Sick Product of a Sick System

In truth, there is barely enough story here to make a film.

It's a good bad... and worth a popcorn matinée. While it's easy to lament what could have been...

Worth seeing just to witness how winsome it is.

An Italian young lady with time on her hands befriends an American GI while he is serving his country in Italy, and they spend much time together. Soon after, the same Italian young lady with more time on her hands befriends another American GI while he is serving his country, and they spend much time together. Soon after that, the same Italian young lady with even more time on her hands befriends an American GI while he is serving his country, and they spend much time together. But after they are sent home, she discovers she's in a family way. What to do? She writes each one and they each in turn support her and her young daughter, none of them knowing of each other - that is, until now, present day, when they all appear at one time practically at her doorstep. But to save face and explain the baby to her small Italian village, she tells a fib that while she was away (to have her baby) she met and was widowed by an American GI. She makes up the name of Campbell and chaos ensues once the fathers show up. The young lady is Gina Lollabrigida, and what a predicament this is! While this and "Mamma Mia!" have similarities, this film is in fact much better. Take the music out of "Mamma Mia!" and you may have good actors. But "Mrs. Campbell" is a whole lot funnier and has more depth to it. Phil Silvers, one potential father, provides much of the laughs with his zesty love of life and buoyant energy, and his wife, portrayed by Shelley Winters, is simply wonderful as his loud uncouth wife. Telly Savalas, another potential father, provides the real heart and depth of the film, something he's not usually on call to do in his action films. His wife is portrayed by Lee Grant, who is supposedly very superficial. But, by the end of the film, we have grown very fond of both of them and we feel like we understand them. Peter Lawford is another potential father, but while he's an adequate actor, he and his wife aren't really given that much to do in the film to really distinguish them. With other larger-than-life actors (or hams) in the film, such as Silvers, Winters, and Savalas (Who loves ya, baby?), Peter and wife only seem mildly amusing or interesting. And, given the fact that Gina's not ugly, she has her own boy-toy. All this put together in one box creates pandemonium and is quite simply is one of the most completely satisfying 1960s comedies you're ever likely to see. If you've never seen this or even heard of it, that needs to be rectified right now. Hilarity's a bound when you meet Mrs. Campbell. Buona Sera!

Gina Lollabrigida had the slight misfortune to appear on the scene in Italian cinema at the same time that Sophia Loren did. Between them (aided by Anita Ekbert) they dominated the sexual scene in Italian films, but Loren pulled ahead slightly in dramatic fare - and copped an Oscar in 1960 for "Two Women" , something that Lollabrigida never got. Loren was also lucky enough to get a handsome leading man (Marcello Mastroianni) to complement her in several of her sex farces. Lollabrigida never had a handsome partner. It is a trifle unfair because both women were not only beautiful but quite talented as actresses. And both were first rate in comedy."Buono Sera, Mrs. Campbell" may be the best comedy Lollabrigida made - it is certainly the most accessible to English speaking audiences because it is in English. It's plot is reminiscent of the later American comedy "Father's Day" (which is based on a French film) wherein two men (Billy Crystal and Robin Williams) search for a young teenager who they both think is their biological son (or so has the mother of the boy told them - she claims she is not sure which of them or her husband is the actual father). It is also reminiscent (in a reversal of plot) of Loren and Mastroianni's comedy "Marriage Italian Style". There Loren uses money from Mastroianni's business to support three sons, unknown to each other, one of whom is Mastroianni's biological son. In "Mrs. Campbell", Lollabrigida is the mother of a beautiful young woman who is the daughter of one of three American veterans who helped liberate her town in World War II. The three (Telly Savalas, Phil Silvers, and Peter Lawford) romanced her, and never knew of the other two. When she became pregnant she informed each and they promised to send her money to support the girl. As a result Lollabrigida has had a very comfortable lifestyle, and the girl is well educated. She chooses the name of "Campbell" for her "dead" husband (if anyone inquires) from the name of her favorite American soup company. However, the daughter is growing up, and she is determined to have a sexual life free of her mother's concerns. Their discord is mingled by Lollabrigida's discovery that the American veterans are returning to her village after a quarter century for a huge reunion, and she finds all three of her ex-boyfriends are coming determined to see their daughter.The complications are not only on Lollabrigida's side. Each of her three "heros" has married and the resulting marriages are not perfect. Silvers is married to Shelley Winters, and they have children of their own (including an obnoxious son). Lawford is married to Janet Margolin, and don't have their kids with them - in fact they took the trip to supposedly get away from their kids. Telly Savalas is married to Lee Grant, and they have the most strained marriage - Grant has wanted kids but Savalas never had any with her.The story pursues the attempts of the three ex-G.I.s in trying to resume an active relationship with Lollabrigida, but avoiding their wives (and in Silver's case his kids), while Lollabrigida has to keep the three from discovering each other, and from confronting her daughter - who always has thought her father died in the war. The film actually works quite well, with all the principles (even Lawford, for a change) being funny. I will not be revealing too much that eventually the men do meet and realize how two of them (which two we can't tell) were conned. Savallas makes the comment that I varied a little in the "Summary" Line.How the film ends I leave to the reader to discover when they watch it. It ends quite fairly, with all the fathers discovering their fatherly instincts (despite their mutual shock). It also ends by giving one other character a sweet moment of recognition that is totally unexpected - but thoroughly appreciated by the viewer. As a sweet and funny comic farce it is one of the best.

How's this for a contrived set-up: three former soldiers reunite in Italy some 20 years after the war, each thinking he fathered a child with neighborhood "alley cat" Gina Lollobrigida. Hopeless comedy from director Melvin Frank is just a strident and silly excuse to catch buxom Lollo in a series of low-cut outfits. Although Gina does manage a few laughs (and she keeps her dignity), the picture is woefully overlong, smarmy and tired. Supporting cast including Shelley Winters, Phil Silvers, Telly Savalas, Peter Lawford and Lee Grant is at a complete loss. * from ****

La Lollabrigida is magnificent as Carla Campbell who had a baby from a G. I. during World War II, but didn't know which of three possible American soldiers it was, so she writes each telling him the son is his. And they all faithfully send child support -- for twenty years. With Phil Silvers, Shelly Winters, Lee Grant, Telly Savalas and Lee Grant on hand, this could easily have gone way overboard into silly farce. Instead, it blends its pathos, drama, and comedy as seamlessly as it blends its gorgeous Italian landscapes and backdrops with its Hollywood sound-stages. Savalas and Grant are particularly good as the most interesting of the three couples but all are good. Janet Margolin does a good job of giving us a feel for Gina and the Italian actor that plays Gina's faithful friend is marvelous in his few scenes.Highly recommended. 9/10.