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Divorce Italian Style

Divorzio all'italiana

  • Status: Released
  • 20-12-1961
  • Runtime: 104 min
  • Score: 7.903
  • Vote count: 470

Ferdinando Cefalù is desperate to marry his cousin, Angela, but he is married to Rosalia and divorce is illegal in Italy. To get around the law, he tries to trick his wife into having an affair so he can catch her and murder her, as he knows he would be given a light sentence for killing an adulterous woman. He persuades a painter to lure his wife into an affair, but Rosalia proves to be more faithful than he expected.

Marcello Mastroianni

Ferdinando Cefalù

Daniela Rocca

Rosalia Cefalù

Stefania Sandrelli

Angela

Leopoldo Trieste

Carmelo Patanè

Odoardo Spadaro

Don Gaetano Cefalù

Margherita Girelli

Sisina

Angela Cardile

Agnese Cefalù

Lando Buzzanca

Rosario Mulè

Pietro Tordi

Attorney De Marzi

Ugo Torrente

Don Calogero

Antonio Acqua

Priest

Bianca Castagnetta

Donna Matilde Cefalù

Giovanni Fassiolo

Don Ciccio Matara

Ignazio Roberto Daidone

Francesco Nicastro

Edy Nogara

Renato Pinciroli

Daniela Igliozzi

Laura Tomiselli

Aunt Fifidda

Saro Arcidiacono

Dr. Talamone (uncredited)

Renzo Marignano

Communist Party Activist (uncredited)

Bruno Bertocci

Man in the Square (uncredited)

Pietro Fumelli

Judge (uncredited)

Alba Maiolini

Woman in the Courtroom (uncredited)

talisencrw

As a bizarre tribute to my mom on her 75th birthday and her 46-year-marriage to her only love, my father, who died in 2011, and to her subsequent loyalty and devotion, with stubborn refusal to even contemplate having another relationship, I decided to watch 'Divorce Italian Style'. It was hilarious and highly enjoyable. It certainly deserved its Oscar win for Best Screenplay, as well as its nominations that year both for Best Actor (Marcello Mastroianni) and Best Director (Pietro Germi). The latter tends to get thrown under the bus and ignored altogether when it comes to mentioning pivotal Italian directors of the period. Not so. Though this is thus far the only film of his I have seen, the guy--both in terms of script writing this comedy and behind the camera--is a sheer genius. Do yourself a favour and watch it today!