It Started in Naples (1960)

Just perfect...

Fantastic!

Story: It's very simple but honestly that is fine.

The biggest problem with this movie is it’s a little better than you think it might be, which somehow makes it worse. As in, it takes itself a bit too seriously, which makes most of the movie feel kind of dull.

You have to forgive this movie several faults in order to enjoy it. Clark Gable, at 59, is far too old for Sophia Loren, 26. The musical numbers are weak with the exception of 'Americano', and let's face it, Loren is no Ginger Rogers. The custody battle for the child – Loren's son and Gable's nephew – is absurd to begin with, and then compounded by silly back and forth melodrama in the second half of the film. The film on the surface seems to be a loving look at Italy and Italians, but Gable's character is condescending with an annoying American arrogance, and the film as a whole is a bit patronizing.And yet, despite all that, I found it somewhat enjoyable, and certainly better than expected. Shot on location in Naples and Capri, the scenery is gorgeous and many of the shots in the streets or piazzas look authentic. Gable gets off a lot of wry one-liners in a script where the dialogue is better than events. Loren may not have the greatest dance moves, but she does show both a comedic side and a touching side in her playful relationship with her son, in addition to, well, being a knockout and all. I love the scene where Loren is sprawled out face down on the bed after a long night dancing, and her son pokes her in the behind with a meat fork in front of Gable. The supporting cast is all-Italian, and the little boy (Marietto) and the lawyer (Vittorio De Sica) turn in good performances. There are moments that seem cliché, but there are also moments that seem spontaneous, and quite true to southern Italy. Far from perfect, but enjoyable.

Just saw this movie for the first time and enjoyed every minute. Beautiful backdrop, light and funny certainly not meant to be taken seriously, all of which are lacking in today's seemingly all dark movies. The age difference made it slightly awkward at times but hey in real life it does happen! If you want a light romantic movie to share a glass of wine with someone special this is a great choice. And yeah the kid pretty much stole the show.

"It Started in Naples" reminds me very much of the major hit Clark Gable had a quarter century before, "It Happened One Night." Both were movies with screwball moments. If "It Started in Naples" was meant at all to be a remake, it is more of a real reworking, and a most effective one at that.As good as Claudette Colbert was as an actress, Sophia Loren sizzles in this film. She is both sexy and funny. Clark Gable may have seemed quite old by then; his heavy smoking aged him, and no doubt caused his fatal heart attack later in 1960. But he handles the role with such ease! And after all, a younger woman going with an older man is not so unusual.The entire cast does a great job. One thing to watch for: When Gable goes into the town square looking for Lucia, you'll see everybody and anybody there, including a long-haired, bearded man. You'd have never seen that in 1934! Seeing that shows that "It Started in Naples" was from the Sixties! This is one fun film! And it makes you wonder what might have been had Clark Gable lived through the 1960s

This movie is a movie that just makes you feel good inside. It was slow at the start, but once Gable started spending time with the boy and Loren, the story picked up and left a wonderful product. My only complaint is that it was sometimes hard to pick up what the Italians were saying when they spoke in English. And although it was pretty easy to sense what they were meaning when they spoke in Italian, I would have liked to see some subtitles...just to know what they were saying. But that would have taken away from the movie...so maybe it's best just as it was. Anyways, a fine film, with Gable his normal charming self, with another male to vy for Sofia Loren, this time being and eight year old.