''The Sensual Man'' ( it, Paolo il caldo, also known as ''The Sensuous Sicilian'') is a 1974 Italian

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 ol ...

written and directed by

Marco Vicario Marco Vicario (20 September 1925 – 10 September 2020) was an Italian film actor, screenwriter, film producer and director. He appeared in 23 films between 1950 and 1958. He also wrote for 13 films, produced 12 and directed a further 11. He ...

. It is loosely based on the novel of the same name written by

Vitaliano Brancati Vitaliano Brancati (; 24 July 1907 – 25 September 1954) was an Italian novelist, dramatist, poet and screenwriter. Biography Born in Pachino, Syracuse, Brancati studied in Catania, where he graduated in letters and where he spent the most pa ...

. It was shot in

Catania, Sicily Catania (, , Sicilian and ) is the second largest municipality in Sicily, after Palermo. Despite its reputation as the second city of the island, Catania is the largest Sicilian conurbation, among the largest in Italy, as evidenced also by ...

and 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 ...

Plot

A Sicilian baron, Paolo Castorini has spent his life (beginning before puberty) dealing with girls, and later, women, usually in matters of the flesh. But later in life he begins to search for a deeper meaning to life. When his father is brought to his deathbed, Paolo (after making a pass at the dying man's nurse) is surprised to learn that the apparently staid, upright father had been unfaithful as a young man, as also Paolo's grandfather, and that such unfaithfulness had brought consequences both moral and

medical Medicine is the science and practice of caring for a patient, managing the diagnosis, prognosis, prevention, treatment, palliation of their injury or disease, and promoting their health. Medicine encompasses a variety of health care practic ...

Cast

Giancarlo Giannini Giancarlo Giannini (born 1 August 1942) is an Italian actor and voice actor. He won the Cannes Film Festival Award for Best Actor for his performance in '' Love and Anarchy'' (1973) and received an Academy Award nomination for '' Seven Beauties ...

: Paolo Castorini *

Rossana Podestà Rossana Podestà (born Carla Dora Podestà; 20 June 1934 – 10 December 2013) was an Italian actress who worked mainly in Italy from the 1950s to the 1970s. Biography Podestà was born in Tripoli in the Italian colony of Libya. She spent her f ...

: Lilia *

Riccardo Cucciolla Riccardo Cucciolla (5 September 1924 – 17 September 1999) was an Italian actor and voice actor. He appeared in 60 films between 1953 and 1999. He won the Best Actor Award at the 1971 Cannes Film Festival for the film '' Sacco & Vanzetti' ...

: Paolo's father *

Lionel Stander Lionel Jay Stander (January 11, 1908 – November 30, 1994) was an American actor in films, radio, theater and television. He is best remembered for his role as majordomo Max on the 1980s mystery television series '' Hart to Hart''. Early ...

: Paolo's Grandfather, Baron Castorini *

Gastone Moschin Gastone Moschin (8 June 1929 – 4 September 2017) was an Italian stage, television and film actor. Career Born in San Giovanni Lupatoto (Veneto), Moschin graduated from the Accademia Nazionale di Arte Drammatica Silvio D'Amico and then began ...

: Uncle Edmondo *

Adriana Asti Adriana Asti (born 30 April 1931) is an Italian stage, film, and voice actress. Biography On stage, she starred in ''Saint Joan'' by George Bernard Shaw, ''Happy Days'' by Samuel Beckett, ''The Mistress of the Inn'' by Carlo Goldoni, and ''Thre ...

: Beatrice * Marianne Comtell: Paolo's mother * Vittorio Caprioli: Salvatore, the pharmacist *

Ornella Muti Ornella Muti (born Francesca Romana Rivelli; 9 March 1955) is an Italian actress. She made her film debut as Francesca Cimarosa in the 1970 film ''La moglie più bella.'' Early life Muti was born in Rome to a Neapolitan journalist father and ...

: Giovanna *

Barbara Bach Barbara Bach, Lady Starkey (born Barbara Goldbach in 1947) is an American actress and model. She played the Bond girl Anya Amasova in ''The Spy Who Loved Me''. She is married to former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr. Early life Bach is a nati ...

: Anna *

Neda Arnerić Neda Arnerić ( sr-cyr, Неда Арнерић; 15 July 1953 – 10 January 2020) was a Serbian film, stage and television actress, and politician. A graduate art historian, she was considered a sex symbol of Yugoslav cinematography. Personal ...

: Caterina, Paolo's wife * Dori Dorika: Paolo's sister *

Pilar Velázquez Pilar Velázquez (born 13 February 1946) is a Spanish actress. Born as María del Pilar Velázquez Llorente in Madrid, she made her debut in 1964 at the Teatro Español, with the drama ''Caminos de Damasco''. Between 1966 and 1977 she starred in ...

: Ester * Femi Benussi: Prostitute in red *

Umberto D'Orsi Umberto D'Orsi (30 July 1929 – 31 August 1976) was an Italian character actor and comedian. Born in Trieste, D'Orsi took a degree in law in 1953, but he was already active in theater from 1950, performing in small companies of prose and revu ...

: The Marquis * Orchidea de Santis: Prostitute with fur coat *

Oreste Lionello Oreste Lionello (18 April 1927 – 19 February 2009) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Lionello was born in Rhodes (which was then a possession of Italy), to Calabrian parents, and grew up in Reggio Calabria. He began his career a ...

: Painter * Mario Pisu: Lorenzo Banchieri *

Attilio Dottesio Attilio Dottesio (16 July 1909 – 12 February 1989) was an Italian film character actor and singer. He appeared in 170 films between 1940 and 1985. Born in Brescia, Dottesio began his career in France, where first he obtained some success ...

: Doctor Mondella *

Eugene Walter Eugene Ferdinand Walter, Jr. (November 30, 1921 – March 29, 1998) was an American screenwriter, poet, short-story author, actor, puppeteer, gourmet chef, cryptographer, translator, editor, costume designer and well-known raconteur. During his y ...

: Jacomini

Release and reception

The movie, of 1:48 hr running time, was released and circulated in Italy, and also played in US arthouses under the title ''Paolo il Caldo''. Then in 1977 it was re-released for the English-speaking public under the title ''The Sensual Man'', with English subtitles. It received a US MPAA film rating of "R".

References

External links

* 1974 films 1974 comedy films Italian comedy films Films based on Italian novels Films set in Sicily Films shot in Rome Films scored by Armando Trovajoli Films directed by Marco Vicario 1970s Italian films {{1970s-Italy-comedy-film-stub