MFAH Film Series – Italian Interlude: The Passionate Thief (Risate di gioia)

Museum of Fine Arts, Houston presents another special Film Series – Italian Interlude. Get in the mood for this trio of Italian classics with a meal at the new MFACafe.

The Passionate Thief
Risate di gioia
Directed by Mario Monicelli
1960, in Italian with English subtitles
Italy, B/W, 106 minutes, DCP

The Los Angeles Times describes Monicelli’s laugh-out-loud farce as “a throwback to the days when comedies didn’t need adjectives like ‘raunchy’ or ‘adult’ to describe them. They were simply funny.”

A struggling actress (Anna Magnani) enthusiastically accepts an invitation to a New Year’s Eve party.  She encounters an old acting acquaintance (Totò), who is helping a professional pickpocket (Ben Gazzara) steal from people during the hustle-bustle of the festivities.

The trio “scramble and scheme through Rome on a New Year’s Eve filled with shrieks of laughter, desperate actions, and consuming pleasures.” – New York Times

“An Italian comedy from the past that will make you smile like there is no tomorrow.” – Kenneth Turan, Los Angeles Times

“SHIMMERING LIFE, LUST AND COMEDY! GORGEOUSLY RESTORED! The fantastic, weird combo of Magnani, Gazzara and Totò scramble and scheme through Rome on a New Year’s Eve filled with shrieks of laughter, desperate actions and consuming pleasures.” – Manohla Dargis, New York Times

“FUN AND FROTHY! Like a long night of champagne without the hangover!” – Time Out New York

“MORE FUN THAN ‘LA DOLCE VITA’! It has more emotional heft than the usual caper farce owing to a tinge of melancholy.” – New York Magazine