Wife for a Night

Wife for a Night

Category: (DVD)

2 new, starting at $23.00

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Editorial Reviews

Of all the beautiful movie stars of postwar Italy, none was more appreciated than the glorious and glamorous Gina Lollobrigida. Her marvelous eyes, her amazing figure, and her fine acting abilities made her an international star with the notoriety of an Italian volcano.

"Wife for a Night" is one of those saucy delights from director Mario Camerini that actually became the plot line for Billy Wilder's 1964 film, "Kiss Me, Stupid!" Armando Franciolo stars as an impoverished 18th-Century musican who schemes to attract the patronage of a wealthy count, played by Gino Cervi.

Expecting the count on a visit, our hero bundles his real wife, played by Gina Lollobrigida, out of town and hires a local courtesan to pose for her allowing the count to engage in some tongue-in-cheek maritial highjinks in return for financial support.

New York Times critic Bosley Crowther described Miss Lollobrigida as: " . . . a superb comedienne…a model of dexterity and physical allure."

Customer Reviews

Pleasant Italian sex comedy starring "La Lollo" in one of her early roles

Reviewed by Joseph A. Admire, 2007-06-02

This is a nice, light sex comedy in the classic mode which stars the beauteous Gina Lollobrigida in one of her early leading roles. The plot is quite simple; a lecherous count spies a beautiful courtesan on a country road and tries to seduce her. One thing leads to another, and an impoverished young composer hires the courtesan to impersonate his beautiful but buttoned-down wife in order to get the count to bankroll his opera. The usual comedic complications and confusions ensue. Not something that's going to end up on the American Film Institute list any time soon, but a nice diversion for a lazy summer evening.

I must ask if the first reviewer (who threw the movie in the trash because it was in Italian) bothered to check whether the disc was subtitled, because in fact it is, and the English translation is quite good in my opinion.

Early Lollo

Reviewed by R. de Aquino, 2007-01-16

For those interested in Gina Lollobrigida's early career, WIFE FOR A NIGHT is well-worth having. The film is not on a par with great works such as PAGLIACCI, FAN FAN LA TULIPE or BEAUTIES OF THE NIGHT, but it is pleasant enough. The DVD has good image and sound. It is in Italian with English subtitles. I only think it should cost half the price for which it is being sold.

Wife For A Night

Reviewed by Patrick H. Fields, 2004-10-08

This Movie Is In Italian And I Couldn't Understand A Word Of The Dialog. Further, Upon Re-reviewing The Dialog Used To Describe The Movie, The Customer Is Not Warned That " Wife For A Night" Is Not In English. I Threw The Movie In The Trash.