''L'amore difficile'' (internationally released as ''Of Wayward Love'' and as ''Sex Can Be Difficult'') is a

1962 Events January * January 1 – Western Samoa becomes independent from New Zealand. * January 3 – Pope John XXIII excommunicates Fidel Castro for preaching communism. * January 8 – Harmelen train disaster: 93 die in the wors ...

Italian comedy (; ; ) was an early form of professional theatre, originating from Italian theatre, that was popular throughout Europe between the 16th and 18th centuries. It was formerly called Italian comedy in English and is also known as , , and . Charact ...

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs or excerpts by different authors. In genre fiction, the term ''anthology'' typically categ ...

film. The film represents the directorial debut of the four authors, who were however all experienced in other areas of the film industry (Manfredi and Bonucci as actors, Lucignani and Sollima as writers). The four episodes are based on short stories by well-known Italian novelists (

Mario Soldati Mario Soldati (17 November 1906 – 19 June 1999) was an cinema of Italy, Italian writer and film director. In 1954 he won the Strega Prize for ''Lettere da Capri.'' He directed several works adapted from novels, and worked with leading Ital ...

Alberto Moravia Alberto Moravia ( , ; born Alberto Pincherle ; 28 November 1907 – 26 September 1990) was an Italian novelist and journalist. His novels explored matters of modern sexuality, social alienation and existentialism. Moravia is best known for his d ...

Italo Calvino Italo Calvino (, also , ;. RAI (circa 1970), retrieved 25 October 2012. 15 October 1923 – 19 September 1985) was an Italian writer and journalist. His best known works include the ''Our Ancestors'' trilogy (1952–1959), the '' Cosmicomi ...

and

Ercole Patti Ercole Patti (16 February 1903 – 15 November 1976) was an Italian writer, dramatist, screenwriter and journalist. Born in Catania into an upper-middle-class family, the nephew of author Giuseppe Villaroel, Patti started working as a journalist ...

) and share the themes of love and betrayal. The film was co-produced with West Germany where it was released with the title ''Schwierige Liebe''.

Cast

Le donne

Enrico Maria Salerno Enrico Maria Salerno (September 18, 1926 – February 28, 1994) was an Italian actor, voice actor and film director. He was also the voice of Clint Eastwood in the Italian version of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy films, and the voice of Ch ...

: The man *

Catherine Spaak Catherine Spaak (3 April 1945 – 17 April 2022) was a French-born Italian actress and singer who acted in mostly in Italian films with some Hollywood and international productions. She is best known for her roles in the films ''Il Sorpasso'' (1 ...

: Valeria *

Claudia Mori Claudia Mori (born Claudia Moroni, Rome, 12 February 1944), is an Italian producer, former actress and former singer, and wife of the singer Adriano Celentano. Biography 1960s She began her career in show business as an actress playing in musi ...

: Bruna (directed by Sergio Sollima)

L'avaro

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 ...

: Tullio Monari * Nadia Tiller: Elena De Gasperis *

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 ...

: Tullio's mother (directed by Luciano Lucignani)

L'avventura di un soldato

Nino Manfredi Saturnino "Nino" Manfredi (22 March 1921 – 4 June 2004) was an Italian actor, voice actor, director, screenwriter, playwright, comedian, singer, author, radio personality and television presenter. He was one of the most prominent Italian a ...

: The soldier *

Fulvia Franco Fulvia Franco (21 May 1931 – 15 May 1988) was an Italian actress, model and beauty pageant titleholder. Life and career Born in Trieste, the daughter of a businessman, Franco won the third edition of the Miss Italia beauty contest held ...

: The widow (directed by Nino Manfredi)

Il serpente

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 ...

: The police sergeant *

Bernhard Wicki Bernhard Wicki (28 October 1919 – 5 January 2000) was an Austrian actor and film director. Life and career Wicki studied in the city of Breslau such topics as art history, history and German literature. In 1938, he transferred to the d ...

: Bernhard, the husband *

Lilli Palmer Lilli Palmer (; born Lilli Marie Peiser; 24 May 1914 – 27 January 1986) was a German actress and writer. After beginning her career in British films in the 1930s, she would later transition to major Cinema of the United States, Hollywood produ ...

: Hilde, the wife (directed by Alberto Bonucci)

References

External links

* 1962 films 1960s Italian-language films Commedia all'italiana 1962 comedy films Films based on works by Alberto Moravia Films scored by Piero Umiliani 1962 directorial debut films Adaptations of works by Italo Calvino 1960s Italian films {{1960s-Italy-comedy-film-stub