''Ghosts of Rome'' ( it, Fantasmi a Roma) is a 1961 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 Antonio Pietrangeli. It was released in the UK in 1964 as ''The Phantom Lovers''.

Plot

Count di Roviano refuses to sell his palace to a developer, despite having no money. He lives with ghosts: Ronaldo, a lady's man, Bartholomew, a friar, Flora, who died with love, and a five year old boy. The Count is blown up by his water heater and joins the ghosts. His nephew Federico inherits the castle and moves in with his girlfriend Eileen, intending to sell it. The ghosts call in an artist friend, Caparra, and try to get him to finish a painting so the castle is declared a national monument.

Cast

* Marcello Mastroianni - Reginaldo / Federico di Roviano / Gino *

Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important productions ...

- Caparra, pittore del '600, rivale del Caravaggio *

Belinda Lee Belinda Lee (15 June 193512 March 1961) was an English actress. A profile for the British Film Institute's Screenonline website asserts: "of all the Rank Organisation's starlets, Belinda Lee stands out as the most notorious, yet paradoxicall ...

- Eileen *

Sandra Milo Sandra Milo (born Salvatrice Elena Greco; 11 March 1933 in Tunis) is an Italian actress, television personality, author, and musician. She won a Silver Ribbon best supporting actress award for each of her roles in Federico Fellini's '' 8½'' an ...

- Donna Flora *

Eduardo De Filippo Eduardo De Filippo (; 24 May 1900 – 31 October 1984), also known simply as ''Eduardo'', was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and playwright, best known for his Neapolitan works ''Filumena Marturano'' and '' Napoli Milionaria''. Consid ...

- Don Annibale, Principe di Roviano *

Claudio Gora Claudio Gora, '' Emilio Giordana '' (27 July 1913 – 13 March 1998) was an Italian actor and film director. He was particularly prolific, making some 155 appearances in film and television over nearly 60 years (from 1939 to 1997). In the 1950s ...

- Ing. Telladi *

Tino Buazzelli Agostino "Tino" Buazzelli (13 September 1922 – 20 October 1980) was an Italian stage, television and film actor. He appeared in 46 films between 1948 and 1978. After a diploma of education, Buazzelli enrolled the Accademia d'Arte Dramma ...

- Father Bartolomeo *

Franca Marzi Franca Marzi (18 August 1926 – 6 March 1989) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 80 films between 1943 and 1977. Life and career Born in Rome as Francesca Marsi, after working in the revue, Marzi made her film debut in her early ...

- Nella *

Ida Galli Ida Galli is an Italian film actress best known for her roles in Spaghetti Western and giallo films in the 1960s and 1970s. Galli has appeared under several pseudonyms, including Arianna, Evelyn Stewart and Isli Oberon. Extremely prolific, som ...

- Carla *

Lilla Brignone Lilla Brignone (23 August 1913 – 24 March 1984) was an Italian film and theater actress. She appeared in 40 films between 1930 and 1982. Her father was film director and actor Guido Brignone and her aunt was actress Mercedes Brignone. Her ...

- Regina * Claudio Catania - Poldino *

Michele Riccardini Michele Mario Alberto Riccardini (October 2, 1910 – July 24, 1978) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in around fifty films during his career as well as several television episodes. In 1943 he played the role of Don Remigio in Luchino Visc ...

- Antonio, tailor and doorman *

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 ...

- Admirer * Nadia Marlowa *

Luciana Gilli Luciana Gilli (born 1944) is a former Italian film actress. During the 1960s she starred in a number of Italian films or European co-productions, particularly adventure stories and westerns.Weisser p.237 Her film debut was the role of Luciana ...

- Girl in the park (as Gloria Gilli) *

Enzo Maggio Enzo Maggio (10 October 1902 – 13 July 1978) was an Italian actor. Born Vincenzo Maggio in Naples into a family of actors, Maggio made a long apprenticeship in the avanspettacolo theaters before and during the Second World War. On stage, he ...

- Fricandò *

Graziella Galvani Graziella Galvani (27 June 1931 – 25 August 2022) was an Italian stage, television and film actress. Life and career Born in Milan, Galvani formed at the drama school of the Piccolo Teatro in her hometown, and participated in several plays ...

- Mathematics teacher

Reception

One review called it "a jolly little Roman fantasy." The ''Spectator'' called it "a cheerful surprise." The ''Monthly Film Bulletin'' called it an "inoffensive comedy has a theme too slight and too lacking to be anything other than tedious when treated at such length." ''Sight and Sound'' called it "a fragile fantasy".Review of film
at Sight and Sound ''Filmink'' called it "entertaining".

References

External links

*
Film page
at BFI {{DEFAULTSORT:Ghosts Of Rome 1961 films 1961 comedy films Italian comedy films 1960s Italian-language films Films scored by Nino Rota Films directed by Antonio Pietrangeli Films set in Rome Films with screenplays by Ruggero Maccari 1960s Italian films