"Lazzarella" is the kind of mindless sentimental romance with songs that attracted large Italian audiences during this period and that was not generally exported except maybe to ethnic Italian-language houses abroad. Yet it brought in a bigger box office than did the contemporary "Nights of Cabiria" by Fellini, which of course was popular not only in Italy but throughout the globe. The movie is based on a song of the same title with lyrics by Domenico Modugno, about a teenage girl Sandra, nicknamed Lazzarella. Modugno himself appears in the film as a pizza vendor who likes to keep folks engaged through song and food.
Sandra is from a well-off family. Her sweetheart is Luciano, from a family of modest means. Her family wants her to marry another boy from a well-off family. Then Sandra's own family hits hard times. So we get the usual dilemmas, separations, jealousies, and predictable reconciliations with Sandra and Luciano ultimately together again and destined for marriage to each other. Pretty Alessandra Panaro plays Sandra. Handsome Mario Girotti (later known as Terence Hill) is her boyfriend Luciano. Also in the cast is singer Aurelio Fierro. He and Modugno seem to be included here to garner interest among the older audience. Neapolitan character actress does a delightful turn as the widow Capuano with her delightful whiskey-baritone voice. It all adds up to inconsequential and harmless pap.
Sandra is from a well-off family. Her sweetheart is Luciano, from a family of modest means. Her family wants her to marry another boy from a well-off family. Then Sandra's own family hits hard times. So we get the usual dilemmas, separations, jealousies, and predictable reconciliations with Sandra and Luciano ultimately together again and destined for marriage to each other. Pretty Alessandra Panaro plays Sandra. Handsome Mario Girotti (later known as Terence Hill) is her boyfriend Luciano. Also in the cast is singer Aurelio Fierro. He and Modugno seem to be included here to garner interest among the older audience. Neapolitan character actress does a delightful turn as the widow Capuano with her delightful whiskey-baritone voice. It all adds up to inconsequential and harmless pap.