Why have hardly any people seen this film?! (Well, I mean there's hardly any votes for it anyway.) It's not just 'one of those comedies'; it has a very interesting story and some really good acting. Any other views?
shareI've always loved the film (and was lucky enough to get the DVD for Christmas) and found it to be one of thiose films that gets better each time you see it. The pacing is perhaps more relaxed than people were expecting, as befits the location, but it's rather wonderful, and Clive Revill is superb.
"Gentlemen, is this a great moment or a small one? I'm afraid I don't know."
I hadn't even really heard much of this film until summer of 2001 when I bought the SOME LIKE IT HOT special edition DVD and found the trailer for AVANTI! under the trailers section. The trailer really won me over and made me want to see the film. It looked like a delightful romantic comedy. Flash forward to summer of 2003, I finally caught up with the film on DVD when it was released, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I personally consider this to be the best of the "later" (post-ONE TWO THREE) Billy Wilder movies, although I also enjoy THE FORTUNE COOKIE very much too. I admired THE PRIVATE LIFE OF SHERLOCK HOLMES (a butchered masterpiece) and the sublime FEDORA, but I do not care for IRMA LA DOUCE, KISS ME STUPID, or THE FRONT PAGE at all for whatever reason. BUDDY BUDDY had its moments but was a poor film compared to what Wilder had done before. At any rate, I rank AVANTI very highly in his body of work.
shareI must say i agree with you, i had never even heard of this film until i was flicking through the movie channels a few weeks ago late at night and i caught it.
It is an excellent film, not only is it a comedy with a good and original storyline, it also wonderfully captures the mood and atmosphere of Italy, which being half Italian and having spent many summers there i can identify with.
definitely worth watching
A Day Without Blood Is Like A Day Without Sunshine
Just saw it and the film is a great film. A perfect love story and a movie that's wit flowed with eleqount rhythem. I have seen alot of Wilder's overlooked work lately. I saw The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, Fedora and now this and I must say that Wilders work stands the test of time eleqountly. These films are rich deligths for film fans and should be appreciated more. I also must say to the above poster that Kiss Me Stupid is a great film you just have to look at the subtle elements of it. Such as Dean Martins character, the wife and what happens latter in the film. Anyway Avanti! is a great movie and should be appreciated more.
shareAt this moment (in time). My younger brud is thinking 'bout purchasing this title.
shareI saw this film and you know what...I am absolutely admiring Wilder with every film of his! This guy was a genius and it is a tragedy that he is rarely mentioned in America's all-time top directors.
The entire setting of this film, the background music and the mixture of somber mood with superb situational comedy...this is Wilder at his best. This is one of his less well known movies, but who can blame it after the likes of Sunset Boulevard?
Jack lemmon has been in most of Wilder's later movies. I bought the entire 9-pack Wilder collection and I can count 5 with Lemmon in it (The apartment, Irma la Douce, Some like it hot, Avanti, Fortune Cookie). He was kind of repeatative, although my opinion is heavily influenced because I saw all these movies one after the other. However Juliet Mills was breathtaking and if that's how "fat-ass" girls in Britain are, boy, would I like to get one myself!!!!
I was a little surprised seeing nudity. I guess Hollywood was shifting into candid gears from symbolic gears around then.
I won't necessarily say this is my favorite movie, because every Wilder movie is my favorite.
Agreed.
This is pretty much just as fresh today as it was in 1972.
Billy Wilder!
Billy Wilder!
Billy Wilder!
AVANTI is the most enjoyable and charming of Wilder's comedies since SOME LIKE IT HOT. AVANTI has good acting, a fetching score, beautiful scenery and color photography.
shareI saw Avanti in the stores shortly after watching the Some Like It Hot DVD... I am glad I bought Avanti.
My favorite scene in Avanti is when Jack stands up in the bathtub. Her reation (while not even looking at him) is priceless. Well worth the price of the disk just for that one scene. The rest of the movie is great too though... A real treasure if you can find it.
You forgot to mention a great script! But I do agree on the other four.
--
I never make mistakes. Once I thought I did, but I was wrong.
Just finished watching it again for the umpteeth time...... never ever get sick of it, one of my favourite movies ever. It has everything... great comedy,romance and some very poignant scenes. The scene in the morgue always brings a tear to my eye, as Pamela wistfully looks at her mother's body, and shows her kindness in placing the daffodils on both the bodies. It made the "fat ass" comment a few minutes later seem very inappropriate somehow given her generosity. Jack Lemon of course is marvellous and Clive Revill as the hotel manager almost steals the show.
sharei think the title turns alot of people off it, anyone hearing that would assume its a foriegn language film
great movie though
I never heard of the film until about 2 weeks ago - it was recommended by Barry Albin (Funeral Director) obviously because of the funeral connertations - I too work in the trade. I found the film absolutely delightful - got a copy for £4 from Ebay and just watched it for the first time.
shareThis is one of the all time great comedies... and like everyone else I am surprised it's profile is not much greater than it is. Clive Revill as the hotel manager stands out as a supreme performance... but of course its the great Jack Lemon who steals the show. Absolutely fantastic. By the way... if Juliet Mills is "overweight" in this movie.. then we are all in trouble. She looked perfectly normal to me... but I guess in Hollywood what is perfectly normal to the general public would be classified as morbidly obese.
Wendell: Ask fat ass it she wants a ride. classic !!
Hi,
this along with the film some like it hot has been a favorite of mine for some time , however i feel that romance is not quite as popular as action, and this film is very sentimental and a joy to watch due to the location and the story and not least the acting. I would recomend this to anyone and i have
[deleted]
I haven't seen this movie in over twenty years until I saw it last nite at 12.30 am. What a wasted time slot for such a brilliant movie. So well played by the actors, the scenery is magnificant, makes me want to get over to Italy and live there. Seems a lot prettier and nicer than the USA.
shareI saw this when I was a kid in the mid 70's on a double bill with "Bananas". Bananas didn't work for me then, but I always remembered Avanti fondly. I finally re-watched it a year or so ago and it was a revelation.
This is a classic.
I watch this movie every time its on.
I used to spend every summer holiday where this was filmed. The island of Ischia.
I found this movie to be very charming. Even sitting alone watching it, I was able to laugh out loud quite a few times.
I think Juliet Mills is just adorable in the film. Her carefree sweetness is such a fine balance with Jack Lemmon.
I am sorry that it has taken so long for me to know of this film.
I love it when Jack Lemmon says:
"Permesso...I mean Avanti!"
I love him to bits xx
-------------------------------------------------------
"Look at that! Look how she moves! That's just like Jell-O on springs!" - Daphne
It's underrated to the general public but ranked among most Wilder fans as one of his best post-The Apartment comedies along with The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes, The Fortune Cookie, and perhaps Kiss Me, Stupid (AKA The Seven Year Itch sans Marilyn Monroe). It's a surprisingly sweet and funny romantic comedy.
The only thing that REALLY, REALLY PISSED ME OFF was the running gag about Juliet Mills' weight. An actress that you'd be hard-pressed to call anything but average-sized. 14 years earlier you see Lemmon lusting over Marilyn Monroe's size 12 (at least) voluptuous behind--the ultimate sex symbol. Or again with Kim Novak. I hated seeing curves that would be displayed as irresistible in the recent past something that the male lead would have to get past to be sexually interested in the woman. Maybe it was poor casting or maybe it was just offensive. It was incredibly uncomfortable watching her bemoan her weight problem and pull out an apple for dinner when they were at a restaurant, etc.
Obviously you're not a golfer.
I SO agree with you on the overweight theme for Juliet Mills! She was perfect.
I truly didn't get it, other than maybe they were comparing her to Twiggy and the super skinny model look of the day?
I am a huge Billy Wilder fan and had seen most of his films many times over, but had not seen AVANTI! until a few months ago, and I just love it!
What a charming, beautiful film, with that acerbic yet often sweet Wilder dialogue. Jack Lemmon and BW were a terrific team.
My BW favorites are: Some Like it Hot, Sunset Blvd, The Apartment, Witness for the Prosecution, Double Indemnity, The Lost Weekend, The Fortune Coookie, Ace in the Hole, One Two Three, Stalag 17, I guess most of them) although I have tried to like Kiss Me Stupid a few times but I just can't for some reason, although I do like the ending. It's very adult.
I haven't seen The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes yet....
Susan, watch Kiss me, stupid just once more and maybe you'll at least find it OK . It's not that bad really, we're just so spoiled to expect that every BW film is top rate. Because most actually are!
My problem with KMS is the casting: Dean acts like a bag of potatoes, I really, really do hate Cliff, and Orville should have been played by Jack, he would have been per-fect! But otherwise (yeah, right ) it's not that bad.
No Irma la Douce in the favorite BWs?
--
I never make mistakes. Once I thought I did, but I was wrong.
Wow,
Very nice to see so many fans for this great movie. I was hooked to Billy Wilder movie after watching movies like Some like it hot & sunset boulevard. Decided to watch all his creations that were available with the DVD library. After impressed with movie after movie like stalag 17 & one,two three, finally took Avanti.
Was pleasantly surprised with the movie. Just love the setting,music, warmth and his take on laid back lifestyle in Italy and and fast-paced life of US.
I have watched it many times and will definitely watch it in future too.
regards.
Krishna.
Just saw the movie - never really heard of it before ,one has to kind of set
your own personal way-back machine to get in sinc with when this was made ,
then it is quite enjoyable . my how things change -some of the dialog !
Is this happening in any of your cities ? - MGM went and shopped its movie
library around - any station willing to show their product exclusively gets
everything made by MGM. A station here in Chicago (std. TV,digital )picked
up on this , and we have been treated to some wonderful rarities .
It was not "poor casting" at all, Mills is simply perfect for the role.
I don't get the weight gag either, but I remember reading that Wilder thought she was too thin for the role and made her put on eight kilos - probably no padding available at the time! She had killer legs, though.
Hardly anyone seen it? It grossed 4,5 million $ so maybe 1 million viewers, in cinema alone?
Just a fact that a teeny, tiny fraction of people ever visit IMDB