Il vigile

Soundtrack:

(total length 53:48 minutes)

Piero Umiliani (born 17 July 1926 in Florence, died 14 February 2001 in Rome) was one of the most famous names in film music. He was famous throughout the world for “Mah-nà-mah-nà,” based on the 1968 documentary “Sweden: Heaven and Hell.” The score was then reused in the TV show “The Muppet Show.” 

At that time, RCA had issued an extended-play in mono (Italian RCA - EPA 30-382) with four selections. For our CD we were able to access the original recording session in mono which allowed us to create a CD containing the complete OST as well as material from the extremely rare LP. 

Maestro Umiliani composed a very pleasing OST which, in its various musical nuances, perfectly embodies the comic vein of the great Alberto Sordi through a bubbly series of funny themes, marches, and dance music alternating between jazz and blues. In this film Sordi is in one of his most iconic roles.

Director and Cast:

Directed in 1960 by Luigi Zampa. Starring Alberto Sordi, Vittorio De Sica, Mara Berni, Marisa Merlini, Nando Bruno, Riccardo Garrone, Lia Zoppelli, Mario Riva, Sylva Koscina, Luigi Leoni, Nerio Bernardi, Fausto Guerzoni, Franco Di Trocchio, Edda Ferronao, Giulio Calì, Rossana Canghiari, Lilli Cerasoli, Piera Arico, Mario Scaccia, Gianni Solaro, Rosita Pisano, Carlo Pisacane, Mario Passante, Fanfulla, Vincenzo Talarico.

Plot:

In an unnamed provincial town a few dozen kilometers from Rome (the exteriors were shot in Viterbo and near Frascati along the Tuscolana road) an unemployed man named Othello Celletti manages to get hired as a motorcycle traffic cop thanks to his obsessive insistence and a chance event (his son saves a city councilor’s son from drowning). 

He uses his charming and important new role to get revenge for all the teasing he suffered and to vent all of his pent up ambitions, despite his modest earnings. However, fate has an unexpected opportunity for him. One day he is called to help a stranded motorist who turns out to be none other than the famous actress Sylva Koscina (playing herself). Othello rushes to the aid of the woman and can’t pass up the opportunity to show off his chivalry, so when he discovers she doesn’t have her driver’s license or car documents, he lets it slide.

The actress describes her encounter with Othello during an episode of “The Musichiere” (the Italian version of “Name That Tune”) causing the mayor to become very angry. He decides to reprimand Othello for favoritism. Othello doesn’t want to lose his job, so he takes it very seriously and becomes inflexible and fanatical. A few days later he stops the mayor for speeding and gives him a fine, despite the mayor’s objections, assuming it is a test. The mayor however, is furious because the matter is likely to compromise the secrecy of an affair he’s having. So the next day he fires Othello. This event creates a scandal and the story is used for political purposes. At the trial, however, Othello is forced to back down after receiving threats related to the problems in his own family and so he pretends he was wrong in giving a fine to the mayor. Othello is reinstated as a traffic policeman but has now learned who to be strict with and who to let slide. When he sees the mayor’s car whiz past again, he is careful not to stop him this time. But from the sounds heard immediately after it is clear that a cliff has put an end to his speed. The mayor is rescued and transported by ambulance while Othello leads the way.