Marriage Italian-Style

A vastly inferior take-off on Germi's "Divorce Italian Style". Often, "Marriage" gets lost in the melodrama that it purports to satirize, and the result isn't terribly amusing or interesting. Mastroianni is usually cast in gentle and sophisticated roles, so it is curious to see him playing an authentic Italian man, for once. He does pull it off.

Upsettingly boring and cloying for drama. Sure I figured "italian-style" would indicate some level of comical intensity but it was kinda comically tragic. In a bad way.

(VIewed on 18/08/11): Marriage Italian-Style is another one of De Sica's commercial ventures whose appeal was largely the result of the obvious chemistry shared by its two stars. He leans on them to do the heavy lifting because he isn't being supported by the writing, which is insufficiently witty or interesting. As a reflection of gender relations in Italy during the 60's, it's perhaps a curious historical document, but on its own terms it's simply a forgettable dramatic comedy.

Stuck between grandiose sweeping period epic and simple domestic drama. Could have been great if it committed to one or the other, but instead, nearly 25 years elapse all too quickly to feel their weight, despite Loren's genuinely impressive transition from 17 to 40, and the remainder isn't well scripted or psychologically acute enough to narrow it's focus to the small scale. It's not bad, but definitely forgettable.

the smile of sophia loren is heavenly..

Vittoria de Sica is a great filmmaker. But he misuses his talents here. I hated the first half of the film, which was a terrible "romance" between a sleazy rich man and a desperate prostitute. But the second half only got better and better, as we saw Filumena finding herself and her strength. Until the last 10 minutes, when all of that was sadly thrown away.

The second half with Loren plotting to ensure the safety of her future trough marriage with Mastroianni is better than the first about their first meeting and history till then. Loren and Mastroianni both are great. It always surprises me easily Loren can switch convincingly between different female character types. Mastroianni is very convincing as sleazy masochist Italian male

This is a deceptively complex film that is hilarious and at the same time melancholy but also hopeful. It's De Sica after all! I need to see more of his filmography. I viewed it (while acknowledging early-De Sica's influence on Godard) as a heady combination of Godard (playful gender conflict that is also deadly serious) and Buñuel (sexual gratification and its denial as mixed with Catholicism). It's delightful to behold Loren and Mastroianni in an epic lover's tiff.

surprisingly unfunny in toto