BUONA SERA, MRS CAMPBELL

US, 1968, 108 minutes, Colour.
Gina Lollobrigida, Shelley Winters, Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford, Telly Savalas, Lee Grant, Janet Margolin, Philip Leroy.
Directed by Melvin Frank.

Buona Sera, Mrs Campbell is a very light comedy – although, in its time, a touch risqué. It focuses on World War Two experiences of GIs in Italy. When they were stationed there, three GIs (Phil Silvers, Peter Lawford, Telly Savalas) all had a relationship with a local girl, Carla. She is played by Italian sex symbol Gina Lollobrigida who had made quite an impact, especially in the 1950s with a range of films in Italy and in Rene Clair’s Beauties of the Night as well as John Huston’s Beat the Devil.

Shelley Winters is on hand as Phil Silvers’ hysterical wife and Lee Grant appears as well. Janet Margolin is the young daughter – for whom each of the GIs has been paying maintenance for twenty years. Now there is a reunion….

The film was co-written by Melvin Frank, its director, as well as by British writer Denis Norden. Melvin Frank had begun as a writer in Hollywood in the early 50s with star vehicles at Paramount for actors like Bob Hope (My Favourite Blonde, Road to Utopia, Monsieur Beaucaire). He also wrote for Cary Grant Mr Blandings Builds His Dream House, and for Red Skelton A Southern Yankee. During the 1950s he had great success, especially with three vehicles with Danny Kaye: Knock on Wood, White Christmas and The Court Jester. During the 60s and 70s he made a number of comedies including Strange Bedfellows, A Touch of Class and Lost and Found, with Glenda Jackson.

1. The overall entertainment value of the film? Its quality as a comedy? Its human interest?

2. The contribution of the colour photography, Italian locations, the variety of stars, the title song and the background music? The importance of the creation of atmosphere?

3. The film seen as a farce? The qualities and style of farce, situations, mistaken identities? How well did the film have variations on these themes? Audience expectations, suspense, involvement?

4. How well did the comedy set its scene? The elaboration of Mrs Campbell, her personality, her story and her predicament? The ironic introduction to the husbands?

5. The importance of the structure of the film? The coping with the three dilemmas? The introduction to frenzies, farcical situations, the climax? How convincingly handled?

6. The film's basic attitude to Mrs Campbell? The audience's attitude towards her? The husbands, the wives, the town's attitude? The war background and its realities of loneliness, Mrs Campbell as a girl, the question of money, the daughter? How responsible and guilty was she as regards the fraud? The question of paternity? The basic ambiguity of the situation? How well did the film get comedy from a basically serious situation?

7. The personality of Mrs Campbell? Gina Lollobrigida and her style? The story of her past, the predicament of the present? Her relationship to her daughter, protecting her, moral attitude towards her elopement? The snobbery towards the Contessa? Her coping, her capacity for love, her feeling? Relationship to Vittorio, to Rosa?

8. The importance of the Italian background, the Italians and their style? The army, chapels, the roads, speed etc.? The humour of the Italians?

9. The contrast with the Americans? Loud, tours, speeches, morale, army background, family life etc.?

10. What kind of men were the husbands? The comparison via the reception of the letters, attitude toward Mrs Campbell, towards Cia, to money, to the truth? Phil and his family life? Justin and the iciness of his marriage? Walter and his impotence? How did the three compare, contrast? The particular characteristics of their personalities?

11. The comparison and contrast of the wives? Their supporting their husbands, the clash, their attitude towards Mrs Campbell, to Cia, to the truth? The comedy in Shirley and her loudness? The family? Typical Americans? Fritzie and her acidity? Lauren and her coolness?

12. The characterization of Rosa and Vittorio and their contribution to the plot?

13. The exploration of the themes of marriage, love, responsibilities, truth and lies?

14. The frothy entertainment value of the film? The sentimental aspects? The frothy exploration of real values?