''Belle ma povere'' (internationally released as ''Pretty But Poor'') is a

1957 1957 ( MCMLVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday of the Gregorian calendar, the 1957th year of the Common Era (CE) and ''Anno Domini'' (AD) designations, the 957th year of the 2nd millennium, the 57th year of the 20th century, and the 8th year ...

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 ...

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

Dino Risi Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''. Biography Risi was born in Milan. He had an o ...

. It is the sequel of '' Poveri ma belli'' and was followed by ''

Poveri milionari ''Poveri milionari'' (internationally released as ''Poor Millionaires'') is a 1959 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. It is the final chapter in the trilogy started with ''Poveri ma belli''.Paolo D'Agostini, ''Dino Risi'', Editrice Il casto ...

''.Paolo D'Agostini, ''Dino Risi'', Editrice Il castoro, 1995

Plot

Romolo and Salvatore are two Roman boys, engaged respectively to Annamaria and Marisa, Salvatore's first sister and Romulus's second. The two girls would like to get married soon, but the two engaged couples have neither a steady job nor the intention of putting their heads straight: then they unwillingly decide to follow a radio engineering course in an evening school where however Romulus is committed while Salvatore quickly abandons them. Education. The two are great friends but they quarrel when Giovanna, an old flame of both of them, returns. She is the latter after leaving her beloved Hugh she works in the jewelry of her boyfriend Franco. Romulus thinks that Salvatore is not suitable to marry his sister, and Salvatore thinks the same of Romulus and his sister, and as long as they are both idle the marriage for both will not take place. But Annamaria and Marisa suffer even more. Marisa, understood that Salvatore will never have a steady job, decides to go to work as a clerk in a shoe shop where she meets a charming young man who courts her. Salvatore, fearing to lose Marisa, decides to become a thief. Meanwhile Romulus, to open his radio shop, borrows money from Giovanna's boyfriend who, to make her partner jealous and lead him to the wedding, again feigns interest in Romulus, arousing Annamaria's jealousy. Just when Romulus decides to return the money he had on loan to Giovanna, Salvatore with the help of an accomplice decides to break into Franco's jewelry and steal everything. However, he is stopped by Marisa, who explains to Salvatore that there is nothing between her and the young man. Even between Romulus and Annamaria everything is clarified. Romulus and Salvatore understand that what matters is inner wealth. The marriages of Romulus with Annamaria and of Salvatore with Marisa are then celebrated on the same day, in the same church, that of Piazza Navona, with the same clothes. And also Giovanna finally gets married with Franco.

Cast

* Marisa Allasio as Giovanna * Maurizio Arena as Romolo *

Renato Salvatori Renato Salvatori (20 March 1933 – 27 March 1988) was an Italian actor. Born in Seravezza, Province of Lucca, Salvatori began his career in his teens playing juvenile, romantic roles. After working with directors such as Luchino Visconti, Ro ...

as Salvatore * Lorella De Luca as Marisa *

Alessandra Panaro Alessandra Panaro (14 December 1939 – 1 May 2019) was an Italian film actress of the late 1950s and early 1960s. Panaro is best known for her films in the early 1960s, notably Luchino Visconti's crime drama '' Rocco e i suoi fratelli'' in 19 ...

as Anna Maria * Riccardo Garrone as Franco *

Memmo Carotenuto Memmo Carotenuto (23 August 1908 – 23 December 1980) was an Italian actor. He appeared in 125 films between 1941 and 1980. Selected filmography *'' The Wedding Trip'' (1969) * ''Assassination in Rome'' (1965) * '' Male Companion'' (1964 ...

as Alvaro *

Gildo Bocci Gildo Bocci (1 September 1886 – 22 July 1964) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1913 and 1959. He was born and died in Rome, Italy. Partial filmography * ''Messalina'' (1924) - Apollonio * '' Quo Vadis'' (1924) - ...

* Marisa Castellani *

Carlo Giuffrè Carlo Giuffrè (3 December 1928 – 1 November 2018) was an Italian stage, film and television actor and a stage director. He appeared in more than 90 films between 1942 and 2002. Biography Giuffrè was born in Naples, Italy and was the brothe ...

* Nino Vingelli

References

External links

* 1957 films Films directed by Dino Risi Italian comedy films Films set in Rome Films shot in Rome 1957 comedy films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub