Toth Database - Cinema

Mr. Max 

Plot

Gianni had to stop high school to inherit from his father the newsstand in Via Veneto in Rome. The newsstand is profitable and the young man can afford a nice trip. Taken as it is by the charm of the aristocratic world, take advantage of the free first-class ticket on a steamer that one of his schoolmates procures him and spend a time on board in the company of some representatives of the beautiful world. He owns a camera contained in a case with the name of Max Varaldo, and is thus also mistaken for a nobleman, being able to weave different relationships, among which there is no shortage of sentimental ones with sophisticated woman Paola. The lady's lady's lady and the institution of her younger sister, she falls in love with the young newsaman, so resembling the aristocrat Max. This similarity suspicious her but Gianni with various tricks manages to dispel doubts. Once the money is over, he abandons that short bracket of golden life and returns to the newsstand. He is recognized by the lady's maid, and to track her down, a double life begins: on the one hand the newsaman who woos the maid and on the other the young socialit who scares for the lady. He then finds that this great world is not suitable for his tastes and, finally, notices the sincere slice of the girl. 

She makes the young socialit disappear to return the good working boy and marries the pretty ex-waitress girl, meanwhile fired.  

Criticism 

"Camerini conducted the whole film with a perfect hand and above all impeccable comic time. But if I were to say where he reached his happiest moment, the new touch that stands out and marks the film, is in the transparent, understanding and light world with which, without lowering the farce, he has been able to mix emotion".

(Filippo Sacchi, Corriere della sera, 30 August 1937) 

" The film had a great success in Venice that rewarded years of work has come to a mastery, a delicate and safe touch, a ductile and almost always essential montage. Observe how in Mr. Max episodes and developments are inserted and resolved, how fussy hints are contained in a guarding and intelligent measure, how rhythms and light-dark are fitting. The rhythm of his story is in the adventures and misadventures of those who want to live in a world that is not his, speculating on appearance and lies. Inflate your voice, and you'll have the great satirical play, give it acrid and rattenuti accents and you'll have all the miseries of the shifted, instead give this nucleus a smiling weaving a little muted, with a slight satirical vein, and you will have camerini comedy" 

(Mario Gromo,"La Stampa, November 23, 1937) 

Notes 

In 1957 a first remake of the film was made for the direction Giorgio Bianchi entitled Il Conte Max, with Alberto Sordi in the role played here by De Sica, while in 1991 Christian De Sica, son of Vittorio De Sica, directed and acted a second remake of the film with the same title as the 57th version.