English Title: Variety Lights
Capitolium
Starring: Peppino De Filippo, Carla Del Poggio
Directed by: Federico Fellini, Alberto Lattuada
Cat Out of the Bag Alert! This review contains some spoilers for this film!
Synopsis: The beautiful young Liliana (Carla Del Poggio) has dreams of fame and fortune so she joins a variety show on the road and makes progress, not only with audiences but with aging comic Checco (Peppino De Filippo).
Purr Blur: In one scene Checco finds himself left behind by Liliana and locked out of his accomodations. As he calls for the manager, a little white cat can be seen standing to one side.
Kitty Cameo: Moments later the sound of a trumpet can be heard. A tuxedo cat (not the same cat as seen before) is standing looking in the direction of the sound.
Featured Feline: Having found some street performers to fill out his new variety show, Checco hurries to Liliana to give her the news. He finds her asleep in bed. He opens the curtains to cast sunlight upon her and a Siamese cat she has in bed with her.
Checco reaches over as if to pet the cat. Liliana quickly slaps his hand.
Liliana is cross and says she wants to go back to sleep. She picks up the cat and drops it out of her bed.
At the end of the film Liliana is leaving to go on tour with Checco’s former friend Adelmo Conti (Folco Lulli), an assistant to the show’s director. The two are walking beside a train on a platform and Adelmo is carrying the Siamese cat.
Lilliana boards the train and Adelmo hands her the cat through the window so he can buy some magazines for her.
As she waits, Lilliana spots Checco’s troupe on the train on the opposite track. When she spots Checco she calls to him.
The two are able to talk briefly before her train pulls away.
Final Mewsings: Don’t pet a woman’s pussy without asking first!
Many thanks to Craig J. Clark for recommending this film!
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