Don Camillo’s Last Round *** (1955, Fernandel, Gino Cervi, Claude Sylvain) – Classic Movie Review 9355

The great, droll French comic Fernandel again greatly amuses as the eccentric small-village Italian Roman Catholic priest Don Camillo, who this time tries to prevent his friendly opponent, Giuseppe ‘Peppone’ Bottazzi (Gino Cervi), the little town’s Communist mayor, from gaining big power in the Italian elections as senator in the Rome parliament by standing against him.

The third in the five film series, Don Camillo’s Last Round (1955) is another welcome, entertaining episode in the popular, long-running franchise that began with 1952’s The Little World of Don Camillo, followed by The Return of Don Camillo [Il ritorno di Don Camillo] (1953).

The story and screenplay are written by Don Camillo’s creator Giovanni [Giovannino] Guareschi.

Next: Don Camillo: Monsignor (1961) and Don Camillo in Moscow [Don Camillo en Russie] (1965).

Fernandel died of lung cancer during production on what was to have been the final episode in 1971.

Also in the cast are Claude Silvain, Leda Gloria, Gaston Rey, Umberto Spadaro, Memmo Carotenuto, Manuel Gary, Guido Celano, Marco Tulli, Giovanni Onorato, Carlo Duse and Luigi Tosi.

Don Camillo’s Last Round [La grande bagarre de Don Camillo] [Don Camillo e l’onorevole Peppone] is directed by Carmine Gallone, runs 97 minutes, is made by Rizzoli Film, is written by Giovanni [Giovannino] Guareschi (story and screenplay), René Barjavel, Leonardo Benvenuti, Agenore Incrocci and Furio Scarpelli, is shot by Anchise Brizzi, is produced by Angelo Rizzoli, is scored by Alessandro Cicognini and is designed by Virgilio Marchi.

© Derek Winnert 2020 Classic Movie Review 9355

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