''Mortacci'' is a 1989 Italian

black comedy Black comedy, also known as black humor, bleak comedy, dark comedy, dark humor, gallows humor or morbid humor, is a style of comedy that makes light of subject matter that is generally considered taboo, particularly subjects that are normally ...

film, directed by

Sergio Citti Sergio Citti (30 May 1933 – 11 October 2005) was an Italian film director and screenwriter, born in Rome. He often worked with Pier Paolo Pasolini but also worked for others such as Ettore Scola. His own films include ''We Free Kings (film) ...

. The film is set in a cemetery, where the dead souls gather every night, awaiting permission to enter the

afterlife The afterlife or life after death is a purported existence in which the essential part of an individual's Stream of consciousness (psychology), stream of consciousness or Personal identity, identity continues to exist after the death of their ...

. They reminisce about their past lives and the circumstances surrounding their deaths, while observing the living and witnessing their misdeeds.

Plot summary

In a small town cemetery, the deceased gather every night for a meeting. They are doomed to remain there until the last living person who remembers them passes away. Through recollections of their lives and deaths, various characters are introduced: Alma, a theater actress ( Carol Alt) who witnesses every night the futile attempt of her ex-lover (

Malcolm McDowell Malcolm McDowell (born Malcolm John Taylor; 13 June 1943) is an English actor. He first became known for portraying Mick Travis in Lindsay Anderson's ''if....'' (1968), a role he later reprised in ''O Lucky Man!'' (1973) and ''Britannia Hospital ...

) to commit suicide over her grave; Angelo, a womanizer ( Andy Luotto) who died out of shame; Felice and Giggetto, two beggars (Eraldo Turra and Luciano Manzalini) who leave the group when the last woman (

Mariangela Melato Mariangela Caterina Melato (; 19 September 1941 – 11 January 2013), sometimes billed as Maria Angela Melato, was an Italian actress. She is most remembered for her roles in films of director Lina Wertmüller, including '' The Seduction of Mimi' ...

) who remembers them dies during a visit to their grave. The narration is interrupted by the arrival of Lucillo (

Sergio Rubini Sergio Rubini (born 21 December 1959) is an Italian actor, film director and screenwriter. Life and career Rubini was born in Grumo Appula, Apulia, but soon moved to Rome to study acting. After some roles in theatre, he debuted in a feature f ...

), a soldier presumed dead in a Lebanese military mission, who is forced by his fellow villagers to actually die, as they have built a lucrative business around his hero status and fame. Cemetery warden Domenico (

Vittorio Gassman Vittorio Gassman (; born Gassmann; 1 September 1922 – 29 June 2000), popularly known as , was an Italian actor, director, and screenwriter. He is considered one of the greatest Italian actors, whose career includes both important producti ...

) oversees the operations, from opening the gates to stealing valuables from the dead, unaware that the deceased observe him and everything that occurs in the small cemetery.

Cast

as Domenico * Carol Alt as Alma Rossetti *

as Edmondo *

Galeazzo Benti Galeazzo Benti (6 August 1923 – 21 April 1993) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than 70 films between 1942 and 1991. Life and career Born Galeazzo Bentivoglio in Florence, Italy, a descendant of the Bentivoglio family, which ru ...

as Tommaso Grillo *

as Jolanda *

as Lucillo Cardellini * Nino Frassica as La guida * Andy Luotto as Angelo Cuoco, aka "Scopone" *

Aldo Giuffrè Aldo Giuffrè (10 April 1924 – 26 June 2010) was an Italian film actor and comedian who appeared in over 90 films between 1948 and 2001. He was the brother of actor Carlo Giuffrè. He is known for his roles in '' The Four Days of Naples'', ...

as the undertaker *

Alvaro Vitali Alvaro Vitali (; born 3 February 1950) is an Italian actor. He was an electrician until he was discovered by Federico Fellini and played a small part in ''Satyricon'' (1969), which led to other roles, notably in the movie '' Amarcord'' (1973 ...

as Torquato * Silvana Bosi as Torquato's mother * Eraldo Turra as Felice * Luciano Manzalini as Giggetto * Donald O'Brien as Archibald Williams * Michela Miti as the bartender * Gina Rovere as Ada

References

External links

* 1989 films 1989 black comedy films Films directed by Sergio Citti Films scored by Francesco De Masi Italian black comedy films Films with screenplays by Vincenzo Cerami 1980s Italian-language films 1980s Italian films Films set in cemeteries Films about actors {{1980s-Italy-comedy-film-stub