 deaths Italian male f ...

: il pubblico ministero * Giovanni Grasso jr.: il presidente del tribunale *

Turi Pandolfini Turi Pandolfini (1 November 1883 – 6 March 1962) was an Italian stage and film character actor. He appeared in 46 films between 1917 and 1961. Life and career Born in Catania, Sicily as Salvatore Pandolfini, the nephew of the actor Ange ...

: primo cancelliere *

Armando Annuale Armando may refer to: * Armando (given name) * Armando (artist) (1929–2018), the name used by Dutch artist Herman Dirk van Dodeweerd * Armando (producer) (1970–1996), Chicago house producer * ''Armando'' (album), studio album by rapper Pit ...

: secondo cancelliere *

Vittorio Caprioli Vittorio Caprioli (15 August 1921 – 2 October 1989) was an Italian actor, film director and screenwriter. He appeared in 109 films between 1946 and 1990, mostly in French productions. Biography Caprioli was born in Naples. Having graduated fr ...

: il farmacista * Dante Maggio: un testimone *

Umberto Sacripante Umberto Sacripante (2 October 1904 – 14 January 1975) was an Italian film and stage actor. Life and career Born Umberto Sacripanti in Rome, Sacripante debuted on stage in 1921, and in 1926 he became first actor in the theatrical company Teat ...

Liana Del Balzo Liana Del Balzo (4 March 1899 – 26 March 1982) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 90 films between 1935 and 1979. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and died in Rome, Italy. Even making her film debut quite late, in her fort ...

Alberto Talegalli Alberto Talegalli (2 October 1913 – 10 July 1961) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 37 films between 1952 and 1961. He was born in Pincano (Spoleto), Italy and died in Gualdo Tadino, in the province of Perugia, Italy. Life an ...

Alfredo Rizzo Alfredo Rizzo (2 January 1902 – 6 September 1991) was an Italian actor, screenwriter and director. Life and career Born in Nice, France into a family of actors, Rizzo started his career as an actor of avanspettacolo and revue, often alon ...

Alberto Sorrentino Alberto Sorrentino (16 February 1916 – 31 January 1994), was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 89 films between 1943 and 1988. He was born in La Spezia, Italy. Selected filmography * '' The Last Wagon'' (1943) - Un passante * '' I ca ...

References

External links

* {{Alessandro Blasetti 1952 films Films based on works by Edmondo De Amicis Films based on works by Luigi Pirandello 1950s Italian-language films Films directed by Alessandro Blasetti Italian anthology films Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini Italian black-and-white films Works based on Heart (novel)