La rivale dell'imperatrice

A sweeping, cinematic pseudo-documentary history of human flight, starting with the failed attempt of Icarus, and ending with the aviation triumphs of the fascist regime.

This propaganda film was partly inspired by the story of the first Italian heavyweight champion Primo Carnera who, after winning the title with Al Capone’s help in 1933, was beaten the following year by the Jewish Max Bear and then again by the ‘Brown Bomber’ Detroit Joe Lewis in June 1935, on the eve of the Italian invasion of Ethiopia. This match provoked numerous racial skirmishes on the streets of Harlem between the Black community and pro-Fascist Italian-Americans. The film overturns historical facts and here, obviously, it is the white boxer who wins in order to demonstrate the superiority of the “Aryan Italians” over the “sinister Jewish entrepreneurs” and the “savage Afro-American fans in Yankee Stadium”. In the film, these were played by South African prisoners-of-war interred in a work camp, which the German and Italian propaganda ministries had set up near Cinecittà “for cinematic purposes”.

In a village, the pharmacist and the innkeeper have an intense rivalry fuelled by the fact that they were once romantically involved many years before. To spite her rival, the innkeeper arranges to have her nephew set up a second pharmacy to take business away him. Unbeknownst to them a romance is developing between the younger generation of the families.

Travelling family man Paolo agrees to pose as husband to an unwed pregnant girl he meets on a train. However, once faced with her father, things do not go as planned.

Professor Fabius has found a way of transferring his personality to another person and he transfers his to the body of Giacinto Floria, a nice teacher in a women's college. Poor Giacinto becomes a sex maniac to the puzzlement of his girlfriend Mafalda.

In 16th century Italy, mercenary Marco is hired by cruel duke Astolfo whose unjust reign is threatened by the notorious outlaw the Red Mask.

A young girl finds out that her father, an impoverished Baron, actually works as a stage actor.

A blind girl and a disabled singer fall in love.

Tina, an old lady and detective stories buff, moves to town in the house of a god-daughter of hers whose husband is a private dick. She thinks she will be able to help him with his inquests. He does not agree with her and tries to discourage her by any possible means.

Tapioca, a small-time thief, hides out in an elegant apartment, where he is soon joined by Cascarilla, one of his apprentices who has become better than his master. When the owners arrive home, the latter offers the wife a bunch of love letters she has written to various lovers for ten million.

Though Genghis Khan eventually sought peace with the West, his death in 1227 AD puts into power his three war-like sons: Sayan, Susdal, and Kin Khan. These sons quickly overrun the city of Tuleda and take prisoner Princess Bianca, though young Prince Alessio escapes. Hercules comes to the rescue of Bianca, winning her freedom in a tournament in exchange for becoming a slave himself. Forces from the West soon come to re-take Tuleda and Hercules -- freed from his bonds -- helps to dispatch Genghis Khan's three sons while again saving Bianca and reuniting her with her young brother.

A musical drama based on Giuseppe Verdi's opera Rigoletto.