Bread, Love and Dreams
- For the Korean TV show, see King of Baking, Kim Tak Goo.
| Bread, Love and Dreams | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Directed by | Luigi Comencini |
| Produced by | Marcello Girosi |
| Written by |
Luigi Comencini Ettore Margadonna |
| Starring |
Vittorio De Sica Gina Lollobrigida |
| Music by | Alessandro Cicognini |
| Cinematography | Arturo Gallea |
| Edited by | Mario Serandrei |
| Distributed by |
Titanus (Italy) I.F.E. Releasing Corporation (USA) |
Release dates | 22 December 1953 |
Running time | 90 minutes |
| Country | Italy |
| Language | Italian |
Bread, Love and Dreams (Italian: Pane, amore e fantasia) is a 1953 Italian romantic comedy film directed by Luigi Comencini. At the 4th Berlin International Film Festival it won the Silver Bear award.[1]
Plot summary
Vittorio De Sica plays the middle-aged marshal Antonio Carotenuto of the Carabinieri in a remote fictional Italian mountain village named Sagliena (actually the village of Castel San Pietro Romano, in Lazio). He's anxious to marry, and selects young Maria De Ritis (Gina Lollobrigida) as his bride; but she is already in love with De Sica's shy subordinate Pietro Stelluti (played by Roberto Risso). Mistaking her headstrong behavior as promiscuity, De Sica makes advances towards her, but she spurns him. Forsaking the girl to the arms of Risso, De Sica decides to settle for village midwife Annarella Mirziano (Marisa Merlini). Things become more complicated when Annarella, the midwife, starts demonstrating her love to Antonio. She is hiding a secret and the Marshal soon will be in a difficult situation.
Overview and response
Pane, amore e fantasia is usually considered the most famous example of Pink neorealism.
The film contains what many critics regard as Gina Lollobrigida's best and most naturalistic performance. The film's popularity resulted in two sequels, one with Lollobrigida: Pane, amore e gelosia (US title: Frisky) and the open-ended Pane, amore e... (English title: Scandal in Sorrento) starring Sophia Loren in the female lead role. De Sica also reprised his role in the Spanish-set Bread, Love and Andalusia (1958).
Main cast
- Vittorio De Sica as Antonio Carotenuto
- Gina Lollobrigida as Maria De Ritis
- Marisa Merlini as Annarella Mirziano
- Virgilio Riento as Don Emidio
- Tina Pica as Caramella
- Maria-Pia Casilio as Paoletta
- Roberto Risso as Pietro Stelluti
- Memmo Carotenuto as Sirio Baiocchi
- Vittoria Crispo as Maria Antonia De Ritis
- Guglielmo Barnabò as Don Concezio
References
- ↑ "4th Berlin International Film Festival: Prize Winners". berlinale.de. Retrieved 2009-12-23.