The Funniest Italian Comedies


   

The laughDB database is dedicated to the funniest comedy movies, stand-up comedy and TV series.

This section is for comedies from Italy. By default they are presented starting with the ones ranking highest on the laugh-o-meter, but you can also sort them by year, title or IMDB rating.


Funniest Italian Comedies sorted by Laugh-o-meter (descending) / page 3 of 4


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Chiedimi se Sono Felice DVDTell Me if You're Happy (Chiedimi se Sono Felice)
      2000 | Italy | Laughs: 2.3 (Just Awful) | imdb: 7.1
      who was involved?

If you enjoyed Three Men and a Leg and the characters of Aldo, Giovanni and Giacomo, you may consider watching this movie for one very funny scene that starts 27 minutes into the movie and ends about a minute later, a scene where Aldo, baffled, listens in while his two friends pretend to discuss which "third man" they should invite to a dinner where three ladies will attend, ignoring Aldo. Apart from that, it's a solid "skip". These three have made several movies together, and Chiedimi seems little more than a complacent exercise in showing their faces, riding on the goodwill accumulated in prior work. Apart from the weak plot that involves an altogether implausible theatrical production, one major shortcoming of the film is that for a major part of it, the trio are no longer friends. Their dynamic as enemies is far less interesting than that when they get along. That's Life (Così è la Vita) is much stronger. (Last viewed: November 2011)

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The Monster DVDThe Monster (Il Mostro)
      1994 | Italy | Laughs: 2.1 (Just Awful) | imdb: 7.5
      who was involved?

Italian movie with Roberto Benigni. A weak introduction, good moments as it ramps up, then it gets so crass that we stopped watching. (Last viewed: August 2009)

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Il SorpassoThe Easy Life (Il Sorpasso)
      1962 | Italy | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 8.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This light-hearted movie is not the kind that makes you roar with laughter, but it is charming and funny, and had be smiling throughout. By and large, a character study of two men thrown together for a Summer weekend—one an introvert, the other an extrovert and a seducer. The characters are terrific, and so are the various settings, from villages to bourgeois interiors and beach parties. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Will Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa? posterWill Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa? (Riusciranno i nostri eroi a ritrovare l'amico misteriosamente scomparso in Africa?)
      1968 | Italy | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A high-flying businessman travels to the heart of Africa in search of his brother-in-law who has disappeared some time earlier. This lighthearted movie belongs to the once-popular genre of long rambling productions, and may have been a pleasure to watch on the big screen (which allows the landscapes to breathe) when it came out. I'm not sure how much it has to offer to modern viewers in their living rooms. There's nothing wrong with the story, but it's not enthralling either. Nor is the movie particularly funny. On the other hand, the scenes of Africa before AIDS, cell phones and the omnipresence of plastic have some documentary value. Just don't watch this movie to laugh or because of its catchy title. (Last viewed: July 2014)

More About Will Our Heroes Be Able to Find Their Friend Who Has Mysteriously Disappeared in Africa?:
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Café Express posterCafé Express
      1980 | Italy | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.2
      wikipedia | who was involved?

This lighthearted movie lies in the tradition of Italian movies that depict the plight of "the common people", and the lead role is a shoe-in for Nino Manfredi six years after Bread and Chocolate. The railroad authorities have decided to nab a man who sells coffee on trains without a license, and we meet all kinds of characters over the course of an overnight journey. No real laughs as that's not the movie's genre, but it's a pleasant watch, often funny and sometimes touching. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Parenti serpenti posterDearest Relatives (a.k.a Poisonous Relations) (Parenti serpenti)
      1992 | Italy | Laughs: 2.0 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 7.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Four siblings and their families converge on their elderly parents' apartment for Christmas. That's a lot of people, and the outcome was way too loud and exuberant for my taste. I'm told the movie has a funny twist, but I'm afraid forty minutes is all I was willing to invest.

(Last viewed: March 2021)

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The Return of Don Camillo DVDThe Return of Don Camillo (Il Ritorno di Don Camillo or Le retour de Don Camillo)
      1953 | Italy | Laughs: 2.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.3
      wikipedia | who was involved?

At the end of the first Don Camillo movie, the stubborn but big-hearted priest was forced to leave town. A lot happens in this first sequel, which sees Don Camillo settle in a mountain village, then return, then wade through a number of events with his favorite rival Peppone, the mayor. It's no laughing material, but it's light-hearted, and in many ways it's a better story than the original movie—more fulfilling because more balanced. (Last viewed: September 2012)

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Amarcord posterAmarcord
      1973 | Italy | Laughs: 1.8 (Smirk) | imdb: 7.9
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Over a period of ten years, I must have stared at the poster of Amarcord a hundred times trying to muster the courage to watch it. In the end, I just felt compelled to — I kept hearing about it and my deliberate ignorance was becoming untenable.

The movie is a sweet-and-sour remembrance of someone being a teenager in a small town of fascist Italy. I'm not a fan of Fellini's comedies: and this one is no exception. It's not something I can define in one word, but a conjunction of elements that will be the precise cause for someone else's love of director.

It's far from being all bad. I don't enjoy the ruckus; the vulgarity; the dripping nostalgia; the anachronisms; the awful lightning; and the quasi-constant impression that I'm looking at a pasteboard movie set.

On the positive side, the movie has a few stunning shots — when it leaves the awful set and ventures into the countryside, the cinematographer has a chance to show his talent; the political satire is not too heavy-handed; some faces seem taken out of a collection of theatrical masks; and the movie gives a lot to smirk about, even though the it definitely doesn't make me laugh.

To get through the last half hour I had to speed up the file by thirty percent, and it still felt slow.

Closing words of advice: Only watch if compelled to.

(Last viewed: November 2019)

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A Hero of Our Times posterA Hero of Our Times (Un Eroe Dei Nostri Tempi)
      1957 | Italy | Laughs: 1.5 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 6.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A young man is so anxious that something bad might happen to him that he ends up attracting bad luck. It's not a bad movie, but it's not really funny either—unless you speak Italian, perhaps. You won't miss much if you skip this one. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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Odio l'estate I hate Summer posterI hate Summer (Odio l'estate)
      2020 | Italy | Laughs: 1.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 6.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

Owing to a botched booking, three families from different walks of life are forced to share a holiday house by the sea.

I'll be indulgent because I enjoyed previous movies with the same trio — Aldo, Giovanni & Giacomo — who this time are neither the directors nor even the main writers: there's nothing wrong with this movie if all you're after is a light-hearted flick.

But if you're nostalgic for the kind of comedy found in Cosi è la vita, you're looking in the wrong aisle.

That being said, the message is a good one: it's better to have less comfort with several friends around you than a large house on your own.

(Last viewed: January 2021)

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They Call Me Jeeg posterThey Call Me Jeeg (Lo chiamavano Jeeg Robot)
      2015 | Italy | Laughs: 1.5 (Smirk) | imdb: 7.0
      wikipedia | who was involved?

After falling into a drum of toxic waste, a petty criminal acquires superhuman strength, which he uses to satisfy his base urges until a growing infatuation sends him on a different path.

Not a laugh-out-loud comedy, it may not even make you chuckle, but it's a good film and an exemplary show of what can be done with superpowers on a low budget. (Last viewed: May 2022)

More About They Call Me Jeeg:
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Perfect Strangers poster Perfetti sconosciutiPerfect Strangers (Perfetti sconosciuti)
      2016 | Italy | Laughs: 1.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

At a dinner party, a group of friends agree on a dare to share with the table all messages and calls that come in on their mobile phones. While the movie may be entertaining and effective as a warning signal about privacy, it's certainly not the kind of comedy that makes you laugh out loud. To watch is you're part of the world of social networks. (Last viewed: February 2018)

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Once Upon a Time in Bethlehem posterOnce Upon a Time in Bethlehem (Il primo Natale)
      2019 | Italy | Laughs: 1.5 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 5.5
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A priest and a thief are propelled to Judea in the moments preceding the supposed birth of the key figure of christianity. As is typical of comedies where a large budget is spent on costumes and action scenes, the humor part is woefully neglected. I gave up before the half-hour mark, but this movie might be closer to home for you if the christian faith is important to you.

(Last viewed: September 2022)

More About Once Upon a Time in Bethlehem:
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Tolo Tolo posterTolo Tolo
      2020 | Italy | Laughs: 1.2 (Don't Bother) | imdb: 5.8
      wikipedia | who was involved?

To escape his debts, a Southern entrepreneur flees to Africa, but soon undertakes a trip back to Europe along with refugees and economic migrants.

I've enjoyed Checco Zalone's other films, but this one made me cringe, less for comical awkward situations than for how clumsily it was put together. It's the first film that Checco directed: the results were better when he stuck to writing and acting. Skip.
(Last viewed: May 2022)

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The Visit posterThe Visit
      1964 | Italy | Laughs: 1.0 (Light-Hearted) | imdb: 7.4
      wikipedia | who was involved?

A man who responded to a personal ad travels to the countryside to meet the woman, with whom he has corresponded. The only thing they have in common is their loneliness. This is a good, light-hearted, often funny movie, but certainly not a comedy in the meaning embraced by this site. A worthwhile watch, but not in order to laugh. (Last viewed: July 2014)

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1-6 of 6 Threads
Kiriel – Australian
February 08, 2019 - 07:39
Subject: Searching for crazy Italian movie

I watched this movie a long time ago (probably around 15 years ago) and it has just stuck in my head. I thought the name was something like "Avarre, averre" but it having been so long ago it may well be something utterly different. One scene really sticks in my head, where a pair of would be burglars end up having to hide inside a jukebox. Someone ends up pressing a button on the jukebox and the burglars end up having to sing a duet of "Only you". I don't remember much more about the movie apart from it being just super fun. If anyone can identify it, I would be very grateful!
Bella
June 06, 2018 - 09:54
Subject:

Hello everyone! In high school, I watched a funny, family-friendly (most likely PG) Italian movie where a princess is trying to fill in the footsteps of her mother, who was a very good person -- did a lot of charity work etc. Meanwhile, there is a man who is very scruffy and stupid (is willing to have a new medicine tested on him for money) and moves into her castle after they meet and the guy's friend move in and that is basically all I remember. Could somebody please, help me find the movie? It was hilarious and I would love to share it with my family! Thanks in advance!
Jeremy – Cairo, GA
September 22, 2016 - 22:47
Subject: Italian Comedy

I was in Italy this past summer and saw a film but I don't know the name. It appeared to be either late 70's or early 80's. It was not subtitled and I do not speak Italian but it appeared to be about the antics of a group of friends and their rivalry with another soccer club. The lead actor had a big afro kind of hairdo and he meets a girl when he visits the hospital after accidently hurting the girls brother in a fight. The group of friends love to play pranks, one of which involves making a friend believe he has won the lottery.
Edward – Mexico
February 23, 2016 - 13:26
Subject: Italian comedy

Help. Would love to know the name of the Italian comedy from the 60s or 70s about rustic parents stuck in a world of modern art and music while visiting a daughter in Milan, I believe.
Reply to Edward
Andy
February 26, 2016 - 08:56
Subject: RE: Italian comedy

Hi Edward, That sounds intriguing -- would love to watch it! Tried searching a bit, but can't find it either. Kind regards, Andy
Chris – Australia
July 11, 2014 - 10:24
Subject: Italian comedy

Hello,

I am trying to find the name of an Italian comedy film I saw. The story is of a man (I think he was an ice cream seller) who gets magical powers and becomes a knife thrower and travels from town to town. For some reason he loses his powers and the people force him to throw knifes at his brother-in-law and he says "he is going to make a st. Sebestian of me. " I thought that was one of the funniest lines I have ever come across. Would you know the name of this movie? Thanks.
Reply to Chris
Andy
July 11, 2014 - 12:33
Subject: RE: Italian comedy

Hi Chris, I don't know that movie. Could it be Agata and the Storm? Warm regards Andy
tony mcgowan – hamilton scotland
January 06, 2014 - 10:52
Subject: Italian comedy film about people living on a chicken farm

Please identify Italian comedy film about people living on chicken farm.
Reply to tony mcgowan
Andy
January 06, 2014 - 10:56
Subject: RE: Italian comedy film about people living on a chicken farm

Hi Tony,

Perhaps it is the classic "Pane e Cioccolata" ("Bread and Chocolate"), which has some famous moments on a chicken farm in Switzerland.

Not a laugh-out-loud comedy, but a great movie, one of my favorites.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0070506

Wishing you a fun week,

Andy


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