El alcalde, el escribano y su abrigo

Gogol's classic story of a stolen overcoat is done Italian-style by Alberto Lattuada. Renato Rascel does a wonderful job of portraying a Woody Allen like buffoon, Mr. DeCarmine, a bumbling civil servant who is the court jester for the corrupt local political machine. DeCarmine spends his life savings on an extravagant overcoat for the winter. It is stolen and he eventually catches a deadly cold from not having it. Eventually, however, DeCarmine does get his due. Surrealistic and Neo-Realistic at the same time; a tough thing to accomplish.

Gogol's story is such a momentous classic in Russian literature, that it is practically impossible not to make a good film of it. Both films of it have become classics, but the Russian film, seven years later, is truer to Gogol, more realistic and much more artistic and well made. This Italian version shows some affiliation with de Sica and Fellini, but without de Sica's deep humanity, and without Fellini's rabulistic hilarity. This isn't funny at all but rather a twisted effort at making fun of the entire establishment without provoking a single laugh, while the main weak point of this film is the main character, played by Renato Rascel, who does not live up to his character. He is deplorable and pathetic enough, but he is made more a fool of than he is, and all the sincerity of Gogol's character (well preserved in the Russian film) is missing here. The rest is good, shot in Pavia in northern Italy (close to Milan) with the right snowy settings and bleak city nocturnal staging, and there is a great scene in the end, stressing the acute satirical effort as Akaki Akakiyevich's funeral hearse passes through the city, completely sabotaging a great municipal event with the mayor and all, and it's worth waiting through all the film for this - only this scene is on par with de Sica and Fellini. The cinematography is excellent throughout, though, and the characters all perform well, although they are all rather exaggerated for the satire. Alberto Lattuada has made a great effort but not reached the full level of Gogol's masterpiece.