Sophia Loren Archives - Boccaccio '70 (1962)

FOREIGN TITLES & RELEASE DATES

Italy -

February 22, 1962 - Boccaccio '70 - 210'

France (Cannes) -

May 7, 1962 - Boccaccio '70 - 156'

USA (New York City, Cinema I & 2)

- June 26, 1962 - Boccaccio '70 - 165'

West Germany -

August 3, 1962 - Boccaccio '70 - 156'

Spain - 1962 - Boccaccio 70 - 207' (attendance: 545,528)


French DVD	French poster	Swedish poster	Italian poster

PLOT

At the market in Lugo, the agricultural center of Romagna, a little man who owns a booth at the amusement park sells tickets
for a raffle. The prize is a night of love with Zoe, the splendid young woman from the target shooting range.
The raffle arouses excitement among the cattlemen and farmers, but the winner turns out to be the sacristan, who is shy and chaste. Nonetheless he refuses to sell his ticket to the others. A young man who is in love with Zoe steps in. As a result, the sacristan does not receive the promised prize, but wins instead the proceeds of the raffle and the reputation of being a great lover.
Zoe, on the other hand, stays with the young man. (Enrico Lancia)
Story and screenplay: Cesare Zavattini.

FILMING LOCATIONS
Lugo di Romagna (Italy)
Cinecittà, Rome (Italy)

Filming dates: September 27 until early November 1961

MAIN CAST

Sophia Loren (Zoe)
Luigi Giuliani (Geno)
Alfio Vita (Cuspèt)
Tano Rustichelli (Turàs)
Antonio Mantovani (veterinarian)

CREDITS

Photography :
Otello Martelli (Eastmancolor)
Music:
Armando Trovajoli
Song performed by Sophia:
Soldi, soldi, soldi (Garinei, Giovannini, Kramer)
Still photographer:
Pierluigi Praturlon
Sophia's voice is dubbed by:
Hersellf (English)
Production:
Carlo Ponti and Antonio Cervi for Concordia Compagnia Cinematografica,
Angelo Rizzoli (Rome)
Francinex Gray Film (Paris)

NOTES

The film is made up of four episodes. La riffa is the fourth. The other three are in this order: Renzo e Luciana (Renzo and Luciana) by Mario Monicelli; Le tentazioni del dottor Antonio (The Temptations of Dr. Antonio) by Federico Fellini; Il lavoro (The Job) by Luchino Visconti

"Renzo e Luciana" was cut off at the Cannes Film Festival screening as well in most foreign prints. Recent DVD versions feature all four segments.

The sketch is inspired by a true story of a woman in Trieste, who working as a cashier in a bar, would give an erotic night to the winner of a raffle every Saturday night.

Sophia chooses to stay in Cotignola, a nearby village, and drives to the movie set everyday in her Rolls Royce.

Sophia wears a wig.

QUOTES AND REVIEWS

Miss Loren's wanton charm mixed with an intangible fastidiousness and sly humour is perfect.
Felix Parker, Evening News.

... the usually sensitive Vittorio De Sica is obvious and unbecomingly gross with a presentation of Sophia Loren as a shooting-gallery attendant who supplements her income by occasionally raffling off her charms. The display of Miss Loren's figure is excessive to the point of tedium...
How Carlo Ponti, her husband and the producer of this film, could have allowed her and Signor De Sica to revert to such artless crudity after their powerful creation of Two Women is an incidental mystery.
Bosley Crowther, New York Times. 27 jun 1962

"Actress Loren is diverting as a comedienne, but she handles the romance perfunctorily, as if the flash of a social smile were the language of the heart."
Time Magazine, 29 jun 1962

Once again she (Sophia Loren) gives an exuberant, colorful character. Her performance sustains the entire episode
and constitutes its real justification.
Alberto Moravia, L'Expresso, 11 mar 1962

In this excerpt, she's worth her weight in gold, from the waist up...
Giuseppe Marotta, L'Europeo