Vittorio Gassman made his screen debut in the 1945 Carlo Alberto Felice-directed film ‘Incontro con Laura.’ Following his debut, he went on to star in films like ‘The Captain's Daughter’ (1947), ‘Daniele Cortis’ (1947), ‘Il cavaliere misterioso’ (1948), ‘Riso amaro’ (1949), ‘I fuorilegge’ (1950), ‘Il tradimento’ (1951), ‘Anna’ (1951), ‘The Dream of Zorro’ (1952), ‘Girls Marked Danger’ (1952), ‘The Glass Wall’ (1953), and ‘Cry of the Hunted’ (1953). In 1954, he portrayed ‘Paul Bronte’ in the American musical drama film ‘Rhapsody’ directed by Charles Vidor. While the film managed to gross over $3.2 million on a $1.9 million budget, it was still declared a commercial failure. He was next seen in films like ‘La donna più bella del mondo’ (1955), ‘The Violent Patriot’ (1956), ‘War and Peace’ (1956), ‘Kean: Genius or Scoundrel’ (1957), and ‘La ragazza del palio’ (1958). He played the role of ‘Giovanni Busacca’ in the 1959 Italian comedy-drama war film ‘The Great War’ directed by Mario Monicelli. The film won an ‘Academy Award’ nomination and came to be listed among the "100 Italian films to be saved." That same year, he also starred in the Irving Rapper-directed film ‘The Miracle.’ The film received mostly negative reviews from critics.
He went on to star in films like ‘Il Mattatore’ (1960), ‘Crimen’ (1960), ‘Fantasmi a Roma’ (1961), ‘Barabbas’ (1961), ‘Anima nera’ (1962), ‘La Marcia su Roma’ (1962), ‘La Smania addosso’ (1963), ‘Il Successo’ (1963), ‘Frenesia dell'estate’ (1964), ‘Il Gaucho’ (1964), and ‘Slalom’ (1965). In 1966, he portrayed ‘Brancaleone da Norcia’ in the Italian comedy film ‘L'armata Brancaleone’ directed by Mario Monicelli. The film turned out to be one of the highest grossing Italian films of 1966. He next appeared in ‘Il Tigre’ (1967), ‘Questi fantasmi’ (1968), ‘Il Profeta’ (1968), ‘L'Alibi’ (1969), ‘Dove vai tutta nuda?’ (1969), ‘Contestazione generale’ (1970), ‘The Divorce’ (1970), ‘In nome del popolo italiano’ (1971), ‘Senza famiglia, nullatenenti cercano affetto’ (1972), and ‘La Tosca’ (1973). In 1974, he starred as ‘Fausto Consolo’ in the Commedia all'italiana film ‘Scent of a Woman’ directed by Dino Risi. The film received 2 Academy Award nominations. Gassman also became a recipient of the ‘David di Donatello’ and ‘Nastro d'Argento’ for his performance in the film.
He next starred in films like ‘A mezzanotte va la ronda del piacere’ (1975), ‘Telefoni bianchi’ (1976), ‘Anima persa’ (1977), ‘I nuovi mostri’ (1977), ‘A Wedding’ (1978), ‘Quintet’ (1979), ‘La terrazza’ (1980), ‘Il Turno’ (1981), ‘Sharky's Machine’ (1981), ‘Tempest’ (1982), ‘Benvenuta’ (1983), ‘Paradigma’ (1985), ‘La Famiglia’ (1987), and ‘Mortacci’ (1989). In 1990, he portrayed ‘Sindbad’ in the French-Italian fantasy film ‘1001 Nights’ directed by Philippe de Broca. The film received a lukewarm response from the audience and critics. He continued to appear in films like Rossini! Rossini!’ (1991), ‘El Largo invierno’ (1992), ‘Tutti gli anni una volta l'anno’ (1994), ‘Sleepers’ (1996), ‘Un homme digne de confiance’ (1997), and ‘La cena’ (1998). Gassman last appeared in the 1999 Italian documentary film ‘Luchino Visconti.’
With the help of a retired burglar, a group of amateurs plan a small heist which involves robbing a pawnshop. Although their plan seems foolproof, things don’t go as expected.
Lorenzo Santenocito is a corrupt businessman living in Italy, whose industries pollute the water supply in the country. A judge named Mariano is intent to bring him to justice, and he believes that Lorenzo is also responsible for the murder of an escort. He begins an investigation, but problem is that Lorenzo is also willing to commit any kind of fraud to prove his innocence.
Friends, Lorenzo ‘Shakes’ Carcaterra, Tommy Marcano, Michael Sullivan, and John Reilly are sentenced to Wilkinson Home for Boys. There they are systematically abused by the prison guards. On release, John and Tommy, become career criminals and kill one of the guards. Michael and Shakes conspire to bring all the abusers to justice and free their friends.
An Italian drama centred on an encounter between a group of friends and colleagues on a terrace in Rome. In the days that follow, some of the lesser known details of their personal lives begin to reveal themselves.
After returning home after spending a night with a woman named Orsola, Pietro is arrested for a crime he did not commit. Although his mother and his sister go and request Orsola to provide the required alibi that would free Pietro of all charges, Rocco, Orsola’s brother, makes her stay quiet, fearing a family scandal. Pietro is eventually sentenced to jail, but he escapes, after which he is tracked and killed by the police. Years later, Rosaria, Pietro’s sister decides to take revenge against Orsola and Rocco, for the death of her brother.
Peppe is a thief who is contacted by a gangster from Milan, as the latter seeks his help in planning a robbery at a football office. Their plan is to steal a suitcase filled with money, but things don’t go as expected.
As bizarre events keep occurring in an old mansion, it eventually becomes clear that there might be something mysterious up in the attic. Eventually it seems that someone is living up there.
Five people, who were all on a train to Monte Carlo, find themselves becoming suspects, after the murder of an elderly millionaire. The Commissioner of Police tries his best to find out if the killer is among them, or out there on the loose.
This film provides a unique view on the well-known story of the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ, through the eyes of the thief named Barabbas, who was spared from the cross since Christ was chosen in his place.
Despite being broke and having no money, Count di Roviano refuses to sell his palace to a developer. He shares his palace with several ghosts, but his life takes a turn when he is blown up by the water heater, after which he becomes one of them as well. Things get complicated when his nephew Federico inherits the castle, and he intends to sell it.
L'udienza is a mystery drama film which tells the story of Amedeo, a young man from North Italy, who has arrived in Rome. The officials are upset when they learn that he wishes to meet the Pope.
Anna is a nun and a nurse working at a hospital. One day a man is brought in, after he suffers a car accident. Things get interesting since the man turns out to be her former lover, and is the main reason she chose to become a nun.
War and Peace is a romantic war drama film which revolves around the lives of few members of the Russian aristocracy, just few years before Napoleon’s invasion. After his friend passes away, Count Pierre Bezukhov receives a significant inheritance, and decides to get married. As for his friend, Prince Andrei Bolonsky, his wife dies of childbirth. Shortly after, he falls in love with another woman named Natasha, but is soon called to war.
Black Crown is a mystery drama film which tells the story of Mara, a woman who is caught in an illicit love affair by her husband. When he decides to divorce her, she murders him. However, shortly after, she begins to suffer from amnesia. She tries to remember the place where some precious jewels were hidden.
This comedy film was made as a satire of the social and political status of Italy during the 1970s.
Several years after the Second Punic War, Roman General Scipio Africanus finds himself losing his popularity, despite the fact that he had defeated General Hannibal years earlier. Things turn even worse when along with his brother, he is accused of theft of a significant sum of money. Even his friends and loved ones begin to abandon Scipio.
In Naples, a voice from the sky announces one morning that there is going to a a final judgment at 6 pm on that day. The film follows the reactions of various people to the announcement.
A cunning slaver stages marathon dance contests in order to lure young women into his prostitution ring. When a girl nearly falls into his net, a police officer tries to save her.
A teenage boy, son of Francesco Vincenzini, attempts suicide, after his feelings are rejected by Carolina, a good-looking art student. Francesco tries to confront the young woman, but she seduces him, and eventually the two get married. Although his marriage with Carolina starts making him feeling younger, he begins to neglect his family and his work.
Three stories weaved together into a fable set in the forest of Ardennes.
Tempest is an adventure drama film which takes us to Russia in the 18th century. Piotr Grinov is dispatched by Catherine the Great to an isolated outpost located far away. However, on his journey, he comes across a rebel leader and his loyalties are put to the test.
This Mysterious Rider is an action adventure drama film which tells the story of Giacomo Casanova, who returns to Venice, in order to help his brother, as the latter has been accused falsely of robbery.
Based on a stage play of the same name, Anima nera is an Italian drama film which tells the story of a man who gets married, hoping to start a new life. However, due to an unexpected inheritance, his relationship with his wife deteriorates.
Sharky’s Machine is an action thriller drama film which revolves around Tom Sharky, an undercover cop who is investigating a narcotics kingpin. He soon comes across a mob murder with government ties. He assembles all his investigators and tries to bring the criminals to justice, before all his partners and witnesses are killed one by one.
A young woman follows her partner to Zurich, where the latter is meant to study violin. She meets a piano student at the conservatory who proclaims his lover for her, causing her to make a a choice between him and her partner.
During the period of Italian Renaissance, the devil sends two envoys in order to prevent the marriage of a papal aristocrat and the daughter of Lorenzo the Magnificent, which is meant to be a peace treaty.
A wealthy business whose son is a terrorist for the Red Brigade, begins to fear that his son may be targeting one his co-workers.
Gabriella is a married woman who has been childless, despite years of marriage with a corrupt businessman named Andrea. Her life takes a turn when she is summoned to the court one morning to be the only female juror for the trial of a woman named Tina, who is accused of the murder of Gino, her husband. Soon it seems to Gabriella that Tina is trying to protect someone’s identity.
Mr Kinky is a comedy film which revolves around the story of a man named Pietro who decides to abandon civilization, become a hermit, and leave modern life behind. He lives in seclusion for years, until one day, he is discovered by a TV crew, which forces him to return back to civilization.
Don Niccolini Borges, Roman Prince, and member of the Pontifical Noble Guard, is attracted to Jane, an English girl who accompanies him on a pleasure trip to Switzerland. However, she is accompanying him only because his car has a special license, and can go without inspection, since she has a stolen million dollars with her.
An Italian-French-American co-production, this comedy film by director Vittorio De Sica comprises seven mini series featuring seven different types of women in different situations. The seven episodes include Funeral Procession, Amateur Night, Two Against One, Super Simone, At the Opera, Suicides and Snow.
During the Napoleonic era, a young postulant in Spain falls for a handsome British soldier who is recovering with his comrades after being wounded. Before leaving, he asks her to leave the convent and marry him. But when she decides to leave, calamity follows.
Lina is an orphan who is brought up by her adopted mother who has been training her for music. Her life takes a turn when she earns the attention of Sergio, the prince of Russia, although he doesn’t reveal his actual identity.
Giovanna Masetti is a young and poor Venetian woman who is working as an assistant in a shop, and struggling with her difficult life. Things take a turn when a young count sees her in the shop where she works.
Italian-American barber, Mario Beretti, reaches England to collect the inheritance left by his aunt. Disappointed to find just few antique chairs, he sells them only to realize that one of them contained a fortune. As he tries to get those chairs back, antique-dealer Pat joins him in this quest. They travel around Europe, encounter some interesting characters….but do they get the chair?
The Dirty Game is a drama thriller film which tells us the story of a US intelligence officer who remembers three different spy missions that he was a part of.
Penurious opera singer Pasquale Lojacono and his beautiful wife, Maria, who have no house of their own, get to live free of charge in an ancient palace believed to be haunted. On finding food and gifts in the house, Pasquale naively believes that the ghosts are bestowing the gifts. Actually it is Maria’s suitor who wants to keep his love in luxury.
The lives of three couples change when a feud occurs between two villages in Mexico.
Pure as a Lily is a romantic comedy film which tells the story of a man who loses his position of high esteem in his community after falling in love with Mary, a poor woman who works in a factory.
