Divorce Italian Style (1961)

Pietro Germi's "Divorce Italian Style"


There are certain films that have a thematic resonance that overpowers the film's sense of entertainment value. Then there are films that are so entertaining, you don't even attempt to mine any semblance of theme or greater point. Pietro Germi's 1961 comedy "Divorce Italian Style" is one of those films.

The film centers on a 37-year-old impoverished nobleman named Ferdinando who daydreams about the various ways he could end the life of his wife of 12 years, Rosalia. He decides to hatch a plan to break off his marriage in order to secure a marriage between himself and his 16-year-old cousin, Angela, whom he only sees during the summer. To enact his plan, he hires his wife's former lover to come and pain their ceiling, hoping he can catch them in the act and murder them.

While the plot of the film may sound dramatic or intense, it is actually done incredibly farcically. Every bit of what's happening in the film illicits humor to varying degrees. The pure absurdity at the level of machinations our protagonist goes through had exhilarated beyond belief. It's a completely irreverent work that deserve its lauded status as an all-time comedy. 

If one were to pull any semblance of thematic point from Germi's work, it's that humans are so fickle and obsessed with their own desires. The final shot of the film, which I won't give anything away, cements that point. However, the entertaining ability of the film certainly takes this notion and runs away with it. 

There's not much more for me to say about "Divorce Italian Style," beyond its irreverence, humor, and farce. It is one of the most entertaining films I've come across in a good while. I am hoping this isn't the peak of 1960s Italian sex comedies, because I would certainly like more of this confection. 



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