Audace colpo dei soliti ignoti

The title of this Italian heist comedy means "Daring Strike by the Usual Unknown Persons" and the movie is a sequel to the great comedy by Mario Monicelli "I soliti ignoti" or "Big Deal on Madonna Street," where a group of two-lira Roman thieves attempt to break into a bank vault. While this one has its moments of humor and engagement, it is not on the same par with its predecessor and is replete with longueurs, despite many of the first-rate performers from the previous entry including Vittorio Gassman, Renato Salvatori, Claudia Cardinale, and that absolute treasure of a screen presence, Carlo Pisacane. The plot involves the same group of bunglers as in the previous film. Here they plot to steal the soccer pool after the big Milan championship match. (The film was known in the U.S. as "Fiasco in Milan.") Everything imaginable, of course, goes awry, before, during, and after the heist. The true heist here is that the film is stolen by the inimitable Carlo Pisacane as Capanelle, a shriveled, lovable old codger with a squeaky voice and totally useless member of the group. His passion is less for the spoils than for the food he gets along the way, and uncontrollably feeding his ravenous wrinkled old face at any and every moment he can. Bravo Carlo, this movie is yours! This picture was directed by Nanni Loy, who made the wonderful "Detenuto in attesa di giudizio," "Four Days of Naples" and "Scugnizzi."