The Head of the Family
Directed byNanni Loy
Written byNanni Loy
Giorgio Arlorio
Ruggero Maccari
Produced byTuri Vasile
StarringNino Manfredi
Leslie Caron
Ugo Tognazzi
CinematographyArmando Nannuzzi
Edited byFranco Fraticelli
Music byCarlo Rustichelli
Bruno Nicolai (music director)
Production
companies
M.N. Produzioni Cinematografiche, C.F.C.
Marianne Productions
Ultra Film
Distributed byAllied Artists (US)
Release date
4 October 1968
Running time
110 minutes
LanguageItalian

Il padre di famiglia (internationally released as The Head of the Family) is a 1967 Italian-French international co-production comedy film directed by Nanni Loy. For his performance in this film and in Italian Secret Service, Nino Manfredi was awarded with a Golden Plate at the 1968 Edition of the Italian Academy Awards known as David di Donatello.[1][2]

Totò died two days after having filmed his first scene in the film; he was replaced by Ugo Tognazzi.[3] Later Tognazzi was nominated at the Italian Film Press Awards, the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor.

Story

The story centres on two characters, a man and a woman, both architects, who meet some time after WWII and get married. Though deeply in love they come from different backgrounds, and do not share the same outlooks on life. Soon she becomes fascinated with her husband's progressive socialist ideals. After the wedding she abandons her work to dedicate herself to raising their growing family, and he, feeling abandoned by her, begins an amorous relationship with one of his colleagues.

Following the various dramas of bringing up the children, who are schooled with the Montessori method, the wife goes to a clinic to recover from a nervous breakdown, while he, still in love with his wife, returns to his own family. When he's asked by a Census official, who is the Head of the Family, the husband does not know what to reply.

Despite the title, in reality, the film narrates the story of women's lives in this period of the late 1960s. At this time, irrespective of social class and culture, women were obligated to live a submissive life and sacrifice much to raise their families. In reality, in this film it is the woman who is the Head of the Family. Leslie Caron has often referred to this film in interviews as one of her favourites in all her work.

Cast

References

  1. ↑ Enrico Lancia (1998). I premi del cinema. Gremese Editore, 1998. ISBN 88-7742-221-1.
  2. ↑ Lino Miccichè, Scuola nazionale di cinema. Storia del cinema italiano. Bianco & nero, 2002.
  3. ↑ Ennio Bìspuri. Vita di Totò. Gremese Editore, 2000.
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