Given that the commedia all’italiana films of the mid-20th century were often focused on satirizing social forces, money-hungry characters had their fair share of ridicule. At the time, Italy was caught between the poverty of a Fascist empire and two world wars, and an economic boom that was ushered in during the 1960s.
These extremes of wealth meant that the country was ripe for new opportunities – and for corruption. Caught up in new luxury and imported American movie-star culture, the Italian middle class rushed on, full steam ahead.
By the way, in the second half of the 19th century, when the films described below were made, investing was a fairly new, but promising direction. Currently, investing money is very popular, according to research by an expert resource that specializes in brokers Brokerschart.it. You can use this resource if you have decided that it is time to invest the saved money in something.
The Boom (1963)
Giovanni, an ambitious young businessman living the high life in Rome, is in rather dire straits. Finding himself deep in debt and desperate to hide the state of his finances from his unsuspecting and luxury-loving wife, he decides to accept an appointment with the mysterious wife of a rich manufacturer, Ms. Bausetti. While Giovanni suspects that a loan from her won’t come easy, the full extent of her unsettling proposal may involve a price he’s unwilling to pay.
Featuring Alberto Sordi in the lead role, who expertly navigates both the character’s satirical and serious sides, and a snappy script written by Cesar Zavattini, the film lays bare the psychology of a spendthrift in deep over his head with the need to impress. Director Vittorio De Sica crafts a cutting look at the transactional nature of human interactions, even amidst prosperity, as Giovanni risks losing not only his lifestyle but his loved ones and his very sense of self as a result of his dissipated wealth.
Fiasco in Milan (1959)
The follow-up to Mario Monicelli’s Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958), this comedy follows the same bunch of hapless caperers that starred in the earlier classic. Their heist this time is initiated by a Milanese crime boss, played by Riccardo Garrone. He enlists robbers Peppe, Mario, and Capenelle to help him steal the lottery winnings from an upcoming football match in Milan.
Though the plan is meticulously laid out thanks to the help of an insider at the lottery, almost anything that can go wrong does.
Despite the fact that the film isn’t as tightly crafted as Monicelli’s original, and merely elaborates on already established themes, it’s still a worthwhile watch. Full of well-played gags and engaging characterizations, it’s a strong sequel to a legendary original.
La Banda degli Onesti, or The Band of the Honest (1956)
The Band of the Honest follows Antonio Bonocore, the doorman of a Roman apartment building, as he finds himself drawn gradually into a life of forgery and fraud. Antonio, known for his honesty, is given a stolen cliché and banknote paper by the elderly Mr. Andrea, a tenant of the building who is nearing his deathbed. Mr. Andrea had stolen the implements while still employed at the Bank of Italy, intending to forge banknotes as a form of revenge for being forced into an early retirement.
Andrea never quite worked up the courage to use the cliché, however – he simply wants Antonio to get rid of the evidence by throwing it into the Tiber. Antonio plans to do so, until he finds himself on the brink of being fired by the building’s manager for refusing to collude with him in embezzling funds from the apartment. Choosing the lesser of two evils, Antonio persuades two other building employees to join with him in operating the cliché and begins printing false notes in earnest.
Things go smoothly, until an investigation is launched into the use of counterfeit bills forged in Rome. Fronting the investigation? Antonio’s son Michele, a promising young revenue officer quickly on the rise within the bureau. Under suspicion from his own son, Antonio must face the possibility of turning himself in or continue lying to Michele, putting his honest nature to the test.
Conclusion
Luckily, as watch-worthy as these films are, you won’t need to resort to similar extremes if you’re hoping to improve your finances. Have you always wanted to break in to investing but didn’t know where to start? There are broker comparison sites that make it easy.
On BrokersChart, you can access insights into different traders, such as the Switzerland-based BDSwiss, and check everything from the details on their traded assets to their reliability and ratings.
You can also see an overview of available accounts, such as those provided by https://brokerschart.it/migliori-brokers/fineco – all of the details are in the review, and you can access the website of the trader right from BrokerChart. Trust us – it’s definitely much simpler than trying to pull off a bank heist, even if it may be just a bit less entertaining.