Avanti!
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Movie Reviews of Avanti!
Movie Review: A Jack Lemmon classic movie
Summary: 5 Stars
A bedroom farce played out on a resort island in 1960/1970s Italy. Jack and Juliet Mills are superb as are the supporting cast.Movie Review: AVANTI
Summary: 5 Stars
Received Dvd promptly. Fun movie, great condition. Would purchase items from this vendor again anytime.Movie Review: Leisurely Romantic Comedy
Summary: 4 Stars
This one was not thoughfully picked , but caught my eyes in one of those channel surfing routines.. where just after few seconds , didn't think of any other channels or anything else..
The English translation of Italian word 'Avanti!' is 'Go Ahead' and is usually used in response to 'Permesso?' asked by any of the hotel staff while knocking at the door of your room.
Released in 1972, this is Billy Wilder's yet another light comic offering where an American businessman Wendell Armbruster(Jack Lemmon) comes to Italy to pick his father's dead body. Once there he comes to know about the long kept secret of his father of having a relationship with some woman. This woman's daughter Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills) a delightful Brit also comes to Italy to pick her mother's dead body. Wendell, a hyperactive & uptight fellow and Pamela, a loving & carefree person happen to share the same hotel and share the same reason for their Italy visit. After not-so many instances, both of them find themselves in their parent's shoes. As if their assets of love have been passed on to their offspring. At the end, the bodies of the dead are not taken back to their respective country, but buried where their love once bloomed!
Amidst all the tough & good times there is one character that is distinctly noticeable is of Carlo Carlucci(Clive Revill) an efficient,clever and very helpful hotel manager. He is shown to be know-it-all and handle-it-all kinda guy.
One gets a sneak peek at the Italian culture of long lunch hours, mafia ruling,a general laid back attitude of people,etc..Although the movie could have done without the nude scenes and the vineyard brothers & their unreasonable demands from Wendell.
The true meaning of 'Avanti' is revealed when Piggot says it in response to Wendell's asking 'Permesso?' to kiss her. This truly is a magical moment!! The lilting music, the wit of the characters played and the locales add to the magic of this enchanting experience.
I'm glad that a film picked by chance turned out to be such a pleasure and it belongs to my favourite genre of movies!
Movie Review: Forward!
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a review for AVANTI! (1972) directed by Billy Wilder, written by I A L Diamond & Billy wilder from a play by Samuel A Taylor.. In AVANTI! Jack Lemon plays Wendell Armbruster Jr, of Armbruster Industries who must go to Italy to retrieve his father's body in time for a big funeral back in the States but hits more than one snag in his plan because of the secret of his vacation paramour who died in the car crash with him and her daughter is there in Italy to perform the same task with her mother's body, Englishwoman Pamela Piggot, played by Juliet Mills. Wendell's main concern is to get his father's body back home without any scandal but Pamela seems more interested in furthering a relationship with the younger Armbruster.
So the story goes on to its conclusion with the uptight male trying to convince the free thinking female to do things his way. And with the contrasting personality types exhibited by the two leads there is quite an opportunity for much humor helped along by the rather casual work methods employed by the Italian hotel employees. AVANTI! is something short of the continental romp it probably was intended to be but at 140 minutes it's still a pretty fair piece of entertainment.
Misters Wilder & Diamond had been at it a long time and the age begins to show in some of the dialogue and situations in AVANTI! but it's certainly worth seeing and enjoying at least once.
I give AVANTI! Four Stars.
Movie Review: Jack Gets His Kit Off (Juliet, Too!)
Summary: 4 Stars
This is another gem from Billy Wilder. It's kind of a departure from his usual frenetic style. "Avanti!" is paced leisurely which is a blessing but a little bit of a curse. The movie is fine but the material doesn't warrant a running time of 2 hours 20 minutes. That quibble aside I like this movie alot. Jack Lemmon effortlessly contributes another fine performance as the industrialist who goes to Italy to claim his father's body only to find he died with his mistress in a car accident. Juliet Mills is equally fine as the mistress' daughter. Another quibble I had was the film portrays Mills as fat(?!) but she looked alright to me. The blossoming romance between Lemmon and Mills is not only believable but compelling. Clive Revill is an absolute delight as Lemmon's father's confidante. No Oscar nom for Clive(for the movie for that matter). Italy naturally looks great. Enjoy.