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Rating: Active since 1935 as a director, the iron strong man from Viareggio, Mario Monicelli (born 1915) is certainly the greatest among the directors of Italian comedy, meaning that cinematic current which, following the cinematic enchantment of Totò, inserts itself into the present or the history of our country, describing it and ridiculing it with a smile.
After several co-directing efforts with Steno (Stefano Vanzina), see "Guardie e ladri," "Totò e le donne"; after having made the fundamental "Un eroe dei nostri tempi" in '55, with one of the best Sordi of any time, in 1958 the director made his most famous film, probably his masterpiece. Against all odds.
Indeed: this satirical remake of "Rififi" by Jules Dassin was a film on which no one would have placed many bets. Gassmann was known for sword-and-cape or villain roles (above all "Riso amaro"), Mastroianni had not yet achieved the charisma that would soon engulf him, Salvatori was a semi-unknown. Moreover, appearing as supporting actors were a Sardinian scullery worker (Tiberio Murgia) and an obscure Neapolitan extra (Carlo Pisacane).
The producer, Franco Cristaldi, not wanting to risk a complete flop at the box office, imposed on Monicelli the presence of Totò even if only for a brief, legendary appearance. In that way, the box office was safe, as at the time, the prince of Byzantium was a guarantee of any uncertain production. Totò… and a 17-year-old girl who was already beautiful, the future wife of Cristaldi: Claudia Cardinale, who was chosen based on a photo book, without auditions. The plot of "I Soliti Ignoti" is too famous to be told again here; anyone who hasn't seen this cinematic gem should remedy that instantly, without wasting time.
The characteristic that stands out the most in this work is that it is a choral film, like all other Monicelli films, from "La grande guerra" to the forgotten but to be rediscovered "I compagni," "L'armata Brancaleone," "Amici miei," etc. etc.: although with exceptional Soloists (Gassmann in particular), "I Soliti Ignoti" is a fresco of figurines that swarm in the meshes of the plot, described sometimes with geniality, sometimes with tenderness, sometimes with vitriol and with well-marked characters. Gassmann is Beppe, a middling boxer but with a good presence (the actor's eyebrows were lowered, ears enlarged, and nose flattened to make him seem like a real boxer) - Mastroianni is wrapped in a coat 19th century Russia style - Murgia, who is dubbed with a Sicilian accent in the film, is austere in mourning outfit (Monicelli chose him for his haughtiness), Pisacane is transformed into the cheerful never-young, accustomed to the bites of eternal hunger and dressed as a jockey (hence the nickname Capannelle).
The ineptitude emerged in carrying out the famous heist in the apartment on Via delle Madonne on one hand makes you love these hungry burglars, on the other ridicules the presumed "scientificity" of the heist, particularly on Gassmann's part. In this manner, Monicelli mocks the success of noir films, especially from across the Alps and underscores the backwardness of a country not yet immersed in the Boom dream. The Italy of "I Soliti Ignoti" is still marked by the postwar period, although 13 years have passed since the end of the conflict; people are looking for a way to make ends meet. Against all odds, the film was a triumph of critics and audiences; besides the characteristics described above, the splendid black and white photography of Gianni Di Venanzo and Piero Umiliani's jazz music, perfect for a true noir, contributed to the artistic success and revenue. These two technical elements make "I Soliti Ignoti" a strange and solitary film even within our comedy, precisely because they are competent and faithful echoes of "serious" suspense cinema.
The attempts to emulate this gem were endless: besides two sequels ("Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti" by Nanny Loy and the ugly, geriatric "I soliti ignoti vent'anni dopo") the success of Monicelli's film was pursued by many other Italian directors. Abroad, things went equally well, with an American remake with George Segal ("Crackers"), a reduction into a musical in France, another remake in recent times with George Clooney, "Welcome to Collingwood," pitiful.
Even today, this film is a proverbial title in our cinema annals: the sparkling yet elegant and expansive humor, the unforgettable lines, the tender hint of squalor and nobility continue to make "I soliti ignoti" an unforgettable masterpiece that perpetuates itself from generation to generation.
"COL SISTEMA DEL BUCO RUBANO PASTA E CECI"
Giovanni Natoli (Happypippo); no asterisks for films
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