Celebrate Ferragosto with Luciano Emmer’s 1950 'A Sunday in August'

Luciano Emmer’s 1950 “La domenica d'agosto” (A Sunday in August) has become one of my favorite Marcello Mastroianni works. The film follows four different stories, all tied to an Ostia beach on a sweltering Sunday in August.

The nostalgic opening shots of kids sitting outside a row of cafes takes place near the corner of Via Cola di Rienzo and Via Ottaviano by the Vatican, bringing back memories of how many times I’ve found myself exactly in that nook on my way to get a coffee at Castroni or Roman artichokes at Franchi. After having spent hours upon hours over the years in that neighborhood, seeing it in its heyday during these tough times brings some hope and happiness to so much uncertainty.

Mastroianni enters the story around 30 minutes in. He plays the role of a young lover whose fiancé has become pregnant and is fired from her job as a maid. She is beside herself but he calms her and stays right by her side.

One quote that stood out and speaks to the timelessness of the film is said by a widowed father who wants to move forward with his life but feels discouraged and depressed. “One should have the courage to start all over. But I have nothing that gives me this courage. I drag a situation since years more out of habit. What should I do? I feel tired. I feel like life is over already.”

With one of the sweetest endings I’ve ever seen, this film is just as relevant today as it was when it was made 70 years ago. I highly recommend seeing it. Click on the image to stream it on Amazon...

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