What appears to be a simple yet delightful film, reveals itself to be a deep look at the changes taking place in Italian society
Milan is both the symbol and concrete demonstration of a new Italy, driven by abundance and the dream of making it big
On the surface, it is a delicately uplifting story about the sacrifices made by school teachers, supported with aplomb by its lead actors, Billi and Riva, Italian cinema’s first great comedy duo. In reality, the film reveals itself to be a much deeper look at the transformation taking place in Italian society, which is experiencing massive changes due to industrialisation, product abundance, the pandering influence of the mass media and the desire for entrepreneurial success. On closer inspection, one of the film’s lead characters is the city of Milan itself, the symbol and most concrete demonstration of this transformation. Without necessarily seeming so, it is an important film, unfortunately often considered just another small film.
A Southern Italian elementary teacher moves to Milan and falls in love with a substitute teacher working at the same school. However, the girl becomes famous after her photograph is published in a magazine and he is forced to abandon his romantic dreams. Together with the school janitor, he attempts to enter into the world of business, however once again his efforts prove unsuccessful. In the end, he will realise that teaching is his true vocation.
What appears to be a simple yet delightful film, reveals itself to be a deep look at the changes taking place in Italian society
Milan is both the symbol and concrete demonstration of a new Italy, driven by abundance and the dream of making it big
On the surface, it is a delicately uplifting story about the sacrifices made by school teachers, supported with aplomb by its lead actors, Billi and Riva, Italian cinema’s first great comedy duo. In reality, the film reveals itself to be a much deeper look at the transformation taking place in Italian society, which is experiencing massive changes due to industrialisation, product abundance, the pandering influence of the mass media and the desire for entrepreneurial success. On closer inspection, one of the film’s lead characters is the city of Milan itself, the symbol and most concrete demonstration of this transformation. Without necessarily seeming so, it is an important film, unfortunately often considered just another small film.
A Southern Italian elementary teacher moves to Milan and falls in love with a substitute teacher working at the same school. However, the girl becomes famous after her photograph is published in a magazine and he is forced to abandon his romantic dreams. Together with the school janitor, he attempts to enter into the world of business, however once again his efforts prove unsuccessful. In the end, he will realise that teaching is his true vocation.
