The Icicle Thief

Reminiscent of the comedies of Chaplin and Keaton, this Italian gem directed by and starring Maurizio Nichetti is a wildly funny takeoff on the classic The Bicycle Thief and much more. Nichetti stars as himself on the set of a TV station where he is being interviewed prior to the broadcast of his film "The Icicle Thief." When it's time for the film to air, we begin watching "The Icicle Thief," which stars Maurizio Nichetti. Sound complicated? It is, but in a very funny, immediately understandable way. Nichetti plays an unemployed laborer struggling to make ends meet for his family: a wife, young son, and baby. In a running gag the couple constantly argue while stepping over the baby who, more often than not, is playing with some dangerous appliance. Sporadically, commercial interruptions spoof modern commercials, and during one a swimsuit model (in color) accidentally ends up in the black and white movie. While saving her from a river, Nichetti towels her off (thus removing the color). The model tends to play havoc with the plot line, forcing Nichetti the director to enter his film to confront Nichetti the actor's character. One imaginative bit of madness follows another in this outstanding romantic comedy that is sure to find a strong following with film buffs and mainstream audiences alike. Highly recommended. (R. Pitman)