HURRICANE ROSIE

Italy, 1980, 118 minutes, Colour.
Gerard Depardieu, Faith Minton.
Directed by Mario Monicelli.

Hurricane Rosie is a corny comedy of interest because it stars a younger Gerard Depardieu as Raoul the boxer. He is usual Depardieu stereotype, rough diamond in the ring, sympathetic in fact. He encounters by chance a big woman with a child - and she turns out to be the part of a team of women wrestlers. They move in together and have an affair? However, sports managers and fixers are in on the deal - and are manipulating Rosie for bouts and financial success. They fall foul of Raoul. Eventually the two break up - Raoul mixes with other women, Rosie is in collusion with one of the sports fixers. There are some final bouts and reconciliation.

The film is introduced by a sports commentator who sets a tone, tries to be rollicking in introducing this story. For fans there are a number of boxing and wrestling bouts. The film is of film buffs interest because it was co-written and directed by Italian Mario Monicelli, a director over a number of decades of a wide range of Italian comedies. Not the most entertaining unless you are a boxing and wrestling fan, but of interest for early Gerard Depardieu work under the direction of Monicelli.