''The Lovemakers'' ( it, La viaccia) is a 1961

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional It ...

drama film In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-gen ...

directed by

Mauro Bolognini Mauro Bolognini (28 June 1922 – 14 May 2001) was an Italian film and stage director of literate sensibility, known for his masterly handling of period subject matter. Early years Bolognini was born in Pistoia, in the Tuscany region of Italy. ...

based on a novel by Mario Pratesi. The film which stars

Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose "Claudia" Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938) is an Italian actress. She has starred in some of the most iconic European films of the 1960s and 1970s, acting in Italian, French, and English. Born and raised in La Goulette, a ...

and

Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor and producer. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward. His best known credits ...

, was entered into the

1961 Cannes Film Festival The 14th Cannes Film Festival was held from 3 to 18 May 1961. The Palme d'Or went to the '' Une aussi longue absence'', directed by Henri Colpi and '' Viridiana'', directed by Luis Buñuel. The festival opened with '' Che gioia vivere'', directed ...

Plot

The original Italian ''La viaccia'' is the name of the family farm which motivates the plot. The death of a wealthy patriarch in 1885 sets off an interfamily power struggle. Son Ferdinando buys out his other relatives in order to gain full control over the dead man's property. But Ferdinando's country-bumpkin nephew Amerigo holds out. Amerigo's stance is weakened when he heads for the city and meets

prostitute Prostitution is the business or practice of engaging in Sex work, sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, n ...

Bianca. To support her in the manner in which she is accustomed, Amerigo steals from his uncle. Disgraced in the eyes of his family, Amerigo decides to stay near his beloved Bianca by becoming a bouncer in her brothel.

Cast

as Amerigo *

as Bianca *

Pietro Germi Pietro Germi (; 14 September 1914 – 5 December 1974) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor, noted for his development of the neorealist and commedia all'Italiana genres. His 1961 film ''Divorce Italian Style'' earned him a B ...

as Stefano *

Gabriella Pallotta Gabriella Pallotta (born 6 October 1938) is an Italian film actress. She appeared in 22 films between 1956 and 1974. For the film ''The Pigeon That Took Rome ''The Pigeon That Took Rome'' is a 1962 American comedy war film directed and written ...

as Carmelinda *

Romolo Valli Romolo Valli (7 February 1925 – 1 February 1980) was an Italian actor. Valli was born in Reggio Emilia. He was one of the best known Italian actors from the 1950s to his death. He worked for both the stage and the silver screen. Among the ...

as Dante *

Paul Frankeur Paul Frankeur (29 June 1905 - 27 October 1974) was a French actor who appeared in films by Jacques Tati ('' Jour de fête'') and Luis Buñuel (''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' and '' The Phantom of Liberty''). He was sometimes credite ...

as Ferdinando * Gina Sammarco as Maîtresse * Marcella Valeri as Beppa *

Emma Baron Emma Baron (19 October 1904 – 7 March 1986https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0056228/ Imdb ) was an Italian stage and film actress. Life and career Born Emma Bardon in Treviso, after getting an arts degree she began her career on stage in the 1920s ...

as Giovanna *

Franco Balducci Franco Balducci (23 November 1922 – 7 June 2001) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 75 films between 1947 and 1978. He was born in Umbria, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Bullet for Stefano'' (1947) - Giacomo * ''Tempesta su Pari ...

as Tognaccio *

Claudio Biava Claudio is an Italian and Spanish first name. In Portuguese it is accented Cláudio. In Catalan and Occitan it is Claudi, while in Romanian it is Claudiu. Origin and history Claudius was the name of an eminent Roman gens, the most important ...

as Arlecchino *

Nando Angelini Nando Angelini (17 August 1933 – 7 August 2020) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than eighty films since 1957. Life and career Born in San Benedetto del Tronto, Angelini enrolled at the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia, graduatin ...

as young man *

Duilio D'Amore Duilio (born Lorenzo Duilio di Cicco, 23 February 1973, Basel) is a Swiss singer, best known for his participation in the 1994 Eurovision Song Contest. Duilio was chosen by broadcaster SRG SSR to represent Switzerland in the 39th Eurovision Song ...

as Bernardo *

Giuseppe Tosi Giuseppe "Beppe" Tosi (25 May 1916 – 10 July 1981) was an Italian discus thrower. He won silver medal at the 1946, 1950 and 1954 European championships and 1948 Olympics, every time beaten by the teammate Adolfo Consolini Adolfo Consolini (5 ...

as Casamonti *

Paola Pitagora Paola Pitagora (born 24 August 1941) is an Italian film actress. She has appeared in 50 films since 1959. Biography Born in Parma, Pitagora attended the Centro Sperimentale di Cinematografia and the acting school by Alessandro Fersen. In 1960 ...

as Anna * Gianna Giachetti as boarder at brothel * Rosita di Vera Cruz as Margherita * Dante Posani as Gustavo * Olimpia Cavalli as boarder * Aurelio Nardi as ball-man *

Maurice Poli Maurice Poli (2 December 1933 – 26 April 2020) was a French actor, mainly active in Italian productions. He is regarded as one of the few actors to have taken part in virtually all the genres developed in Italy in over more than thirty years.Enr ...

Renzo Palmer Renzo Palmer (20 December 1929 – 4 June 1988) was an Italian film, television and stage actor. He appeared in more than 60 films between 1957 and 1988. Life and career Born in Milan as Lorenzo Bigatti, Palmer was the adopted son of the ...

Rina Morelli Rina Morelli (6 December 1908 – 17 July 1976) was an Italian film and stage actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1939 and 1976. She was born in Naples, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Her husband, Paolo Stoppa, was an Italian stage an ...

References

External links

The Mario Pratesi Fonds at the Victoria University Library at the University of Toronto
*

at Le Film Guide 1960s Italian-language films 1961 films 1961 drama films Italian black-and-white films Titanus films Films directed by Mauro Bolognini Films scored by Piero Piccioni 1960s Italian films {{1960s-Italy-film-stub