The Passionate Thief

The Passionate Thief (Italian: Risate di gioia)^[1] is a 1960 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and starring Anna Magnani and Totò and Ben Gazzara.^[2]

The Passionate Thief
Film poster
Directed by	Mario Monicelli
Screenplay by	Suso Cecchi d'Amico Age & Scarpelli Mario Monicelli
Story by	Suso Cecchi d'Amico Age & Scarpelli Mario Monicelli
Based on	Alberto Moravia (stories)
Produced by	Silvio Clementelli
Starring	Anna Magnani Totò Ben Gazzara Fred Clark Edy Vessel
Cinematography	Leonida Barboni
Edited by	Adriana Novelli
Music by	Lelio Luttazzi
Color process	Black and white
Production company	Titanus
Distributed by	Titanus
Release date	13 October 1960 (1960-10-13)
Running time	106 minutes
Country	Italy
Language	Italian

Plot

Two friends (Toto and Magnani) live by their wits working as comedians and cabaret at Cinecittà, before being invited to friends' parties or masked balls during New Year's Eve in Rome. The two, however, even though they make people laugh all the time in public, live an inner conflict, namely that the two have always to be aware to give a smile to someone, but they can never be rich and happy because they are street artists and with a precarious wage.

Cast

• Anna Magnani as Gioia "Tortorella' Fabbricotti
• Totò as Umberto 'Infortunio' Pennazzuto
• Ben Gazzara as Lello
• Fred Clark as L'americano
• Edy Vessel as La ragazza
• Gina Rovere as Mimi
• Toni Ucci as L'amico de Milena
• Kurt Polter as Himself
• Mac Ronay as Il guidatore della metropolitana
• Alberto De Amicis as Himself
• Gianni Bonagura as Himself
• Rik Van Nutter as Himself (as Rik Von Nutter)
• Dori Dorika as Milena (as Dory Dorika)
• Peppino De Martino as Himself
• Marcella Rovena as Himself
• Carlo Pisacane as Il nonno di Gioia

See also

• List of films set around New Year

References

1. Dargis, Manohla (4 December 2014). "Telling Lies for Love, Cruelty or Expediency". The New York Times. Retrieved 15 February 2015.
2. Hal Erickson (2012). "Risate di gioia". Movies & TV Dept. The New York Times. Baseline & All Movie Guide. Archived from the original on 3 November 2012. Retrieved 5 December 2010.

External links

• The Passionate Thief at IMDb
• The Passionate Thief at AllMovie
• The Passionate Thief at Box Office Mojo
• Laughs of Joy (Risate di gioia) at Rotten Tomatoes
• The Passionate Thief at Rotten Tomatoes