Madly in Love (ITA 1981) with Ornella Muti and Adriano Celentano

Content:  In this podcast, we talk about the Italian romantic comedy “Madly in Love” (1981) by the directors Castellano & Pipolo starring Ornella Muti as a bored princess and Adriano Celentano as a charming bus driver.  The film is a homage to “Roman Holiday” (1953) by William Wyler, but unlike its role model, it mainly offers slapstick humor. We praise Celentano's comedic talent and Muti's screen presence, see the film as entertaining and, in our opinion, surpassing its predecessor “The Taming of the Scoundrel”.  Plot:  Cristina, played by Ornella Muti, is the princess of a fictional monarchical state named Saint Tulipe. She is visiting Rome with her parents. Bored and rebellious, Cristina sneaks away from the embassy to explore the city. She meets Barnaba, the rough-around-the-edges bus driver played by Adriano Celentano, who instantly falls in love with the princess.  Background:  Ornella Muti gained fame with films alongside Adriano Celentano. The film "The Taming of the Scoundrel" (1980) was so successful with this dream team that a sequel was immediately produced: "Madly in Love" from 1981.  The original Italian title is "Innamorato pazzo," which translates to "Crazy Lover."  The film was written and directed by Castellano & Pipolo, who also wrote the screenplay and directed "The Taming of the Scoundrel."