Gina Lollobrigida’s last successful American movie, Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell, was directed by Melvin Frank, who co-wrote the original screenplay with Denis Norden and Sheldon Keller.
Grade: B- (**1/2* out of *****)
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Original poster
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It served as the basis for the unsuccessful 1979 stage musical Carmelina. Some critics have also speculated that the 1999 stage musical Mamma Mia!—and, by extension, its 2008 film adaptation—are based on Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell.
Carla “Campbell” (Gina Lollobrigida) is an Italian woman who—during the American occupation of Italy—slept with three American GIs in the course of 10 days, Cpl. Phil Newman (Phil Silvers), Lt. Justin Young (Peter Lawford), and Sgt. Walter Braddock (Telly Savalas).
By the time she discovers she is pregnant, all three have moved on, and she, uncertain of which is the father, convinces each man (who are unaware of the existence of the other two) to support “his” daughter Gia financially.
To protect her reputation, as well as the reputation of her child, Carla has raised the girl to believe her mother is the widow of a non-existent army captain named Eddie Campbell, a name she borrowed from a can of soup (otherwise he would have been Captain Coca-Cola, the only other term she knew in English at the time).
The film opens 20 years after the end of World War II in the village of San Forino, where the three ex-airmen attend a reunion of the 293rd Squadron of the 15th Air Force in the village where they were stationed.
The men are accompanied by their wives, and in the Newmans’ case, three obnoxious children. Carla is forced into a series of comic situations as she tries to keep them—each anxious to meet his daughter Gia (Janet Margolin) for the first time—from discovering her secret while at the same time trying to keep Gia from running off to Paris to be with a much older married man who will take her to Brazil.
When confronted, Mrs. Campbell admits she does not know which of the three men is Gia’s father. She challenges the men by asking them what kind of father each would have been. Provoked by this, the potential fathers talk to Gia and insist that she cannot run off. The “fathers” cease the support, and the Braddocks, who cannot have children, invite Gia to stay with them while she studies in the U.S.
As is often the case with comedies revolving around a single idea, the movie gets off to a bright start, but gradually declines in energy and increases in redundant contrivance.
Telly Savalas is the best of the three would-be fathers) and Shelley Winters, who plays Phil Silvers’ wife.
Lollobrigida, still luminous at age 40, holds the center with her beauty, charm, and good comedic timing. She was nominated for a Golden Globe for this role, which earned her the David di Donatello (Italian Oscar) Best Actress Award.
The United Artists release was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome.
Cast
Gina Lollobrigida as mother Carla Campbell
Janet Margolin as daughter Gia Campbell
Philippe Leroy as Vittorio
Naomi Stevens as housekeeper Rosa
Phil Silvers as American Cpl. Phil Newman
Shelley Winters as wife Shirley Newman
Peter Lawford as American Lt. Justin Young
Marian Moses as wife Lauren Young
Telly Savalas as Sgt. Walter Braddock
Lee Grant as wife Fritzie Braddock
Giovanna Galletti as The Contessa
