The Little Nuns

This is well on par with the best English comedies of the 50s and very remindful of the French classic comedy "The American Beauty" of almost the same year - the idyll is the dominating character of the film, and no matter what monstrous modernities and terrifying industrial tycoons the little nuns encounter on their crusade to Rome to make an airline change a line between Rome and Milan to avoid disturbing their mountain monastery, which frescoes are damaged each time an airplane thunders above them, the little nuns by their sheer naïvety get their way. Their driver is an old drunk, his car is antique and almost falling apart, they can't move fast, and they get a stowaway in the car as well, a small boy who loves to take surprising initiatives. The leading tycoon with whom the little nuns have to struggle is Amedeo Nazzari, who from the beginning and for good reasons are scared to death of them. The complications and funny situations tend to amass to an impressing pyramid of hilarious circumstances and intrigues, making this one of the best Italian comedies after Vittorio de Sica. It is human, delightfully charming, very innovative, there is even a spectacular judo match with an unexpected outcome, and as usual in Italian films, the children top everything.