''Poverty and Nobility'' () is a 1954 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

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comed ...

starring Sophia Loren and

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi De Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il principe della risat ...

. The story is taken from the

Eduardo Scarpetta Eduardo Scarpetta (13 March 1853 – 12 November 1925) was an Italian actor and playwright from Naples. His best-known play is ''Misery and Nobility.'' Biography Although not from a theatrical family, he was on the stage by the age of four ...

's play of the same name. It is considered a masterpiece of Italian popular cinema.

Plot

Naples, second half of the 19th century: impoverished Felice Sciosciamocca tries to work as a scribe for illiterate people, while his friend Don Pasquale tries to make photographs for rich couples. Meanwhile, in the house where the two live, their wives start to fight because the apartment is mortgaged, and the women don't have money to pay the rent. Luckily, rich Count Eugenio, in love with the beautiful dancer Gemma, asks Pasquale and Felice to stage a farce for him. In fact, the father of Gemma - an enriched cook - wants to meet Eugenio's family, but he knows that his real father does not approve of his love affair with the dancer. So Eugenio transforms Don Felice Sciosciamocca into his uncle (the Prince of Casador) and Don Pasquale has to play the true father of Eugenio (Ottavio Favetti). The young count entrusts a false part to each of the members of the two families, except for the second wife of Felice, Concetta. Count Eugenio cannot find a role for her, and Concetta gets very angry. While Felice and Pasquale are arguing in the beautiful villa of Don Gaetano, Concetta bursts into the home and tries to compromise the plan organized by Eugenio. Don Felice manages to fix the situation and in the end all is resolved.

Cast

as Felice Sciosciammocca *

Dolores Palumbo Dolores Palumbo (14 June 1912 – 30 January 1984) was an Italian stage and film actress. Life and career Born in Naples, the daughter of two stage actors, Palumbo debuted in 1930 with a bit role in the farce ''La bella trovata''. Shorty late ...

as Luisella *

Enzo Turco Enzo Turco (1902 – 7 July 1983) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 39 films between 1939 and 1972. He was born in Naples, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * '' Departure at Seven'' (1946) * ''Fear and Sand'' (19 ...

as Pasquale *

Valeria Moriconi Valeria Moriconi (née Abbruzzetti; November 15, 1931 – June 15, 2005) was an Italian actress who appeared both in movies and on stage. Biography Valeria was born in Iesi, in Marche, central Italy. Her earliest work was as a stage actress. Sh ...

as Pupella * Franca Faldini as Nadia *Liana Billi as Concetta *

Franco Sportelli This is a list of male actors from Italy, which generally includes those who have resided in Italy or have largely appeared in Italian film productions. This list includes all actors from :Italian male actors. Persons are listed alphabetically ...

as Vincenzo *Gianni Cavalieri as Don Gaetano *

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress, active in her native country and the United States. With a career spanning over 70 years, she is one of the ...

as Gemma *

Carlo Croccolo Carlo Croccolo (9 April 1927 – 12 October 2019) was an Italian actor, voice artist, director and screenwriter. Biography Born in Naples, Croccolo began his acting career on the radio and appeared in more than 100 films since 1949. His debut ca ...

as Luigino *

Giuseppe Porelli Giuseppe Porelli (24 November 1897 – 5 March 1982) was an Italian stage, film and television actor. Life and career Born Giuseppe Porcelli in Naples, he graduated from the Istituto Tecnico and became an employee of Ferrovie dello Stato. W ...

as Marquis Ottavio aka "Bebè" *

Enzo Petito Enzo Petito (24 July 1897 – 17 July 1967) was an Italian film and stage character actor. A theatre actor under Eduardo De Filippo in the 1950s in the Teatro San Ferdinando of Naples, with whom he was professionally closely associated, Petito als ...

as Don Gioacchino

References

External links

"Poverty and nobility" 1954 by Mario Mattoli
* 1954 films 1954 comedy films 1950s Italian-language films Italian films based on plays Italian historical comedy films Films based on works by Eduardo Scarpetta Films directed by Mario Mattoli Films set in Naples Films set in the 19th century Films with screenplays by Ruggero Maccari Lux Film films Minerva Film films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-comedy-film-stub