This is the first major collaboration between Dino Risi and Alberto Sordi with the magnificent 'La Vita Difficile' still to come. Sordi's character here is not unlike the role he was to play in de Sica's masterpiece 'Il Boom', that of an absurd little man suffering from delusions of adequacy.
Sordi must have blessed the day he encountered writer Rodolpho Sonego who has again turned up trumps. Sonego has seemingly based this story on the notorious Fenaroli case of 1958 in which an industrialist allegedly murdered his wife so as to collect on the insurance. Needless to say the case kept Italians enthralled and over 20,000 waited outside the courtroom to hear the verdict.
Sordi's character in this is ecstatic when he hears that his smarter and richer wife has perished in a train accident. To his horror she survives which prompts him to take matters into his own hands.....
There are laughs galore here but as with so many films of the genre Commedia all'Italiana this has a dark side and the scenes where he and his cronies plan her death with military precision are quite chilling.
Sordi's performance never misses a beat and Franca Valeri is pitch-perfect as his wife.
There is also of course the customary collection of bimbos and buffoons that populate films of this type.
During the Fenaroli trial one commentator observed that the murderer was not motivated by financial gain but by hatred of his wife who had come to see her husband for what he really was, a loser. This, I am sure, will strike a chord with many married couples and certainly contributes to the effectiveness of this excellent satire.
6 Reviews
THE WIDOWER (Dino Risi, 1959) ***
Bunuel197621 June 2008
Warning: Spoilers
With this, I’ve begun an 8-film tribute to Italian director Risi – who passed away recently at the venerable age of 91. It features one of the country’s foremost stars in Alberto Sordi: personally, I tend to find his antics overbearing – but this is clearly a cut above his average vehicle and, accordingly, he delivers an excellent performance as an incompetent but proud lower-class man who only achieves success after marrying eminent society woman Franca Valeri (a popular comic actress who here matches Sordi, dominating and mocking her spouse – calling him “Cretinetti” (little idiot ) – at every turn, as well as being something of a philanthropist while refusing to finance any of Sordi’s own business schemes!).
Running parallel to its sharply-observed satire on industrialization and the class struggle, the film is a black comedy detailing the hero’s brush with the titular status. Starting with his recounting a dream where he joyously attends Valeri’s funeral, it later transpires that a train she was supposed to travel on has been derailed (so he takes over his wife’s legacy and starts making all kinds of changes, as well as installing working-girl mistress Leonora Ruffo in his house)…except that Valeri missed the fateful train – shades of Laurel & Hardy’s SONS OF THE DESERT (1933) in reverse! – and, to her husband’s horror, turns up at their residence in the thick of the funeral arrangements!! Going through a period of meditation at a convent (an incident probably borrowed from Luis Bunuel’s EL [1952]!), he devises an elaborate plot – involving a trio of associates – in order to get rid of her once and for all…but, of course, this too goes tragically awry (especially for Sordi himself!!). A very typical product of its era, the film is necessarily talky and frenzied in tone – but, nonetheless, emerges a stylish and often inspired comic offering (notably the bare-back dress worn by Ruffo throughout the funeral reception, exasperating a usually bubbly industrialist no end…but which doesn’t prevent the latter from making the girl his own mistress, if only for a short while!).
Incidentally, the star had a number of similar generically-titled vehicles – such as THE BACHELOR (1955) and THE HUSBAND (1958) – which would suggest a form of loose trilogy, though they all had different directors (and he played a different character in each). By the way, I have several other Sordi titles in my “Unwatched VHS” pile – including a quartet he directed himself…
Running parallel to its sharply-observed satire on industrialization and the class struggle, the film is a black comedy detailing the hero’s brush with the titular status. Starting with his recounting a dream where he joyously attends Valeri’s funeral, it later transpires that a train she was supposed to travel on has been derailed (so he takes over his wife’s legacy and starts making all kinds of changes, as well as installing working-girl mistress Leonora Ruffo in his house)…except that Valeri missed the fateful train – shades of Laurel & Hardy’s SONS OF THE DESERT (1933) in reverse! – and, to her husband’s horror, turns up at their residence in the thick of the funeral arrangements!! Going through a period of meditation at a convent (an incident probably borrowed from Luis Bunuel’s EL [1952]!), he devises an elaborate plot – involving a trio of associates – in order to get rid of her once and for all…but, of course, this too goes tragically awry (especially for Sordi himself!!). A very typical product of its era, the film is necessarily talky and frenzied in tone – but, nonetheless, emerges a stylish and often inspired comic offering (notably the bare-back dress worn by Ruffo throughout the funeral reception, exasperating a usually bubbly industrialist no end…but which doesn’t prevent the latter from making the girl his own mistress, if only for a short while!).
Incidentally, the star had a number of similar generically-titled vehicles – such as THE BACHELOR (1955) and THE HUSBAND (1958) – which would suggest a form of loose trilogy, though they all had different directors (and he played a different character in each). By the way, I have several other Sordi titles in my “Unwatched VHS” pile – including a quartet he directed himself…
seriously sharp black comedy from Italy
myriamlenys11 June 2022
Warning: Spoilers
A wife thinks that her husband is shady, mediocre, incompetent and greedy. She is completely right in every respect. Meanwhile her husband hates her, partially because she can see right through his antics and partially because she stands between him and a great big fortune. Their daily battle of wits is going to degenerate into something even worse...
"Il vedovo" is a black comedy of uncommon sharpness, identifying and skewering some of the shortcomings of broader Italian society circa 1959. The plot is clever, the dialogue is sharp and there's a variety of richly comic characters, such as a blonde mistress who believes that her mediocre lover is a man of Napoleonic vision and talents. The performances are great, with a special mention to the tour de force performance by Alberto Sordi as the male protagonist. Watch him as the widower making a short televised statement on the tragic disappearance of his spouse : it's a masterclass in dark comedy. It all works up to a very satisfying ending.
Personal highlight : the protagonist going on a spiritual retreat, listening to homilies about the rewards of modesty and humility, and returning with the firm conviction that God's little birds singing in God's little trees can go hang themselves.
"Il vedovo" is a black comedy of uncommon sharpness, identifying and skewering some of the shortcomings of broader Italian society circa 1959. The plot is clever, the dialogue is sharp and there's a variety of richly comic characters, such as a blonde mistress who believes that her mediocre lover is a man of Napoleonic vision and talents. The performances are great, with a special mention to the tour de force performance by Alberto Sordi as the male protagonist. Watch him as the widower making a short televised statement on the tragic disappearance of his spouse : it's a masterclass in dark comedy. It all works up to a very satisfying ending.
Personal highlight : the protagonist going on a spiritual retreat, listening to homilies about the rewards of modesty and humility, and returning with the firm conviction that God's little birds singing in God's little trees can go hang themselves.
still laughing
robertodandi3 August 2004
This is a really funny movie with the great Alberto Sordi (at his best) and the incredible Franca Valeri. It's another portrait of the defects and geniality of some Italian people. Sordi is quite specialized in showing our egoism and hypocrisy.
Il vedovo (the widowed) is Alberto Sordi, a little and stupid entrepreneur who is married with the rich and smart Franca Valeri. He wishes the death of her wife as he is often humiliated by her due to his stupidity. She is smart and makes a lot of money with her business. He is always asking her for some money and tries to be good with her just for this.
It's very funny also his relationship with his attendant, his former superior during the War whom now he considers like a slave servant (it's so true that cowardly people is bad with subordinates and bootlicker with superiors!).
The entrepreneur starts thinking of killing his wife to get the money, but his plans are destined to be changed.
Very very funny, not one of the best movies ever of Alberto Sordi but one of the best of Franca Valeri. Absolutely worth watching. A little gem of Italian Comedy. Thanks Dino Risi!
Il vedovo (the widowed) is Alberto Sordi, a little and stupid entrepreneur who is married with the rich and smart Franca Valeri. He wishes the death of her wife as he is often humiliated by her due to his stupidity. She is smart and makes a lot of money with her business. He is always asking her for some money and tries to be good with her just for this.
It's very funny also his relationship with his attendant, his former superior during the War whom now he considers like a slave servant (it's so true that cowardly people is bad with subordinates and bootlicker with superiors!).
The entrepreneur starts thinking of killing his wife to get the money, but his plans are destined to be changed.
Very very funny, not one of the best movies ever of Alberto Sordi but one of the best of Franca Valeri. Absolutely worth watching. A little gem of Italian Comedy. Thanks Dino Risi!
one of the funniest Italian movies - EVER
Iwould31 October 2012
Please be aware that this is one of the funniest movies ever produced. Alberto Sordi is here at his best comedy, and he is surrounded by a cast of great characters, portrayed by a group of wonderful, lesser-known Italian actors (Franca Valeri, the wife, a clear cut above everybody else). You really should not pass on this movie. The story it's even a great depiction of a specific Italian period (the late 50's, early 60's of the industrial growth after WW2). Some of the greatest talents of Italian cinema, namely director Dino Risi and writer Rodolfo Sonego, are featured in the credits: and they are probably in what could be considered their prime. So you should do yourself a favor, and watch this movie.
Super film!
RodrigAndrisan23 November 2017
Another great film of the great Alberto Sordi, another great film directed by Dino Risi. Franca Valeri and Alberto Sordi, they are a strange couple, wife and husband, which... but, watch the movie! You'll discover how great Alberto was plus you'll discover many other great Italian actors. Franca Valeri is exceptional as Elvira Almiraghi, the rich wife. The beautiful Leonora Ruffo is the mistress of Alberto "Cretinetti" Nardi, the character of Sordi.
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