The Joy of Living (film)

This article is about the 1961 film. For other uses, see Joy of life.

The Joy of Living (Italian: Che gioia vivere, French: Quelle joie de vivre) is a 1961 Italian-French comedy film directed by René Clément. It was entered into the 1961 Cannes Film Festival.^[2]

The Joy of Living
Film poster
Directed by	René Clément
Written by	Leonardo Benvenuti Pierre Bost René Clément Piero De Bernardi Gualtiero Jacopetti
Produced by	Robert Chabert
Starring	Alain Delon
Cinematography	Henri Decaë
Music by	Angelo Francesco Lavagnino
Distributed by	Cinédis
Release date	May 1961 (1961-05)
Running time	132 minutes
Countries	Italy France
Language	Italian
Box office	1,091,442 admissions (France)[1]

Plot

The story is set in Rome, in the year 1921. Ulisse (Alain Delon) enrolls in the Italian Fascist party because he cannot find any employment. The first task entrusted to him by the party leads Ulysses to the printer Fossati, where he's hired as an apprentice. This brings him into contact with a family of anarchists, who will turn him into a reluctant hero for love of the beautiful Franca (Barbara Lass). However, at a time when he must make a decisive choice, Ulysses obeys neither the anarchists nor the fascists, and risks his life for a different idea of freedom.

Cast

• Alain Delon as Ulisse Cecconato
• Barbara Lass as Franca Fossati
• Gino Cervi as Olinto Fossati
• Rina Morelli as Rosa Fossati
• Carlo Pisacane as Grandfather "Fossati"
• Paolo Stoppa as Hairdresser
• Giampiero Littera as Turiddu
• Didi Perego as Isabella
• Nanda Primavera
• Ugo Tognazzi as Anarchist
• Aroldo Tieri
• Leopoldo Trieste
• Gastone Moschin