User Reviews

This movie is a treasured memory of my childhood. I was thrilled mostly by the musical scenes where Angelo Branduardi leads a chorus of kids into a splendid medieval tune called "Vanità di Vanità" - and this songs remains as one of the first songs I ever heard. Apart from the highly inspired music, this movie also has some very good performances by its leading actors, but on the other hand lacks on the technical and artistic side, maybe the result of a quick production and a hurried post-production. The storyline itself is also interesting, featuring some of the most important saints of Italian history (and telling the life of Saint Filippo Neri himself). I suggest it to those who appreciate good music, talented actor and a very naive portrait of 1500 Rome.

The film is not so heavy and dramatic at all as my summary is. The story tells about an orphan boy who has all ability to belong to both side to the good and the evil as well. From his early years both of them would like to have him and one becomes winner finally.

What I really like in this film that how it shows the classic story for the viewer. There are two antagonistic buildings on a small square. One is owned by a priest (the savior of some helpless children) and the other one changes several times (sometimes it's a forge, another time it's a craftsman's house) but it hides the same evil all the time.

In my opinion the square is not else then our lives before and after the big decisions which can lead us to the both ways and the only choice is up to us...

I can recommend it for all who enjoy such tales and some artistic line (but not too much) from a film. My vote is 8 for it since the acting had some lesser fault (most likely on the child actors) but all for this I got a great compensation for example from the wonderful music.

I've got on DVD this film. And I never saw such a instructive and also heart warming, and naive,side-splitting creation. This film it is! This story takes back to the XVI.century. Priest of Phillippo look after orphan, waif children.His admit the little thief, Cirifschiot, the clever, but warm-hearted boy, but he can not save him from the debaucher of the evil. On the border of the reality and the mistic playing story fascinatingly speaks about the law of the faith and the missionary and the harmony of the common life. You can cry, you can laugh, and you can learn from the story. I suggest this film to everybody, who loves children, who loves nice music, and if you are on the wrong way, and you want to change your life. It's shame, I could not find this film on DVD in the UK. I've got this film with Italianand Hungarian language. I definitely suggest the extradition of this film to the Public in the UK.

I've never seen a movie like this, except Luc Besson's Léon. It's only fascinating. I saw it a hundred times, but it always shows me something new; something else, whereby i wanna be more than myself. Johnny Dorelli is amazing!!! I love this film! I've never seen an actor parade like he does in this movie... The soundtrack is a wonderful thing too,it's painful and happy at the same time. It always does harm my faith of this world's bigness. It's a tough-provoking fine piece of work, in my opinion. I was at school, named after Saint Filippo Neri, so it reminds me to my childhood, and it'll remind You, to whatever you enjoyed in your childhood.

I love this movie, and the music is great! I bought it on DVD many years ago. Thank you Italy for this masterpiece!