Soliti ignoti, I (1958)

Director:

Mario Monicelli

Writers:

Suso Cecchi d'Amico (screenplay)
Agenore Incrocci (screenplay)
(more)

Release Date:

22 November 1960 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Crime

Plot:

A motley quintet of inept small-time thieves bungle the burglary of a local pawnshop in this Italian farce.

Plot Keywords:

Donald Duck | Clumsy | Commedia All'italiana | Hole | Key

Awards:

Nominated for Oscar. Another 3 wins

Cast

Vittorio Gassman	...	Peppe il pantera
Renato Salvatori	...	Mario Angeletti
Memmo Carotenuto	...	Cosimo
Rosanna Rory	...	Norma (as Rossana Rory)
Carla Gravina	...	Nicoletta
Claudia Cardinale	...	Carmelina
Carlo Pisacane	...	Capannelle
Tiberio Murgia	...	Michele Ferribotte
Gina Rovere	...	Teresa, wife of Tiberio
Gina Amendola	...	Nerina, mother of Mario
Elvira Tonelli	...	Assunta
Elena Fabrizi	...	Signora Ada (as Elisa Fabrizi)
Pasquale Misiano	...	Massimo
Renato Terra	...	Eladio
Aldo Trifiletti	...	Fernando, doorkeeper
Nino Marchetti	...	Luigi
Mario De Simone	...	Il ricettatore
Marcello Mastroianni	...	Tiberio
Totò	...	Dante Cruciani
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Edith Bruck	...	(uncredited)
Franco Carli	...	(uncredited)
Mario Feliciani	...	Police inspector (uncredited)
Ida Masetti	...	Gabriella (uncredited)
Mario Meniconi	...	Paolo (uncredited)
Mimmo Poli	...	Prisoner (uncredited)
Lisa Romey	...	Emilia (uncredited)
Amerigo Santarelli	...	(uncredited)
Gustavo Serena	...	(uncredited)
Roberto Spiombi	...	Piero (uncredited)

Directed by
Mario Monicelli

Writing credits (in alphabetical order)
Suso Cecchi d'Amico		screenplay
Agenore Incrocci		screenplay
Agenore Incrocci		story
Mario Monicelli		writer
Furio Scarpelli		screenplay
Furio Scarpelli		story

Produced by
Franco Cristaldi	....	producer

Original Music by
Piero Umiliani

Cinematography by
Gianni Di Venanzo

Film Editing by
Adriana Novelli

Production Design by
Piero Gherardi

Set Decoration by
Vito Anzalone

Costume Design by
Piero Gherardi

Makeup Department
Romolo de Martino	....	makeup artist (as Romolo De Martino)

Production Management
Gino Millozza	....	production supervisor
Nicolò Pomilia	....	production manager (as Nicolo Pomilia)

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Mario Maffei	....	assistant director

Sound Department
Oscar Di Santo	....	sound technician
Luigi Puri	....	sound technician

Camera and Electrical Department
Erico Menczer	....	camera operator

Editorial Department
Marisa Letti	....	assistant editor (as Maria Luisa Letti)

Music Department
Piero Umiliani	....	conductor

Other crew
Renato Jaboni	....	production secretary
Silvana Mangini Colizzi	....	script supervisor (as Silvana Mangini)
Vincenzo Taito	....	administrator

Production Companies

• Cinecittà (Stabilimenti Cinematografici)
• Lux Film
• Vides Cinematografica

Distributors

• Lux Film (1958) (Italy) (theatrical)
• United Motion Pictures Organization (UMPO) (1960) (USA) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Criterion Collection, The (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Home Vision Entertainment (HVE) (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Studio Canal (2001) (USA) (DVD)
• Aquarius TV (2004) (Greece) (DVD)
• Aquarius TV (2004) (Greece) (TV)
• Koch Lorber Films (2005) (USA) (DVD)
• Barcino Barcino Films S.A. (Spain)
• Universal Music Group

Also Known As:

Big Deal (USA)
Big Deal on Madonna Street (USA)
Persons Unknown (UK)
The Usual Unidentified Thieves

Runtime:

106 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono

Certification:

Finland:S | Italy:T | Spain:T | Sweden:Btl | Argentina:Atp | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

Cinecittà

Trivia:

Premiere voted this movie as one of "The 50 Greatest Comedies Of All Time" in 2006.

Quotes:

Capannelle: Tell me, do you know a guy called Mario who lives around here?
Boy playing soccer: There are a thousand Marios around here.
Capannelle: Yes, but this one is a thief.
Boy playing soccer: There are still a thousand.

Movie Connections:

Featured in Soliti ignoti vent'anni dopo, I (1987)

absolute masterpiece!

"I soliti ignoti" is probably the movie I know better and one of the most beautiful pictures in the whole history of cinema. Wonderful charachters, fantastic plot (from "Ne touchez pas le Grisbi"), stupendous soundtrack, amazing screenplay, perfect photography. And funny, funny, funny, but realistic in the Italy of post war poorness. Gasmann plays the role that change his career; before this movie, nobody would believe that he was a brilliant comedy actor 'cause he was know only for dramas. Some unforgettable charachters, like Pisacane's Capannelle or Tiberio, a sicilan charachter played by a Sardinian ex dishwasher in the movie of their life. And Toto', incredible amazing in the role of the professor of crook. Is it possible for mr. Clooney to do anything better then him???