Day by Day, Desperately

Day by Day, Desperately (Italian: Giorno per giorno disperatamente) is a 1961 Italian drama film written and directed by Alfredo Giannetti.^[1] According to the film critic Morando Morandini, the film is "a naturalistic drama of strong emotional charge, crossed by a vein of desperate lyricism."^[2]

Day by Day, Desperately
Directed by	Alfredo Giannetti
Produced by	Franco Cristaldi
Cinematography	Aiace Parolin
Edited by	Ruggero Mastroianni
Music by	Carlo Rustichelli
Release date	1961 (1961)
Language	Italian

Plot

The mental illness affecting young Dario, one of the two sons of the Dominici family living in a low-income area of Rome, turns their lives upside down. Tilde, the mother, devotes herself entirely to caring for Dario, neglecting her husband Pietro and their other son Gabriele. During a severe crisis, Dario is readmitted to the asylum, and Tilde insists on using all their money to bribe the nurses for better treatment.

Pietro, a tailor, can't oppose his wife's obsession but manages to find Gabriele a job in a construction company to distance him from the family's distress. Gabriele falls for Marcella, a colleague, who ultimately chooses their wealthy boss over him.

In a final attempt to cure Dario, Tilde takes him to Vienna for treatment. However, Dario's condition worsens, and he threatens his mother before being readmitted to the asylum. Tilde dies of a heart attack, leaving Pietro to care for Dario alone, but he finds solace in successfully separating Gabriele from the family turmoil.

Cast

• Nino Castelnuovo: Gabriele Dominici
• Tomas Milian: Dario Dominici
• Madeleine Robinson: Tilde
• Tino Carraro: Pietro
• Franca Bettoia: Marcella
• Milly: Luisella
• Riccardo Garrone: un cliente di Pietro Dominici
• Mario Scaccia: un infermiere del manicomio
• Rosalia Maggio: collega di Marcella
• Lino Troisi: un agente di Polizia
• Marcella Rovena: amica di Pietro Dominici
• Alvaro Piccardi: Daniele
• Mario Brega: un borgataro