Product Details

• Actors: Vittorio Gassman, Marcello Mastroianni, Renato Salvatori, Totò, Memmo Carotenuto
• Directors: Mario Monicelli
• Writers: Mario Monicelli, Agenore Incrocci, Furio Scarpelli, Italo Calvino, Suso Cecchi D'Amico
• Producers: Franco Cristaldi
• Format: Black & White, Subtitled, NTSC
• Subtitles: English
• Rated: NR (Not Rated)
• Number of tapes: 1
• Studio: Homevision
• VHS Release Date: June 16, 2000
• Run Time: 106 minutes
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• ASIN: 6303818331
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #245,263 in Movies & TV (See Top 100 in Movies & TV)

Editorial Reviews

In this classic Italian spoof, a gang of bungling burglars set their eyes on a local pawn shop, but the elaborate robbery never comes off. The would-be crooks--including a nearly senile safecracker--are too easily distracted by life's joys and passions. The silent-film intertitles and jazz score create a marvelous send-up of Hollywood caper films.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Italian comedy, October 30, 2002

By 

grace "gratz73" (New York, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Big Deal on Madonna Street (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

I Soliti Ignoti- I absolutely love this movie. It is one great italian comedy with a brilliant cast at its best in portraying the simplistic and realistic roles of petty criminals. Because of the nature of the characters and their ridiculous behaviour in the proceedings of their scheme to rob a pawnshop, the viewers won't be able to refrain from laughter and enjoy this gang's hopeless adventure. For anyone who loves this movie as much as I do, I recommend to see its sequel made a year later by Nanni Loy: "Audace Colpo dei Soliti Ignoti", with only the absence of Mastroianni but the addition of Nino Manfredi- Sure it's not as great as the first, but having liked these characters so much it is natural that one would want to see them back in action with yet another "scientifically" schemed project along with all their mishaps as usual...and of course, a little more of the unfolding romance of the couple portrayed by Claudia Cardinale and Renato Salvatori. Unfortunately this movie will be hard to find, and it is without subtitles. (Do not confuse this with a third sequel made 20 yrs later which, by the way, I do not recommend at all.) For anyone who hasn't seen Big Deal On Madonna St, please do see it.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars So much better than "Welcome to Collinwood", November 27, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Big Deal on Madonna Street (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

One of the best comedies ever made. A bumbling, utterly inept group of crooks resolve upon a seemingly simple heist. They fail in spectacular fashion. The scene in which Toto demonstrates the different methods for cracking a safe is unforgettably hilarious. A tour de force of casting, including Toto, Mastroianni, Gassman and Claudia Cardinale in her first major role.

As a shocked Italian media reported, "Welcome to Collinwood" is nothing more than a remake of this remarkable film. As is so often the case, the original far surpasses the remake.

Strange facts
#1 The actors play characters from all over Italy, yet almost none of them gets to play a character with an accent from the actor's own part of the country!
#2 Can you guess which of the principal actors was, in fact, a barista in the bar where the director used to go for his coffee?

8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Genuinely funny movie, May 4, 2002

By 

Westley (Stuck in my head) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Big Deal on Madonna Street (The Criterion Collection) (DVD)

This movie is a classic comedy burglar caper. A collection of small time hoods gather to rob a pawn shop. Along the way, everything that could go wrong does in pretty hilarious fashion.

As other reviewers have mentioned, Woody Allen's "Small Time Crooks" was clearly inspired by this film, so if you liked that one, you'll probably enjoy Madonna Street. I also agree with the problem with the subtitles flashing too quickly. All the more reason to try to get it on DVD - I found myself having to pause the frame just to read the subtitles. Despite this problem, this movie really is funny and enjoyable. Highly recommended.