Two rival clubs, one kidnapped son, and a love story that'd make Romeo say 'chill.'
Renato and Gedeon have just opened a nightclub in a disreputable area of New York, triggering the hostility of Gionata, a gang leader and owner of the nightclub across the street. Helped by the hoods of his gang, Gionata uses a couple of tricks to try and ruin his competitors. To begin with, he induces his friend Barbara, a vamp, to perform in a hot number in Renato and Gedeon's joint, so that the police intervene and close the club. The move fails, so Gionata decides to have Renatino, Renato's son, kidnapped by his men, which proves another flop. To make matters worse for Gionata, Michaela, his own daughter, has fallen in love with Renato, and sides with him and his partner...
Acting
Renato Rascel plays father AND son because why hire two actors?
Direction
Guido Leoni's debut—he learned from Fellini, then went gloriously rogue.
Director
Guido Leoni
Renato Rascel
Renato / Renatino - il suo figlio
Annie Fratellini
Michaela Gionata
Dario Fo
Pupo - il biondo
Franca Rame
Barbara
Stefano Sibaldi
L'ispettore Gordon
Peppino De Martino
Gedeone
Arturo Bragaglia
il Professore
Gino Buzzanca
Gionata Asso di picche
Carlo Hintermann
Tre Dita
Riccardo Cucciolla
Undici
Enzo Garinei
il Principe
Gisella Sofio
signora al telefono
Maria Teresa Vianello
Ilse
Elena Fancera
Galina
Mimmo Poli
Malone
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Renato Rascel was a huge Italian star who insisted on playing dual roles—father and kidnapped son—because apparently one paycheck wasn't enough.
This was Dario Fo's first major film role; he'd later win the Nobel Prize in Literature, so this is basically his 'before they were famous' moment.
IT
