It's really a masterpiece but Daniela Rocca is not at all ugly, like another guy wrote, watch her well in the movie. And, she's a great actress. I would have liked to start with Marcello or Stefania, who are more beautiful than ever and do some extraordinary roles. There are no words to express how wonderful they are. Margherita Girelli is really delicious in the role of Sisina. And Angela Cardile, gorgeous in the role of Agnese. Leopoldo Trieste, Lando Buzzanca and everyone else, are not at all inferior. Germi's direction is brilliant. The story is more than captivating. Carlo Rustichelli's music is tremendous. A film worth seeing at any time, is one of the absolute masterpieces of the 7th art. Me, I've seen it so many times that I do not know exactly how many...

I think Divorzio all'italiana is an all-time masterpiece of movie-making art. It has amazing depth, and an amazing amount of detail. The cinematography, the script, the acting, the music – all wonderful. The thing is just uncanny. Even though my understanding of Italian is limited to maybe a dozen words, I felt drawn to listening to the dialog – listening in order to get whatever meaning I could pick up from the actors' InFlection and InTonation. The actors were just fantastic.The screenplay is a ruthless skewering of post world war 2 Italy, revealing how Italians were becoming fully aware of the changes that were happening in the rest of the world, revealing how they were being affected by them – appearing eager to adopt them, but at the same time suffering from some kind of insidious stagnation resulting from the Italy's interpretation of the mores imposed by the Roman Catholic church – and revealing the problems that resulted from the conflict between change and stagnation. Some of the changes that were referenced, to hilarious effect as they reached stagnant Italy, were rock and roll, men orbiting the earth, and perhaps the most hilarious, the Italian movie released just a short time earlier: La Dolce Vita.Divorzio all'italiana's main character, FeFe, to get the changes he wants in his life, he doesn't try to change the system; he works within the system. He carries out what seems like a rather unlikely strategy, however it is a strategy that works, sort of. In the process of carrying it out, the rot within the system gets exposed, and the humor gets created.In most movies, the music that is used – it is used to tell the audience how the movie makers want the audience to feel about the things that are being said, about the things that are going on, about how the characters must feel. The dialog tells viewers what the the characters Think; the music tells viewers what the movie makers want the characters, and the viewers, to feel about that. It is, in most movies, as if the dialog and the actors need some extra help emoting, so the director calls in the composer to help out. "Now you know how you are supposed to feel about this, audience." This is NOT how the music is used in Divorzio all'italiana. I am not sure I can explain what the music does in Divorzio all'italiana, what it does differently – but the music does something different, and wonderful. I don't think I have ever seen another movie where I enjoyed the music so much, or where it supported the movie and "belonged" to the movie so well. Just another one of the little details that contribute to Divorzio all'italiana being a masterpiece. By the way, for most of the dialog, I needed a translation, but not for the title. I find it hard to believe that there are any speakers of English who couldn't figure out the meaning of "Divorzio all'italiana" without a translation.

DIVORCE Italian STYLE is a comedy drama about love pains and problems with laws.An impoverished Sicilian nobleman is married with an unattractive but devoted wife. However, he is in love with his, a much younger and attractive, cousin. He lives, besides his wife, with his elderly parents, his spinster sister and her boyfriend. The divorce was illegal in Italy at that time. He has, unsuccessfully, tried to move away from his wife. Perhaps he will try to kill his wife?! A young cousin is so beautiful. He has a very little time to come up with something. A local story of a woman who killed her husband in a rage of jealousy has gave him a great idea...This satirical farce, which includes an affair in a marriage, love for a minor girl and a murder of honor is, in spite of moral transgressions, a very interesting film. Mr. Germi has made a series of wonderful plots, in which he has, in a satirical manner, criticized laws in the Italian society. He has, very imaginatively, combined fantasies with reality. Therefore, the malicious actions of the main protagonist seem quite charming. A happy ending is the culmination of irony.Scenery and music completely correspond with love pains in this film. Characterization is very good.Marcello Mastroianni as Ferdinando Cefalù is a sympathetic and cunning man at the same time. He, perhaps, goes through a midlife crisis. However, his ambitions and plans, which he has prepared with a large dose of elegance and serenity, are quite childish. His character is filled with pathos, despair and longing. Mr. Mastroianni has offered an excellent performance, which is the foundation of a top class entertainment in this film.His support are Daniela Rocca (Rosalia Cefalù) as his boring wife, Stefania Sandrelli (Angela) as his passion, lust and love and Leopoldo Trieste as Carmelo Patanè as his "salvation".This is a very entertaining movie about love torments and...still "natural laws".

POSING IN THE guise of a movie, this film gave us a fine example of the fine Art of Satire. While it exists on the surface as a highly interesting, captivating and truly funny story; it's much more. The method it uses is instructive and sheds light on a social condition that existed in Italy at the time. That issue was the lack of a Divorce Law in that country.WE WERE TREATED to a showing of this film on a local TV station's Sunday Night Late movie. The year was circa 1966; making this DIVORCE Italian STYLE approximately 5 years old by then. We (I) were about 19 years of age then, which means that there was a lot that we didn't understand at that time. We, of course, believed that we were big, grown-up and highly sophisticated at that age. But then again, didn't everyone think of themselves like this? (Can you say "Sophomoric", Schultz?) THE STORY CONCERNS the trials and tribulations of a Middle Class gentleman, Marcello Mastroianni, who is dealing with what is often called "Middle Age Crazy" or "Male Menopause". Although he has a very attractive Wife (Daniella Rocca), he is not content and falls for a teenage temptress (Stefania Sandrelli).THE GREATEST PORTION of the movie involves Signore Mastroianni's lamentations over his unfulfilled desires, plotting how he could 'remedy' the situation and his managing to avoid detection by all, including the girl's family. (In a bit of little used today example of Black Humour, he dodges the bullet of being discovered by her Father's receiving the wrong bit of mail, with Father's being driven to a fatal heart attack while reading it.) IN A SORT OF side bar to the main plot, we see what may be the greatest gag in the film. Folowing the denunciation and warning about the immorality and blatant sinfulness of a motion that is soon to be shown at the local movie house by the local Catholic Priest, the next scene consists of showing large numbers of locals literally running to the theatre, many carrying their own chairs.BECAUSE OF THE sentiments connected with divorce, combined with the law on its legal standing, it is accepted for an offended spouse to kill the adulterous mate. It was in turn considered a crime of passion that carried a light prison term.THE 'SOLUTION' TO his problem has Mr. Mastrioianni attempting to figuratively 'push' his wife into an affair with a former flame. The events leading up to his consummating the solution are most amusing and the setting leading to a great ending.IN THE END, the man doesn't exactly get punished for his misdeeds and fanciful philandering; but he does (or soon will) find out that there is so much truth in the old adage: "The Grass always looks Greener on the Other Side of the Fence."