Too Much Sun/ Women Alone

(TROPPO SOLE) ((ITALIAN))

By DEBORAH YOUNG

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A Lucky Red release of a La Banda Magnetica, Navert Film production, in association with Reteitalia, presented by Pietro Formentin and Massimo Cortesi. Executive producers, Massimo Cortesi, Alberto Osella. Directed by Giuseppe Bertolucci. Screenplay, Sabina Guzzanti, David Rondino.
 

Atour de force for young TV impersonator Sabina Guzzanti, "Too Much Sun/Women Alone" is one sprightly, extended joke, with the star playing 14 different roles , practically every speaking part in the film. Guzzanti's cult following has kept local opening B.O. strong, but the film packs too many local references to make travel easy. Even if they don't get all the gags, however, offshore viewers who stumble on this pic will get a look at a bright new talent in Guzzanti, who also co-scripted.

Title is a pun that can be translated either as "too much sun" or "women too alone." Entire film is peopled with dizzy females, with just a handful of men (who appear as mute, muscle-bound pinups). Helmer Giuseppe Bertolucci, who has directed films chronicling the early stage work of popular comic Roberto Benigni , takes a relaxed approach, letting Guzzanti's talky, tongue-in-cheek routines work on their own.

Main character is a flighty TV reporter named Lalla who takes off in her red convertible and sunglasses to interview reclusive singing star Matilde. She finds her living in a villa that makes Xanadu look like a walk-up, surrounded by her kitchen-bound mama, her drug-addict sister and a German shepherd.

Much of pic's comedy depends on recognizing the real-life characters behind the fictional ones. Matilde resembles the legendary Mina, a scientist is the spitting image of Rita Levi Montalcini, and Lalla's boss and bedmate is a cinch for anyone who knows their Italian TV.

Despite Guzzanti's rapid-fire personality changes and mind-boggling collection of accents, the featherweight story starts to drag after a while. Bertolucci shows little interest in realistic special effects when several characters appear together in a scene.

All that's missing are male parts for the pretty Guzzanti, who does a brilliant imitation of Silvio Berlusconi on local TV.

Camera (Fotocinema color), Fabio Cianchetti;editor, Fiorella Giovannelli; music, Andrea Guerra; art direction, Gianni Silvestri; costume design, Grazia Colombini. Reviewed at Fiamma Cinema, Rome, May 2, 1994. Running time: 94 MIN.
 

With: Sabina Guzzanti.