Il gaucho

Leaded by boor p.r. Marco Ravicchio (Vittorio Gassman), an Italian cinematographic crew goes to Buenos Aires to join a film festival. Housed by rich engineer Marucchelli (Amedeo Nazzari), nostalgic expatriated and braggart, everybody lives the dream of a better life in Argentina, and even Marco, between a love court and a small con, dreams to stay there for ever, until he meets his old friend Stefano (Nino Manfredi), an emigrant who didn't get fortune at all.

Underrated jewel of Italian comedy, a bitter, cynical film on Italian faces in Argentinean promised land, land of sadness and disillusions: these are the faces of an Italy, petty, upstart, boor, vain, eccentric, buffoon, folkloristic, hypocrite, frivolous, but also human, pathetic and ridiculous at the same time. The script is brilliant, actors are exceptional and histrionic: we laugh loud, but with a bitter fond of guilt.

***½ out of 5