Avanti!

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Avanti!

R,

1972,

2h 24m,

Comedy

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Watchlist

79%

24 Reviews

Tomatometer

76%

2,500+ Ratings

Popcornmeter

79%

Tomatometer

24 Reviews

76%

Popcornmeter

2,500+ Ratings

Based on the play by Samuel Taylor, this comedy finds Wendell Armbruster Jr. journeying to the Italian island of Ischia to claim the body of his millionaire father, who died while on vacation there. As the dutiful son uncovers more about his dad's death, revelations are made, leading to Wendell's involvement with British beauty Pamela Piggott. Their budding romance, however, is hindered by a number of odd events that sorely test it.

Romola Costantino

Sydney Morning Herald

Jun 9, 2022

This just has to be one of the best comedy films of this year.

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Martha DuBose

Sydney Morning Herald

Jun 9, 2022

It is basically a failed film because it is Wilder diluted to cater to an age which, ironically, is best equipped to appreciate the Wilder of old.

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Tony Rayns

Sight & Sound

Mar 20, 2020

The audience is literally distanced from the action while at the same time encouraged to identify with it, which gives the whole exposition an almost diagrammatic quality.

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Sean Axmaker

Stream on Demand

Apr 26, 2025

[Director Billy] Wilder takes his time with the pacing and the result is a classic romantic comedy of the modern American world colliding with the provincial Italian way of life ...

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Elissa Suh

Moviepudding (Substack)

Aug 21, 2023

Confidently languorous in pacing, it is not unlike the stride of an Italian afternoon, which hinges on a punctuated and generous lunch hour.

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Adrian Turner

Radio Times

Mar 20, 2020

4/5

This is a sublime romantic comedy that spins on one of Wilder's favourite themes: the confrontation between the brashness of America, where he worked, and the sophistication of Europe, where he was born.

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Jan 27, 2019

The best comedy movie ever made!

Finn S

Jan 27, 2019

Sin perder su cinismo y su toque es una buena muestra del cine de Billy Wilder.

Hermione W

Feb 24, 2018

Jack Lemmon is a one note rich and ugly American over in Italy to see about the interment of his father, unexpectedly dead while on vacation. Juliet mills is (unfortunately) the one note European sex goddess in Italy on a similar mission. it plays somewhat better than it sounds, but not by much as there is little real chemistry between the leads, mills throwing herself at lemmon inexplicably until he inexplicably relents. meh.

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Billy Wilder

Director

Jack Lemmon

Wendell Armbruster, Jr.

Juliet Mills

Pamela Piggott

Clive Revill

Carlo Carlucci

Edward Andrews

J.J. Blodgett

Gianfranco Barra

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Synopsis

Based on the play by Samuel Taylor, this comedy finds Wendell Armbruster Jr. journeying to the Italian island of Ischia to claim the body of his millionaire father, who died while on vacation there. As the dutiful son uncovers more about his dad's death, revelations are made, leading to Wendell's involvement with British beauty Pamela Piggott. Their budding romance, however, is hindered by a number of odd events that sorely test it.

Director: Billy Wilder
Producer: Billy Wilder
Screenwriter: Billy Wilder, I.A.L. Diamond
Production Co: Produzioni Europee Associate, Jalem Productions, The Mirisch Corporation [us], Phalanx Productions
Rating: R
Genre: Comedy
Original Language: English
Release Date (Theaters): Dec 17, 1972, Original
Release Date (Streaming): Sep 16, 2008
Runtime: 2h 24m

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