ITALY

1952 – 35mm – b/w – 84’

Direction: Aldo Fabrizi
Screenplay: Aldo Fabrizi, Ruggero Maccari, Mario Amendola
Cinematography: Mario Bava
Editing: Nella Nannuzzi
Set design: Carlo Vignati
Music: Enrico Simeone, Carlo Innocenzi
Cast: Aldo Fabrizi, Ave Ninchi, Giovanna Ralli, Carlo Delle Piane, Giancarlo Zarfati , Gianna Segale, Paolo Stoppa, Armando Annuale, Marco Tulli, Gondrano Trucchi, Enrico Luzi, Franco Giacobini, Mara Landi, Anna Maria Dori, Virgilio Riento, Luigi Pavese, Alfredo Rizzo
Producer: Aldo Fabrizi
Production: Alfa Film

SYNOPSIS

Mr. Peppe, the owner of a fabric shop, has lots of trouble. In addition to his concerns at work, he is also harassed by his wife Margherita, who always brings up the sacrifices she makes for the family and, blinded by jealousy, accuses him of spending his days flirting with his female customers. He is bothered by his children’s restlessness as well. One evening, to please his family, Mr. Peppe takes them to the theatre, where Burmah, a fakir, is presenting his experiments in hypnotism. Pushed by his wife, Mr. Peppe goes on stage and lets himself be hypnotised by the fakir…

CRITICAL NOTE

“This is the most unpredictable and most extraordinary character in his acting career. Not just a man who becomes a woman, but something more complex and profound –a father who becomes a mother and psychologically behaves as such, with all the hilarious situations, the huge misunderstandings, the most unexpected events that such reversal of personality can lead to.” (L’Intervallo al Cinema, 8/12/1954)