Don Camillo: Monsignor (1961)
Don Camillo (now bishop) and Peppone (now senator) return to the town of Brescello and rekindle their friendly rivalry.
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Excellent adaptation.
A Major Disappointment
The film's masterful storytelling did its job. The message was clear. No need to overdo.
It is an exhilarating, distressing, funny and profound film, with one of the more memorable film scores in years,
Of course, it's a matter of taste, but for me, it's the low point in the DonCamillo series, despite the actors giving great performances as always.The problem here is the plot. We start with DC and Peppone both "trapped" in Rome - DC in the Vatican, Peppone in the Senate - and both grabbing the opportunity of a small local conflict to hurry back to Brescello. So, the opportunity for fish-out-of-water gags is wasted and the first 15 minutes do exactly nothing to further any plot apart from setting up a running gag (both remain at home much longer than planned, thinking up every kind of excuses not to return to Rome).Back in Brescello, it's business as usual, quite literally: Many of the episodes are just rehashes of similar ones from films 1 & 2. There's little tension and few (if any) surprises; every subplot develops as expected.Summaryy: While the film feels like a nice old acquaintance, it fails to hold my attention or bring something new to the world of DonCamillo.
In this one, both Don Camillo and Peppone are in Rome. One is monsignore, the other a communist senator. But they're reunited in their little countryside village by a controversy over the construction of an apartment complex. Slightly better than La Grande bagarre de Don Camillo (1955), but not as convincing as the first two in the series.Out of 100, I give it 77. That's good for **½ out of **** stars.Seen at home, in Toronto, on September 22th, 2002.