The year is 1943; the Allies are preparing to invade Southern Italy and loosen Mussolini’s fascist hold on the country. Meanwhile, a bumbling waiter named Arturo (Pif) is in love with Flora (Miriam Leone), his employer ’s niece. She’s being married off to a Mafia chieftain’s son unless Arturo can ask her father for her hand... only Dad lives in Sicily. So, our hapless hero joins the Army to find him, only to be recruited on a mission involving an MIA soldier carrying sensitive information in the region. Thus, begins a wild romp through WWII’s greatest hits, complete with cameos from FDR, Lucky Luciano, and a host of other historical figures. The latest from the writer-director-star Pierfrancesco Diliberto, better known as the popular entertainer/TV personality “Pif,” offers a little something for everyone: broad slapstick, swooning romance, childlike wonder, a Mob drama, dueling Mussolini-vs.-Madonna statues, and the unforgettable sight of a man singlehandedly saving the day by flying into Sicily on a donkey. It’s also a throwback to the sort of raucous comedies that the country used to export in bulk—a whimsical, ironic story of a charming dolt, a beautiful girl, and love, Italian style. –
David FearCo-presented by
Museo Italo Americano and
San Francisco Italian Athletic Club.