Cecilia is a commoner who runs an inn, where the specialty is the "spaghetti alla carbonara". Moreover, the woman is tied to the movement of young patriots, named "Carbonari", who want a united Italy, and are struggling against the power of the pope. Cecilia believes she lost her husband in a fatal accident, and has made a new lover: Fabrizio, who is also a patriot. One day the guy's saved by a monk, when he is about to be imprisoned by the soldiers of Cardinal Rivarola. The monk is the husband of Cecilia, not dead in the accident, and now he helps her to fight against the power of Rome with the Carbonari.
Acting
Nino Manfredi's Cardinal steals every scene he's in.
Production
Rome locations that feel lived-in, not museum-dusty.
Writing
Magni's script balances slapstick with actual historical stakes.
Director
Luigi Magni
Lucrezia Lante della Rovere
Cecilia
Valerio Mastandrea
Fabrizio
Fabrizio Gifuni
Zaccaria
Nino Manfredi
Cardinale
Claudio Amendola
Lupone
Giuseppe Milazzo Andreani
Cavaliere
Fernando Cerulli
Principe di Collepardo
Pierfrancesco Favino
Sergente
Andrea Garinei
Pittore straniero
Duccio Giordano
Filippo
Giacomo Gonnella
Michele
Pino Ingrosso
Cantante
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
The Carbonari were real secret societies fighting Austrian and Papal rule; Magni treats them with genuine affection despite the farce.
This was Nino Manfredi's final major role—he'd spent decades perfecting the art of playing corrupt Italian authority figures.
No ratings yet
Sign in to join the discussion — comments are spoiler-gated to your watch progress.
Discussion starters
IT
