''Liolà'' () is a 1963 Italian

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Alessandro Blasetti Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Four Steps in the Clouds''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during the ...

. It is based on ''

Liolà ''Liolà'' () is an Italian stage play written by Luigi Pirandello in 1916, which takes place in 19th century Sicily. The original text was composed in the Sicilian dialect of Agrigento. The title character is a middle-aged single father by ch ...

'', a comedy play by

Luigi Pirandello Luigi Pirandello (; ; 28 June 1867 – 10 December 1936) was an Italians, Italian dramatist, novelist, poet, and short story writer whose greatest contributions were his plays. He was awarded the 1934 Nobel Prize in Literature "for his bold and ...

. The film was released as ''A Very Handy Man'' in the U.S. in 1966.

Plot summary

In late-nineteenth-century Sicily, the wealthy Zia Croce has a large, successful farm, which she runs with her cousin, Zio Simone. He is married to Mita, and is downcast because they do not have a son to inherit the farm. Zia Croce also has a daughter, who wants a son of her own for the same reason. Their situations are apparently solved, but actually complicated, by the appearance of Liola, whose seductive powers are put by both women to practical use.

Cast

Ugo Tognazzi Ottavio "Ugo" Tognazzi (23 March 1922 – 27 October 1990) was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the most important faces of Italian comedy together with Vittorio Gassman, Nino Manfredi, Marcello Mastr ...

: Liolà *

Giovanna Ralli Giovanna Ralli, (born 2 January 1935), is an Italian stage, film, and television actress. Life and career Born in Rome, Ralli debuted as a child actress at 7; at 13, she made her theatrical debut, entering the stage company of Peppino De Fili ...

: Tuzza Azzara *

Anouk Aimée Nicole Françoise Florence Dreyfus (; 27 April 1932 2024), known professionally as Anouk Aimée () or Anouk, was a French film actress who appeared in 70 films from 1947 until 2019. Having begun her film career at age 14, she studied acting and ...

: Mita *

Pierre Brasseur Pierre Brasseur (; 22 December 1905 – 16 August 1972), born Pierre-Albert Espinasse, was a French actor. Biography The son of actors Georges Espinasse and Germaine Brasseur was an actor as well. The family tradition of using the name ''Br ...

: Zio Simone Palumbo *

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 Counte ...

: Cesa *

Dolores Palumbo Dolores Palumbo (14 June 1912 – 30 January 1984) was an Italian stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Naples, the daughter of two stage actors, Palumbo debuted in 1930 with a bit role in the farce ''La bella trovata''. Shorty late ...

: Zia Croce *

Umberto Spadaro Umberto Spadaro (8 November 1904 – 12 October 1981) was an Italian actor. He appeared in around 95 films between 1940 and 1979. His brother Peppino Spadaro was also an actor. Selected filmography * ''Cavalleria rusticana'' (1939) – Salt ...

Graziella Granata Graziella Granata (born 16 March 1941) is an Italian retired film and stage actress. Career After graduating at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, and after some secondary roles in adventure films and comedies, thanks to a film contract ...

References

External links

* 1963 films Italian historical comedy films 1960s Italian-language films 1960s historical comedy films Films directed by Alessandro Blasetti Films set in Sicily Italian films based on plays Films based on works by Luigi Pirandello Films set in the 19th century 1963 comedy films 1960s Italian films Italian-language historical comedy films {{1960s-Italy-comedy-film-stub