The fate and fortunes of an Italian family living in England survive many dramatic changes, beginning when the father takes the advice of a talking pig's head on a platter and strikes it rich at a card game. Fans of the British TV cult miniseries 'The Singing Detective' might know (to some degree at least) what to expect from director Jon Amiel's oddball follow-up: an often fantastic but always engaging fable full of magic and mischief, lucky charms and bad omens, rivalries, vendettas, wild coincidences, and eccentric characters. It opens like the last act of some grand Italian opera, but can't hope to sustain the same level of energy and invention all the way to the final credits. There's a false climax involving a magic box which makes the actual conclusion seem almost an afterthought, but elsewhere it's a lively, compassionate, unpredictable film, and unlike Amiel's previous film no one suffers any horrible skin diseases.

I've seen this film several times and find it a heart warming comedy/drama. If you enjoy movies which make you laugh, make you cry, this is a good one for you. It is about an Italian family living in England in, I believe, the 1950s. It's ambiance and feeling remind me of several of my other favorites. It has some mystical elements are reminiscent of The Milagro Beanfield War. It's family focus reminds me of Shower, a wonderful Chinese film about a father and 2 sons, who run a Beijing bathhouse. I find the story engaging, the acting to be quite good and the depiction of England in this period to be interesting. I have had difficulty finding it for rental of late so may actually purchase this one.

One of the most charming films of the 80's. It's a happy, sad, tragic, comic and glorious film about an Italian immigrant family living in England, filled with the kind of characters that used to be so common in 30's and 40's films when we had character actors who played outrageous, over-the-top parts.The story opens in Italy where Danilo steals Rosa away on her wedding day from the man her mother had chosen for her. Their escape plays with the action of a Republic serial but with a totally unexpected comic ending. The two flee to London where Danilo is given the secret to winning at cards from a talking stuffed pig on a meat platter. But his success is short lived and he and his family soon turn to running a coffee shop that is only marginally successful. The rest of the film is taken up with marriage and family and the adventures of life that happened while they wait for that lucky break-----------and it happens with an extraordinary event that pulls joy from tragedy. I'll only tell you that for the men in her life, Rosa remains the Queen of Hearts.The film has all the sweetness and heartache of FORREST GUMP------------and all the love and inspiration, too--------backed my lush romantic music that parallels the emotion of the characters.If you buy only one film from the MGM Vault Classics, I'd recommend this one.

I was particularly impressed with the opening scene, and the surprising leap from the top of the arch by the lovers and more surprising appearance of a wagon loaded with hay. One of my favorite scenes was the arrival of grandfather to the family and his exuberant greeting to his grandson.