The first episode (of Alfredo Guarini) is the chronicle of a contest for aspirant actresses: Emma Danieli and Anna Amendola win.
In the second (of Gianni Franciolini) Alida Valli tries to let fall in love her maid’s fiancè, but then she desists.
In the third (of Roberto Rossellini) Ingrid Bergman is engaged with a chicken that ruins her garden of roses.
In the fourth (of Luigi Zampa) Isa Miranda regrets to have sacrificed to her carer the aspiration to maternity.
In the fifth (of Luchino Visconi) Anna Magnani quarrels with the taxi driver that wants to let her pay a supplement for the little dog and she goes to recite in a variety show where she sings how is beautiful to make love when is evening.

CRITIQUE

Film in episodes conceived by Cesare Zavattini, that wants to apply the poetic of the daily to famous characters: all the protagonists, infact, play themselves. The episodes have different value: the best and the more known is Visconti’s one, but also the film of Rossellini’s family is interesting because “it reveals the documentary spirit to the origin of his films”. Elsewhere it remais to the level of the sketch and of the anecdote: sign that the neorealistic season was at the end. (P. Mereghetti “Dizionario dei film”, translated by Alice Castoldi)

NOTES

ASSISTANT DIRECTOR: FRANCESCO MASELLI

All the main characters play themselves.