User Reviews

With having become a fan of the ravishing Michèle Mercier since seeing her performance in the haunting Spaghetti Western Cemetery Without Crosses (1969-also reviewed),I began look round for a Mercier title that I could watch in the run up to my 700 review.

After being thrilled at finding that a DVD seller had recently tracked down a satirical Comedy that Mercier had made,I started to fear that I would not get a chance to see the full film,when my DVD player broke down,in the middle of the movie! Fearing that I had lost the movie,I ended up ripping the player apart,and thankfully getting the DVD out-scratch free,which led to me getting ready to finally witness the roaring years.

View on the film:

Opening with archive footage of Mussolini,the screenplay by co- writer/ (along (deep breath!) with Sergio Amidei/Ruggero Maccari/Ettore Scola and Vincenzo Talarico) director Luigi Zampa take a merciless approach to crushing Mussolini's façade,with the writers showing Mussolini's leadership to be one which gives ever increasing powers to those in government and the upper class of society,whilst pushing the working class & the poor further down the ladder.

The writers show that a window which the poor can look through in the hope of a brighter future,is something that they can only dream of having.

Whilst the title does have a serious message,the writers superbly makes sure that the movies tough satirical bite never dries up,as the Aquamano take hilariously absurd trouble in meeting Battifiori's approval,which goes from the screwball, (such as disguising every cow in the village as a dairy cow) to the subtle (such as all the local government leaders finding any excuse possible to not join the army.)

Filmed on location,director Luigi Zampa and cinematographer Carlo Carlini brilliantly reveal the destruction taking place under the Aquamano's/Mussolini,by making Battifiori's bare glimpses of the housing projects,ones that are crumbling with the villagers hopes turning into rubble.

Contrasting the rustic appearance of the villagers,Zampa gives the Aquamano's a glamorous appearance,with their surrounding looking as immaculate as possible,in the hope that Battifiori will give them a good word to Mussolini.

Looking absolutely gorgeous, Michèle Mercier gives an excellent performance as Elvira Acquamano,with Mercier showing Elvira to be the only Acquamano who is slightly down to earth,and also creating a great uncomfortable atmosphere,as Mercier shows Elvira's unease at Battifiori's advances.

Entering the film as a fish out of water, Nino Manfredi gives Omero Battifiori a charming sense of innocence,as he finds himself baffled by the royal treatment,as Battifiori sees the roaring years of the village.