Black comedy set world war two with some botcher and coward soldiers masterfully played by Alberto Sordi , Serge Reggniani , Martin Balsam , Nino Castelnuovo , among others . All of them helped to launch the genre of Commedia all'Italiana ("comedy Italian-style"). Here Alberto Sordi as the officer who wouldn't fight...until he found the enemy . They both attempting a great number of schemes to get out for fighting and working and return home . When is signed the armistice by Mariscal Badoglio , there takes place the Nazi occupation . It is estimated that between September 1943 and April 1945, some 60,000 Allied and 50,000 German soldiers died in Italy . In the West, no other campaign cost more than Italy in terms of lives lost and wounds suffered by infantry forces of both sides, during bitter small-scale fighting around strong points at Winter positions, Anzio girth and Gothic Line . Then , there occurs a real chaos , as military trying go home . All of them try in every way to avoid serving the army but their circumstance dictates otherwise , as the destiny make them meeting again . As our main protagonists (Alberto Sordi and Serge Reggiani) find themselves in the mists of German front , much against their will . But war is getting everyday closer and unfortunately, they fall in the hands of a stiff enemy during Nazi occupied Italy . ¨Tutti a Casa¨ is hell at its hottest , men at their mightiest , the screen at its greatest!
This is an amusing Commedia all'Italiana about some rogues called to serve the army in the WWI , as the Italian Army fought against the Allied during World War II ; however , when it happens capitulation , one part army joins Allied and another unites Fascist forces . Being excellently re-enacted by including movements of large numbers of soldiers during battle frames that are well come-to-life . This is a zany Tragicomedy seeing the misfit group in all kinds of troubles involving Italian Army . This entertaining Alberto Sordi recital provides too much amusement in detailing the exploits of a band of Italian soldiers in the wartime front . Slightly muddled but generally nice performed dealing with a team of makeshift soldiers , which owed much of its success to the brilliant comic characterisations . Lots of comedy and hilarious dialog , including some spectacular battles with loads of extras provided by actual Italian infantry . The film relies heavily on the continuous relationship between Albert Sordi and Serge Reggiani , but it doesn't makes tiring , neither dull but entertaining . Very good Italian support cast such as Martin Balsam , Alex Nicol , Mario Feliciani , Claudio Gora , Carlo D'Angelo and the veteran Eduardo De Filippo . Special mention for Carla Gravina as the Jewish girl who falls in love for Nino Castelnuovo .
The main premise results to be two bungler as well as reluctant soldiers who under twisted circumstances turn into heroes . ¨Tutti a Casa¨ bears remarkable resemblance to "La Grande Guerra" or "The Great War" (1959) , set in WWI , by Mario Monicelli with Alberto Sordi , Vittorio Gassman , Silvana Mangano , Folco Lulli . Both of them share same starring , producer Dino De Laurentiis and screen-writers : Agenore Incrocci also known as ¨Age¨ and ¨Scarpelli¨ (Sergio Leone's usual writers) , they were Italy's most respected and prolific screenwriters who wrote touching , hilarious and amusing scripts . Two of Italy's leading satirical screenwriters , worked on the scripts of about 140 films and enjoyed a lengthy writing partnership , from 1949 until 1985 ,sometimes without a credit , and received three shared Oscar nominations , for I Compagni (The Organiser, 1963), Casanova '70 (1965) and Il Postino (1994) . The pair collaborated on the 1958 successful film I Soliti Ignoti (Big Deal on Madonna Street) .
Imaginative as well as sensitive original Music by Angelo Francesco Lavagnino , conducted by ordinary Franco Ferrara . Evocative and atmospheric cinematography by Carlo Carlini . The motion picture was very well directed by Luigi Comencini who gets to capture the same period feeling during the WWII . Comencini was born in Salò , Lombardy, Italy . He was a director and writer, who directed a lot of comedies and dramas , and his films often focused on the plight of children . He was a film critic before becoming a director . Luigi was one of the founders of the Cineteca Italiana , the first film archive in Italy . Being specially known for Cercasi Gesù (1982) , Traffic Jam (1979) , Casanova : His youthful years , The Sunday woman , El Commissario , Till marriage do us part , Don Camilo , Bread , love and dreams (1953) , Frisky , and several others . Rating : Above average . Well worth watching . Essential and indispensable seeing
