The history of cinema is littered with inferior remakes but this film of Giorgio Bianchi is certainly a match for Camerini's 'white telephone' comedy of 1937. Both films star Vittorio de Sica as Max but here he is an impoverished aristocrat who is tutoring news vendor Alberto in how to behave in the company of his social superiors. Armed with this knowledge he tries his luck in the playgrounds of the rich. He manages to get away with the masquerade for a while but then his humiliation in a game of Bridge brings about the painful realisation that he is literally out of his class. The social climber is played to perfection by Alberto Sordi. He is hilarious and his timing is perfect especially in his scenes with the immaculate de Sica. Anne Vernon is splendidly superficial and well 'dubbed' as the Countess while the maid with whom Alberto finds true happiness is played by the appealing Susana Canales. This delightful, well-paced and entertaining comedy simply serves to remind us that 'Birds of a feather flock together' and that punching above ones weight can be a bruising experience! A third version directed by and starring de Sica's son Christian, is utterly worthless.
Review of Il conte Max
