''Il Signor Max'' is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones"

comedy film A comedy film is a category of film which emphasizes humor. These films are designed to make the audience laugh through amusement. Films in this style traditionally have a happy ending ( black comedy being an exception). Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Mario Camerini Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...

and starring

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: '' Sciuscià'' and '' Bicycle Thieves'' (honorar ...

and

Assia Noris Assia Noris (16 February 1912 – 27 January 1998) was a Russian-Italian film actress. Born Anastasia Noris fon Gerzfeld (Anastassia Noris von Herzfeld), she appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1965. She starred in films such as the Mar ...

Plot

Gianni is a poor, young newspaper salesman in

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus ( legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

. However, during his vacations he poses as Count Max Varaldo, an aristocrat. Once, on a cruise in Naples, he meets Donna Paola, a wealthy snob, and her maid Lauretta (a common, shy girl). After trying to establish a relationship with Donna Paola, Gianni, disappointed, decides to drop his alter ego Max and propose to Lauretta. However, she now believes that he is a Count. A series of humorous misunderstandings will happen before things get cleared.

Cast

as Gianni/Max Varaldo *

as Lauretta * Rubi Dalma as Donna Paola *

Umberto Melnati Umberto Melnati (17 June 1897 – 30 March 1979) was an Italian film actor He appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1962. He starred in films such as the Mario Mattoli 1936 film '' L'uomo che sorride'' and ''Il signor Max'' (1937). He ...

as Riccardo * Lilia Dale as Pucci (billed as Adonella) * Virgilio Riento as Pepe *

Mario Casaleggio Mario Casaleggio (1877–1953) was an Italian stage and film actor.Goble p.333 Selected filmography * ''Il signor Max'' (1937) * '' Goodbye Youth'' (1940) * ''Forbidden Music ''Forbidden Music'' (Italian: ''Musica proibita'') is a 1942 Italian ...

as Uncle Pietro * Caterina Collo as Aunt Lucia *

Ernesto Ghigi Ernesto, form of the name Ernest in several Romance languages, may refer to: * ''Ernesto'' (novel) (1953), an unfinished autobiographical novel by Umberto Saba, published posthumously in 1975 ** ''Ernesto'' (film), a 1979 Italian drama loosely ba ...

as Pierino * Romolo Costa as Commandante Baldi * Lilia Silvi as the orchard seller * Giuseppe Pierozzi as a taxi driver *

Albino Principe Albinism is the congenital absence of melanin in an animal or plant resulting in white hair, feathers, scales and skin and pink or blue eyes. Individuals with the condition are referred to as albino. Varied use and interpretation of the term ...

as Bubi Bonci *

Clara Padoa Clara may refer to: Organizations * CLARA, Latin American academic computer network organization * Clara.Net, a European ISP * Consolidated Land and Rail Australia, a property development consortium People * Clara (given name), a feminine give ...

as Jeanne, the athlete on the train *

Luciano Dorcoratto Luciano is an Italian, Spanish and Portuguese given name and surname. It is derived from Latin ''Lucianus'', patronymic of '' Lucius'' ("Light"). The French form is '' Lucien'', while the Basque form is '' Luken''. Single name * Luciano (rap ...

as the guide *

Desiderio Nobile Desiderio is both a surname and a given name in Italian, Spanish and Portuguese (Desidério), derived from the Latin Desiderius. Notable people with the name include: Surname: * Monsù Desiderio (1593–1620), French painter *Reginald B. Desid ...

as the major *

Armando Petroni Armando may refer to: * Armando (given name) * Armando (artist) (1929–2018), the name used by Dutch artist Herman Dirk van Dodeweerd * Armando (producer) (1970–1996), Chicago house producer * ''Armando'' (album), studio album by rapper Pit ...

as the pharmacist *

Edda Soligo Edda Soligo (1905–1984) was an Italian film and television actress.Verdone p.111 Selected filmography * ''Adam's Tree'' (1936) * '' The Man from Nowhere'' (1937) * '' The Former Mattia Pascal'' (1937) * '' Il signor Max'' (1937) * '' To Live' ...

as a girl at the ball * Gianfranco Zanchi as the real Max Varaldo

References

Bibliography

External links

* 1937 films 1937 comedy films 1930s Italian-language films Italian black-and-white films Films set in Italy Films set in Rome Films directed by Mario Camerini Italian comedy films Films scored by Renzo Rossellini 1930s Italian films {{1930s-Italy-comedy-film-stub