Pane, amore e gelosia (1954)

Director:

Luigi Comencini

Writers:

Ettore Maria Margadonna (story) &
Luigi Comencini (story) ...

Release Date:

6 December 1954 (Italy)

Genre:

Comedy | Romance

Tagline:

Lollobrigida Is Back...And You'll Never See More Of Her! (original USA poster)

Plot:

In a small Italian village, Maria De Ritas is engaged to army Lieutenant Pietro Stelluti. Stelluti's superior officer...

Plot Keywords:

Earthquake | Resignation | Innocence | Single Mother | Gossip

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Vittorio De Sica	...	Il maresciallo Antonio Carotenuto
Gina Lollobrigida	...	Maria De Ritis, detta 'La Bersagliera'
Marisa Merlini	...	Annarella Mirziano, la levatrice
Roberto Risso	...	Il carabiniere Pietro Stelluti
Maria-Pia Casilio	...	Paoletta, la nipote del parroco (as Maria Pia Casilio)
Virgilio Riento	...	Don Emidio, il parocco
Saro Urzì	...	Don Nicola, il capocomico
Tina Pica	...	Caramella, la domestica
Tecla Scarano	...	Teresinella, la domestica di Annarella
Vittoria Crispo	...	Maria Antonia De Ritis, madre de la 'Bersagliera'
Memmo Carotenuto	...	Il carabiniere Sirio Baiocchi
Fausto Guerzoni	...	L'uomo col cannocchiale
Nino Vingelli	...	Don Vincenzino, il venditore ambulante
Gigi Reder	...	Ricuccio
Nico Pepe	...	Il maresciallo Spotti

Also Known As:

Bread, Love and Jealousy (Australia) (UK)
Frisky (USA)

Runtime:

97 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

West Germany:12 | France:U | Hungary:14 | Finland:S | Argentina:Atp

Filming Locations:

Abruzzo, Italy

Company:

Titanus

Trivia:

Italian censorship via #17598 delivered on 23 November 1954.

Movie Connections:

Follows Pane, amore e fantasia (1953)

Soundtrack:

Aida

Review and summary.

*** This comment may contain spoilers ***

BREAD, LOVE AND JEALOUSY or "FRISKY" as the American distributor re-titled it upon its initial American release, is a sequel to the tremendously successful BREAD, LOVE AND DREAMS made in 1953. They were the first two of a series of earthy comedies which Gina Lollobrigida got tired of making. She was replaced in PANE AMORE E... (SCANDAL IN SORRENTO) by Sophia Loren. At the time of their release, these amusing country comedies were seen by critics as a frivolous departure from the more serious neo-realist films of the period, but audiences loved them precisely because of their light charm and their escapist qualities. Most film historians say that BREAD, LOVE AND JEALOUSY isn't quite up to the quality of its predecessor, but the fact is that they are cut from the same cloth and seem like two parts of the same film, as pleasing and delightful today as when they came out, even better, given the sweet spice of nostalgia. Borrowing elements of Shakespearean comedy, this film is about the parallel amorous fortunes of two couples, one young, one middle-age. We encountered them both in the first film. "Maresciallo" Antonio Carotenuto (Vittorio De Sica) must resign his position in the village in order to marry the town midwife, an unwed mother. Pietro, the young policeman who is to marry "Bersagliera" or "Frisky" (Lollobrigida) is transferred to another town. Frisky is assigned to the maresciallo who takes her into his house as a servant. Gossip about the two grows. The fiancé returns and breaks off the engagement. The father of the midwife's child appears, proposes marriage, and the parish priest induces the woman to accept. The wrongly maligned Frisky makes peace with her fiancé. Another midwife arrives in town. The maresciallo can lust hopefully once more. The movie could be called "All's Well that Ends Well, Italian Style." There isn't much one can say about a movie as simple and unassuming as this, except that the performers bring it off admirably and command our attention for an hour and a half. No social moral, no essay into the alienation of modern man, no peeks at the filmmaker's navel exist here...only the ingratiating talents of Gina Lollobrigida and Vittorio De Sica under the humane direction of Luigi Comencini.