Il bell’Antonio (1960)

by Ted Davis

English Title: Handsome Antonio

Directed by: Mauro Bolognini

Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!

Synopsis: Handsome Antonio Magnano (Marcello Mastroianni) is veritable catnip to the ladies, burdened with the accompanying reputation as a free-ranging Lothario. But when he weds the girl of his dreams, whom he literally regards as an angel, the lushly beautiful but ultimately shallow Barbara Puglisi (Claudia Cardinale), Antonio is unable to consummate the marriage. His impotence shames his boastful overbearing father Alfio (Pierre Brasseur), and outrages and shocks the church, which annuls the union and dissolves the sacrament, allowing the greedy Puglisi family to marry Barbara into an even more propertied and moneyed family. In response to his widely known humiliation, the despondent Antonio retreats from public life, communicating only with his devoted mother Rosaria (Rina Morelli), equivocal best friend Eduardo (Tomas Milan) and submissive family maid Santuzza (Patrizia Bini).

Cat Burglar (Scene Stealer): Early in the movie, during a maddening conversation between father and son, a young ear-twitching tuxedo catnaps on the shelf behind Antonio’s head, next to the clock.

Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni sitting with black and white tuxedo cat behind him on mantel and Alfio Pierre Brasseur
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni sitting with black and white tuxedo cat behind him on mantel and Alfio Pierre Brasseur
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni sitting with black and white tuxedo cat behind him on mantel
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni sitting with black and white tuxedo cat behind him on mantel

Antonio eventually turns from his father and strokes the cat, waking him, but it looks as if the kitty is bare moments away from slipping back into sleep.

Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni petting black and white tuxedo cat on mantel
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni petting black and white tuxedo cat on mantel
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni sitting with black and white tuxedo cat behind him on mantel and Alfio Pierre Brasseur

The cat is seen later when Eduardo invades the kitchen to proposition Santuzza, shifting his resting position in response to the human interruption.

Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni with Santuzza Patrizia Bini with black and white tuxedo cat on table
Il bell'Antonio - Marcello Mastroianni with Santuzza Patrizia Bini with black and white tuxedo cat about to jump off table

Final Mewsings: It’s a demonstrable fact that cats have no shame.

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