I SOLITI IGNOT1 (BIG DEAL ON MADONNA STREET, PERSONS UNKNOWN)

Italy, 1957, 106 minutes, Black and white.
Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Toto, Claudia Cardinale, Carla Gravina, Renato Salvatori.
Directed by Mario Monicelli.

I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street, Persons Unknown) is a classic Italian comedy of the '50s. It was co-written and directed by Mario Monicelli, director of many comedies from Italy during the '50s and '60s. The film was remade in the United States by Louis Malle as Crackers. Bob Fosse brought it to the Broadway stage as a musical, Big Deal, in the mid'80s.

The film has an enjoyable gallery of eccentric characters portrayed by some of the stars of Italian cinema over several decades: Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni. The comedian Toto has a good role. The young Claudia Cardinale also appears.

The film is a parody of the meticulously planned robbery film, especially Jules Dassin's Rififi. The film gets its enjoyment from the nature of the characters, the details of the plans, the eccentric ways in which they go wrong. The film also has a wide range of Italians represented, from north to south - with their own styles, background and slang.

While the style is somewhat dated, the basic comedy is still very appealing and the parody clever.

It was remade as Crackers by Louis Malle and the Russo Brothers used it as the basis for Welcome to Colinwood.

1. An enjoyable comedy? Italian comedy? The status of the film as a classic comedy?

2. The atmosphere of the streets, prisons, homes, apartments? Authentic outdoor location photography? The range of characters? The musical score?

3. The title and its reference to newspaper articles about robberies? The person or persons unknown as the causes of crime? The humorous filling in for the audience to make such unknown persons known?

4. The popularity of the robbery film? The suspense of the tightly planned and executed robbery genre? The film spoofing such genre? The film using the contentions for satire?

5. The focus on Cosimo, the leader of the gang, their lack of success, the car theft, his plans for the big robbery? His going to jail? His trying to trick Peppe into taking his place? The irony of both going to jail? Peppe tricking Cosimo about the details of the robbery? The pathos of Cosimo's being set free in the amnesty, the attempted robbery, his death? The serious side of the spoof?

6. The composition of the gang, their backgrounds, getting together, the bonds between them, their dependence on each other, the plans, the discussions, the fallings out? Tensions? The build-up to the operation? Cosimo’s death? The final details. equipment? The going over of the plan? The execution of the plan - suspense, atmosphere? Things going wrong, the locked doors, the creeping over the roof, the lovers in the flat, the lack of the map, the drilling of the wall? The fiasco with their drilling into the kitchen - and their consoling themselves with the pasta in the refrigerator? Going home to begin another day's work? The humour of the close-up on the newspaper item?

7. Peppe and Vittorio Gassman acting against image in the '50s? His role as a boxer, his part in the scheme, standing in for Cosimo, going to jail? His shrewdness in getting the plans from Cosimo? His determination to carry out the plan himself? His recruiting the gang? His relationship with them? The planning? Everything going wrong? Wandering away at the end - nothing lost, nothing gained?

8. Tiberio and his timidity, his work as a photographer, his presence in the group, hesitations? His mix-up with the free camera? His breaking his arm?

9. Mario as the drifter, his participation in the plan, his meeting of Carmelita, the courting of Carmelita, the tricks to get inside, eluding her brother, the confrontation with her brother?

10. The Sicilian and his strict styles, his hold over his sister, his suspicions? The comic exaggerations of the Sicilian protecting the women? His participation in the plot?

11. Carmelita as the younger sister, being subdued by her brother, attracted towards Mario, their falling in love, the devices of getting him into the house, of getting him out of the house?

12. Dante the veteran safecracker, his being approached by the gang, his pompous lectures on safecracking, participation in the plot?

13. Nicoletta and her relationship, participation in the group?

14. An enjoyable spoof rogues' gallery?