The Head of the Family (1967 film)

Il padre di famiglia (internationally released as The Head of the Family) is a 1967 Italian-French comedy film directed by Nanni Loy. For his performance in this film and in Italian Secret Service, Nino Manfredi was awarded with a Golden Plate at the 1968 David di Donatello Awards.^[1][2]

The Head of the Family
Spanish poster
Directed by	Nanni Loy
Written by	Nanni Loy Giorgio Arlorio Ruggero Maccari
Produced by	Turi Vasile
Starring	Nino Manfredi Leslie Caron Ugo Tognazzi
Cinematography	Armando Nannuzzi
Edited by	Franco Fraticelli
Music by	Carlo Rustichelli Bruno Nicolai (music director)
Production companies	M.N. Produzioni Cinematografiche, C.F.C. Marianne Productions Ultra Film
Distributed by	Allied Artists (US)
Release date	29 September 1967 (1967-09-29)
Running time	110 minutes
Language	Italian

Veteran actor Totò was originally cast as Romeo, the anarchist, but died two days after filming his first scene; he was replaced by Ugo Tognazzi.^[3] Later Tognazzi was nominated for the Nastro d'Argento for Best Supporting Actor.

Plot

The story centres on Marco and Paola, both architects, who meet after World War II and get married. Though deeply in love they come from different backgrounds, and do not share the same outlook on life. After the wedding, she gives up her work to instead dedicate herself to raising their growing family, and he, feeling abandoned by her, initiates an affair with one of his colleagues.

Following the various dramas of bringing up the children, who are schooled with the Montessori method, the wife goes to a clinic to recover from a nervous breakdown, while he, still in love with his wife, returns to his own family. When he's asked by a Census official, who is the Head of the Family, the husband does not know what to reply.

Cast

• Nino Manfredi as Marco
• Leslie Caron as Paola
• Ugo Tognazzi as Romeo
• Claudine Auger as Adriana
• Mario Carotenuto as Paola's father
• Sergio Tofano as Amedeo, Marco's father
• Evi Maltagliati as Luisa, Marco's mother
• Elsa Vazzoler as Carla, Paola's mother
• Gino Pernice as Marco's colleague
• Raoul Grassilli as Neurologist
• Giampiero Albertini as Natalino
• Antonella Della Porta as Bonaria
• Marisa Solinas as Angela
• Paolo Bonacelli as Surveyor
• Luca Sportelli as Marco's colleague
• Rina Franchetti