''A Thief in Paradise'' (Italian: ''Un ladro in paradiso'') is a 1952 Italian

comedy film The comedy film is a film genre that emphasizes humor. These films are designed to amuse audiences and make them laugh. Films in this genre typically have a happy ending, with dark comedy being an exception to this rule. Comedy is one of the o ...

directed by

Domenico Paolella Domenico Paolella (18 October 1915 – 7 October 2002) was an Italian director, screenwriter and journalist. Born in Foggia, between 1933 and 1935 Paolella won several contests for amateur directors; in the same years he started working as a jour ...

and starring

Nino Taranto Nino Taranto (28 August 1907 – 23 February 1986) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 80 films between 1924 and 1971. Life and career Born in Naples, Taranto started his career as a child actor in 1918 starring in some local sta ...

Hélène Rémy Hélène Rémy (born 1932) is a retired French film actress. She spent much of her career working in the Italian film industry.Curti p.62 Selected filmography * '' Cage of Girls'' (1949) * '' The Sinners'' (1949) * '' Sending of Flowers'' (1950 ...

and

Francesco Golisano Francesco Golisano, also known as Franco Golisano (5 April 1929 – 6 August 1990) was an Italian film actor. He was an employee of the Post Office when film director Renato Castellani held auditions to appear in '' Under the Sun of Rome'' (1948 ...

. It was expanded from a

dialect A dialect is a Variety (linguistics), variety of language spoken by a particular group of people. This may include dominant and standard language, standardized varieties as well as Vernacular language, vernacular, unwritten, or non-standardize ...

poem Poetry (from the Greek language, Greek word ''poiesis'', "making") is a form of literature, literary art that uses aesthetics, aesthetic and often rhythmic qualities of language to evoke meaning (linguistics), meanings in addition to, or in ...

written by

Eduardo De Filippo Eduardo De Filippo OMRI (; 26 May 1900 – 31 October 1984), also known simply as ''Eduardo'', was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter, and playwright, best known for his Neapolitan language, Neapolitan works ''Filumena Marturano'' and ...

.Bender p.60 It was shot at

Cinecittà Studios Cinecittà Studios (; Italian for Cinema City) is a large film studio in Rome, Italy. With an area of 400,000 square metres (99 acres), it is the largest film studio in Europe, and is considered the hub of Italian cinema. The studios were constru ...

Rome Rome (Italian language, Italian and , ) is the capital city and most populated (municipality) of Italy. It is also the administrative centre of the Lazio Regions of Italy, region and of the Metropolitan City of Rome. A special named with 2, ...

Plot

Vincent and Gennaro live by their wits and petty theft in the city of

Naples Naples ( ; ; ) is the Regions of Italy, regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 908,082 within the city's administrative limits as of 2025, while its Metropolitan City of N ...

. On

Christmas Eve Christmas Eve is the evening or entire day before Christmas, the festival commemorating nativity of Jesus, the birth of Jesus in Christianity, Jesus. Christmas Day is observance of Christmas by country, observed around the world, and Christma ...

, Gennaro steals a service of

glasses Glasses, also known as eyeglasses (American English), spectacles (Commonwealth English), or colloquially as specs, are vision eyewear with clear or tinted lenses mounted in a frame that holds them in front of a person's eyes, typically u ...

and gives it to his girlfriend Nannarella, a poor and honest

seamstress A dressmaker, also known as a seamstress, is a person who makes clothing for women, such as dresses, blouses, and evening gowns. Dressmakers were historically known as mantua-makers, and are also known as a modiste or fabrician. Notable d ...

. Unfortunately, it was discovered, and Gennaro and Vincenzo are arrested. While it is recommended to St. Joseph, it seems that they shower them with a gesture of their

goodwill Goodwill or good will may refer to: * Goodwill (accounting), the value of a business entity not directly attributable to its assets and liabilities * Goodwill ambassador, occupation or title of a person that advocates a cause * Goodwill Games, a f ...

. Released from jail after three months full of good intentions, they are forgiven and Nannarella resumes contact with Gennaro. Since Vincent and Gennaro cannot find honest work, the two are forced to steal more.

Cast

as Vincenzo De Pretore *

as Gennarino *

as Nanninella * Filippo Scelzo as The Surgeon *

Carlo Tamberlani Carlo Tamberlani (11 March 1899 – 5 August 1980) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1931 and 1976. His brother Nando Tamberlani was also an actor. Life and career Born in Salice Salentino, Tamberlani was born ...

as Saint Joseph *Salvatore Costa as Father Carmine *

Fanfulla Luigi Visconti, better known by his stage name Fanfulla, (26 February 1913 – 5 January 1971) was an Italian actor and comedian. Life and career Born in Rome, Visconti debuted at very young age on stage alongside his mother, the actress Merc ...

as The Cheater *Marisa Finiani as Donna Carmela *

Carlo Delle Piane Carlo Delle Piane (2 February 1936 – 23 August 2019) was an Italian film actor. From 1948 until his death, he appeared in more than 100 films.Carlo Pisacane Carlo Pisacane, Duke of San Giovanni (1818–1857) was an Italian patriot and one of the first Italian socialist thinkers. He was an early advocate of propaganda by deed, arguing that violence was necessary not only to draw attention to, or gen ...

*Amedeo Girardi *

Pina Piovani Pina Piovani (20 March 1897 – 2 January 1955) was an Italian stage and film actress.Bìspuri p.126 She was married to the actor Giulio Battiferri. Partial filmography * ''Napule... e niente cchiù'' (1928) - Paquita - stella del varietá * ...

*Luigi Pisano *Manfredi Polverosi

References

Bibliography

* Bender, Robert Gene. ''The Dialect Theatre of Eduardo de Filippo''. Stanford University, 1963. * Dyer, Richard. ''Nino Rota: Music, Film and Feeling''. Bloomsbury Publishing, 2019.

External links

* 1952 films Films scored by Nino Rota 1950s Italian-language films Films directed by Domenico Paolella Italian comedy films 1952 comedy films Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films Films shot at Cinecittà Studios Films set in Naples Films based on works by Eduardo De Filippo {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub