Al Gal

Funny man Roberto Benigni as Dante/Johnny Stecchino gets entangled in a mafia mistaken identity web. Lucky for him, he is unscathed from a number of mishaps due to his candid and humorous act and, of course, for winning Maria's heart. Benigni's character--for those who have little knowledge of Italian cinematography--resembles an earlier character, that of Romeo by Francesco Nuti playing alongside Ornela Muti, in "All the Fault of Paradise" (1985). Romeo is quieter than Dante/Johnny; Dante is louder and vocal and just as warmhearted as the former. Watch Johnny Stecchino; you will LOVE IT!

I would have never known of this movie, had it not been for the casting of Maurice Ronet. Because Ronet played the great Italian composer Vincenzo Bellini in "Casta Diva," the French engineer sent to northern Scandinavia in "La Sorciere," and most importantly Mr. Greenleaf in PURPLE NOON alongside Alain Delon, it led me to believe that I would see another great movie with him in HOW SWEET IT IS. Although a typical 1960's movie, where all in life is clean and pristine pertaining marriage and anything regarding women's morality, this movie doesn't rise to a level of artistic excitement. It mostly ridicules, if not relaying a warning to American couples when on vacation in Europe, that European man are womanizers. Garner and Raynolds are the ideal American couple and they take the air in the movie, whereas Maurice Ronet has rather a trivial role, not of essence, but nonetheless a leap for him in Hollywood. Watch this movie for fun!