Buona Sera Mrs Cambell!!!

A wonderful film by Melvin Frank...

Carla Campbell is an Italian woman who (when she was younger) slept with an American Corporal, a Sergeant and a Lieutenant when she was helping in America. She discovers she is pregnant and uncertain as to which of the three men is the baby's father! So being a woman (of course) she convinces each of the three to send her money to support 'their' baby. (Each man has no idea about the other two!)
Carla dosn't want a bad reputation so she has told everyone that she is a war widow (of a captain Cambell - when really she gets the name from a tin of Cambell's soup!!!)
The film begins twenty years after the World War II. The three men (accompanied by their families) attend a reunion in the village they liberated. Each man is anxious to meet his daughter for the first time! Carla has to try and keep them apart, or they'll discover her secret. While at the same time she has to stop Gia from running off to Rome, where she plans to be with a much older married man!
I have seen this film before when I was very young.The plot has been adapted for the stage show and blockbuster 'Mamma Mia'! I think the story is wonderful, its a 'some like it hot' kind of lighthearted comedy. It can't be taken too seriously, and with the fantastic Italian backdrop and vibrant characters I think Melvin Frank has directed this wonderfully.
The story is handled in such a way that you don't ever question the authenticity of the narrative and if its at all plausible. Its such good fun, and such a bright and cheerful film that intricate details just don't matter.
Gina Lollobrigida who plays Carla Cambell is so glamorous and such a strong feminine character, she gets into this situation and just decides to take money from all three men! I love this!!! Its also intersting that in the film it never appears to be cruel or unjust! -which again is by the clever use of tone and humour. Also unlike Mamma Mia! these men are no colin Firths, their balding, fat, stuffy Americans, you you don't feel sorry for them at all, it's very comical.
I love the title sequence for this film, its so cheerful and very 'Italian Kitsch' (if thats even a phrase?) I think its a good example of a title sequence setting up the tone for the movie, nothing much happens but we are actually subconsciously presented with alot of character details, a very independent woman, in an amazingly stylish car (probably bought with the money from the three Americans!) and it shows the importance of the Italian setting. It reminds me of films like Cary Grant's 'House boat' where the title sequences where still very much trying to get you into the tone and mood before the film, maybe because like in 'Thats Entertainment' they used to have a musical introduction before the film to get the audience into the mood? And tonal title sequences were the next step. Nowadays we seem to have very clever title sequences that don't in any way reflect the tone of the film to follow.
I would definitely recommend this film because I love it! Its beautiful, extremely funny, and very, very GLAMOUROUS!!!

Here is the catchy title sequence...

Also...this is another example of a wonderful movie poster! A very cheerful and chic colour range, and incredibly stylish!