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The Teacher from Vigevano
The Teacher from Vigevano
6.9
/10
154 Ratings

THE TEACHER FROM VIGEVANO

Il maestro di Vigevano

Directed by Elio Petri
Italy, 1963
Comedy, Drama

Synopsis

In the small Italian town of Vigevano, everyone is well-off except for the schoolmaster, Mombelli. His wife, Ada, persuades him to join his brother’s company, but financial problems cause it to close down. When Ada leaves him soon after, Mombelli decides to return to his school.

Synopsis

In the small Italian town of Vigevano, everyone is well-off except for the schoolmaster, Mombelli. His wife, Ada, persuades him to join his brother’s company, but financial problems cause it to close down. When Ada leaves him soon after, Mombelli decides to return to his school.

Our take

This sharp social satire from Elio Petri (Investigation of a Citizen Above Suspicion) follows a dissatisfied everyman (Alberto Sordi!) and the string of small disasters that befall him. Scored by the great Nino Rota, this is a class-conscious classic of the commedia all’italiana genre.