A history and philosophy student at the Universities of Pisa and Milan, Mario Monicelli first yelled "Roll 'em" (in Italian, of course) when he co-directed a 16-millimeter short subject called I ragazzi dela via Paal (1935), inspired by Ferenc Molnar's The Boys of Paul Street. The film won a Venice Festival prize, whereupon Monicelli embarked on a lengthy apprenticeship as assistant to several of Europe's top directors: Gustav Machaty, Pietro Germi, and a host of others. A scriptwriter from 1944, Monicelli formed a partnership with comedy scrivener Stefano Vanzina, who billed himself as "Steno." The team directed its first feature, Al diavolo la Celebrita, in 1949. Monicelli's first solo effort was Proibito (1954), which like many of his best films dealt with everyday folks who are mired down by their unwillingness to take risks and/or their inability to rise above their simple-minded attitudes. One of his biggest hits was Big Deal on Madonna Street (1958), a tale of a "perfect crime" gone awry due to the indecision, ignorance, and ineptitude of its participants. Even when Monicelli's characters are firm in their convictions, they are prone to failure: An excellent example of this is his 1963 drama I compagni (The Conformist), a case history of a labor strike which, like Monicelli's earlier La Grand Guerra (The Great War, 1959) won Venice's Golden Lion Award. Mario Monicelli has also won the Berlin Festival Best Director prizes for 1957's Fathers and Sons, 1976's Caro Michele, and 1982's Il Marchise del Grillo.
| Title | Year | Editors' Rating | User Rating | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Vicino al Colosseo...C'e Monti
Director |
2008 | |||
|
Marcello: A Sweet Life
Participant |
2006 | |||
|
The Roses of the Desert
Director |
2006 | |||
| 2004 | ||||
|
Welcome to Collinwood
Book Author |
2002 | |||
|
Panni Sporchi
Director, Screenwriter |
1999 | |||
|
Il Ciclone
Voice |
1996 | |||
|
Facciamo Paradiso
Director, Screenwriter |
1995 | |||
|
Cari Fottutissimi Amici
Director, Screenwriter |
1994 | |||
| 1994 | ||||
|
Parenti Serpenti
Director, Screenwriter |
1992 | |||
|
Rossini! Rossini!
Director |
1991 | |||
|
Il Male oscuro
Director |
1990 | |||
|
I Picari
Director, Screenwriter |
1987 | |||
|
Le Due Vite di Mattia Pascal
Director, Screenwriter |
1985 | |||
|
Speriamo Che Sia Femmina
Director, Screenwriter |
1985 | |||
|
Bertoldo, Bertoldino E...Cacasenno
Director, Screenwriter |
1984 | |||
|
Amici Miei, Atto 2
Director, Screenwriter |
1982 | |||
|
Il Marchese Del Grillo
Director, Screenwriter |
1982 | |||
|
Camera d'albergo
Director |
1981 | |||
|
Lovers and Liars
Director, Screenwriter |
1979 | |||
|
Temporale Rosy
Director |
1979 | |||
|
I Nuovi Mostri
Director |
1978 | |||
|
Viva Italia
Director |
1978 | |||
|
Un Borghese Piccolo Piccolo
Director, Screenwriter |
1977 | |||
|
Caro Michele
Director |
1976 | |||
|
Signore e Signori Buonanotte
Director, Screenwriter |
1976 | |||
|
Amici Miei
Director |
1975 | |||
|
Romanzo Popolare
Director, Screenwriter |
1974 | |||
|
Vogliamo I Colonnelli
Director, Screenwriter |
1973 | |||
|
Mortadella
Director, Screenwriter |
1972 | |||
|
Brancaleone Alle Crociate
Director |
1971 | |||
|
Le Coppie
Director |
1970 | |||
|
Capriccio All'italiana
Director |
1968 | |||
|
La Ragazza con la Pistola
Director |
1968 | |||
|
L'Armata Brancaleone
Director |
1966 | |||
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Le Fate
Director |
1966 | |||
|
Alta Infedeltà
Director |
1965 | |||
|
Casanova '70
Director, Screenwriter |
1965 | |||
|
I Compagni
Director, Screenwriter |
1963 | |||
|
A Cavallo Della Tigre
Screen Story, Screenwriter |
1962 | |||
|
Boccaccio '70
Actor, Director |
1962 | |||
|
Risate di Gioia
Director, Screenwriter |
1960 | |||
|
La Grande Guerra
Director, Screenwriter |
1959 | |||
|
Big Deal on Madonna Street
Director, Screenwriter |
1958 | |||
|
Il Medico E Lo Stregone
Director, Screenwriter |
1958 | |||
|
Padri e Figli
Director |
1957 | |||
|
Donatella
Director, Screenwriter |
1956 | |||
|
Du Sang Dans Le Soleil
Director |
1955 | |||
|
La Donna Piu Bella del Mondo
Screenwriter |
1955 | |||
|
Totò e Carolina
Director |
1955 | |||
|
Un Eroe Dei Nostri Tempi
Director, Screenwriter |
1955 | |||
|
Appointment for Murder
Screenwriter |
1954 | |||
|
Proibito
Director |
1954 | |||
|
Le Infedeli
Director, Screenwriter |
1953 | |||
|
Cavalleria Rusticana
Screenwriter |
1952 | |||
|
O.K. Nerone
Screen Story, Screenwriter |
1952 | |||
|
Totò e le donne
Director |
1952 | |||
|
Guardie E Ladri
Director, Screenwriter |
1951 | |||
|
Il Brigante Musolino
Screenwriter |
1951 | |||
|
Vita Da Cani
Director, Screenwriter |
1950 | |||
|
È arrivato il cavaliere!
Director |
1950 | |||
|
Al Diavolo la Celebrita
Director |
1949 | |||
|
Totò cerca casa
Director |
1949 | |||
|
Gioventu Perduta
Screenwriter |
1948 | |||
|
Aquila Nera
Screenwriter |
1946 |


