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Rating: More than fifty years have passed, and today many young people, but especially many ADULTS, do not know (or do not remember) Aldo Fabrizi. Although RAI often re-broadcasts some of the gags of this great comedian, his name is not as popular as that of Totò or Sordi. Yet old Fabrizi, in his time, managed to satirize the most characteristic aspects of the average Italian in such a sharp way that he impeccably presented to the public the exact development of every everyday event.
"La Famiglia Passaguai" (the third of nine films directed by Fabrizi himself) was one of the greatest successes of Italian cinema in the 1950s; inspired by "Cabina 27" by Anton Germano Rossi, it is a ruthless portrayal of the typical Italian family. It's hard not to think of your own relatives: a hysterical wife, constantly angry, a lazy and troublesome son, a daughter caught by the passion of love, a father who feels suffocated at home and at the office... Although it is a rather "light" comedy, it perfectly outlines the Italian in all its facets, using spontaneous yet in its own way refined comedy, without descending into the banal. Alongside the legendary Fabrizi, we find Ave Ninchi, the "Mrs. Fabrizi" par excellence (often seen as the nagging wife), the legendary Peppino De Filippo (hilarious from start to finish), and a young Carlo Delle Piane.
During a sultry Sunday in August, Cavalier Peppe Passaguai (Fabrizi) decides to take his family to the sea. The impulsiveness of his wife (Ninchi), the protagonist's own misfortune, and the clumsy presence of a colleague (De Filippo) will turn the entire day into a chaotic hell of misunderstandings and gags.
From 1951 to today, Italy has undergone numerous changes, but it is precisely these that highlight those situations that, although in slightly different contexts, repeat themselves. "La Famiglia Passaguai" is just one of the many gems that old Aldo has left us, but it is certainly one of the most intelligent and memorable examples of his art. Not to be missed.
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