Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow (1963)

 Vittorio De Sica's "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow"


In the age of the Italian-style comedy, getting two huge stars like Marcello Mastroianni and Sophia Loren would be a guaranteed box office smash. That's exactly what happened with the 1963 comedy "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow." Not only did it become the third highest grossing film in North America, it cemented Sophia Loren as one of the most famous actresses on the planet.

The film is an anthology. It is divided into three 'chapters.' The first centers on a working-class couple in 1954 who decide to continuously have children to avoid jail time. The second involves the wealthy wife of an industrialist who takes a drive with her lower-class lover. The final act concerns a prostitute who must convince her neighbor's son to maintain his path to priesthood.

The 'Italian-style comedy' is a byproduct of the neo-realist movement, which shifts social and economic themes instead to sexual dynamics and economic privilege. With "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow," De Sica seems to attempt thematically combining the two. It works for the most part. However, because of mélange of the ideas, there seems to be a watering-down of both. Because he injects social and economic dynamics, the comedy suffers. And because there is comedic flourishes, the thematic point suffers. 

Regardless of the confection that resulting in De Sica experimenting with the comedy form, "Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow" still proves to be both entertaining and emotionally stimulating. If anything, it is certainly an opportunity to watch the great Sophia Loren do a strip tease for a hilariously captivated and gleeful Marcello Mastroianni. This alone makes the film a complete win.



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