Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow [Ieri oggi domani] *** (1963, Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni, Aldo Giuffrè) – Classic Movie Review 6151

Director Vittorio De Sica’s easy-going 1963 Italian portmanteau comedy of three tales now appears rather uneven and a shade clumsy at times, though it was highly popular and much praised on release, and went on to be the winner of the 1965 Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film.

However, portions of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow [Ieri oggi domani] are charming and still raise some smiles. And the movie is very well crafted, with beautiful, expertly shot widescreen Technicolor cinematography by Giuseppe Rotunno.

Marcello Mastroianni and the gorgeous looking Sophia Loren play different characters in each of the three stories, and their playing still seems classy.

The gorgeous looking Sophia Loren, in particular, lights up the opening tale as a delectable black-marketeer who avoids a jail sentence through a string of pregnancies. Mastroianni won the 1965 Bafta Film Award for Best Foreign Actor.

Loren plays Adelina Sbaratti, Anna Molteni and Mara. Mastroianni plays Carmine Sbaratti, Renzo and Augusto Rusconi.

In Adelina, based on a story by Eduardo De Filippo, married Adelina Sbaratti survives by selling black market cigarettes on the street.

In Anna, based on a novel by Alberto Moravia, businessman’s spoiled wife Anna Molteni fancies an affair with an artist named Renzo.

In Mara, based on a story by Cesare Zavattini, working-from-home prostitute Mara befriends a young man called Umberto.

Also in the cast are Aldo Giuffré, Agostino Salvietti, Pasquale Cennamo, Armando Trovajoli, Tina Pica, Gianni Ridolfi, Tonino Cianci, Carlo Croccolo, Gennaro Di Gregorio, Lino Mattera, Silvia Monelli and Tecla Scarano.

It is written by Eduardo De Filippo, Cesare Zavattini, Bella Billa and Isabella Quarantotti, produced by Carlo Ponti and Joseph E. Levine, scored by Armando Trovajoli and designed by Ezio Frigerio.

© Derek Winnert 2017 Classic Movie Review 6151

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