''The Lovemakers'' () is a 1961

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

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. The drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular ...

directed by

Mauro Bolognini Mauro Bolognini (28 June 1922 – 14 May 2001) was an Italian film and stage director. Early years Bolognini was born in Pistoia, in the Tuscany region of Italy. After earning a master's degree in architecture at the University of Florence, Bol ...

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

Claudia Cardinale Claude Joséphine Rose Cardinale (; born 15 April 1938), known as Claudia Cardinale (), is an Italian actress. Born and raised in La Goulette, a neighbourhood of Tunis, Cardinale won the "Most Beautiful Italian Girl in Tunisia" competition ...

and

Jean-Paul Belmondo Jean-Paul Charles Belmondo (; 9 April 19336 September 2021) was a French actor. Initially associated with the New Wave of the 1960s, he was a major French film star for several decades from the 1960s onward, frequently portraying police officer ...

, was entered into the

1961 Cannes Film Festival The 14th Cannes Film Festival took place from 3 to 18 May 1961. French writer Jean Giono served as jury president for the main competition. The ''Palme d'Or'' was jointly awarded to '' The Long Absence'' by Henri Colpi and '' Viridiana'' by Lu ...

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 a type of sex work that involves engaging in 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, non-pe ...

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 A brothel, strumpet house, bordello, bawdy house, ranch, house of ill repute, house of ill fame, or whorehouse is a place where people engage in Human sexual activity, sexual activity with prostitutes. For legal or cultural reasons, establis ...

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 Italian neorealism, neorealist and genres. His 1961 film ''Divorce Italian Style'' earned him a Ac ...

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'' (1962) she was nominated for the Golden Globe Award for Best Supporting Actress – ...

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 had a successful Hollywood career and appeared in films by Jacques Tati'','' such as ''Jour de fête'' and Luis Buñuel, including ''The Discreet Charm of the Bourgeoisie'' ...

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 as Arlecchino *

Nando Angelini Nando Angelini (born 17 August 1933) is 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, graduating in 1955. Ve ...

as young man * Duilio D'Amore as Bernardo * Giuseppe Tosi as Casamonti * Paola Pitagora as Anna *

Gianna Giachetti Gianna is a female Italian language, Italian given name, a diminutive form of ''Giovanna''. In English language, English, it is translated as "Jane (given name), Jane", "Jean (female given name), Jean", "Joan (given name), Joan", "Joanne (given na ...

as boarder at brothel * Rosita di Vera Cruz as Margherita * Dante Posani as Gustavo *

Olimpia Cavalli Olimpia Cavalli (30 August 1930 – 29 March 2012) was an Italian actress. Born in Cadeo, Italy, she was mainly active between the late fifties and mid-sixties. After being a star on '' avanspettacolo'' alongside Erminio Macario, she made he ...

as boarder * Aurelio Nardi as ball-man * Maurice Poli as uncle Cesare *

Renzo Palmer Renzo Palmer (20 December 1930 – 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 stag ...

* Rina Morelli

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