This Billy Wilder black comedy has nothing to do with any of the talents that brought international audiences Divorce, Marriage or Ghosts, but this is definitely Italian style with a taste of both Yankee Doodle Dandy and Pip, pip cheerio. Jack Lemmon managed a Golden Globe but not an Oscar nomination for his flustered businessman who heads to exotic and romantic Italy where he must claim the body of his father who was killed in a car accident. Secrets of what his father was up to connects him with a beautiful British lady (Juliette Mills) who is described as supposedly fat but is anything but. Blackmail, American diplomats interfering and even murder are the order of the day, with the presence of a mustache clad maid whom I thought at first was a man in drag.This film gets off on the right foot with a scene on an airplane where Lemmon and some anonymous old man switch clothes for some reason, and forgetting to swap passports. Later, Lemmon keeps encountering Mills who is seeking him out, and thinking that she is nuts, tries to shrug her off. As the secrets of his father's activities are slowly revealed, resulting in the meeting with an opportunistic Italian family with extortion on their mind.At an amazingly fast two and a half hours, this is a hidden treasure, very successful at the time, but overlooked among director Billy Wilder's many gems. Wilder regular Jack Lemmon is very funny as the frustrated international tourist, fortunately lacking the obnoxiousness of his mid- westerner visiting New York on "The Out of Towners". Mills is charming and confident in one of her few films, and has nice chemistry with Lemmon. also hysterically funny is stage veteran Clive Revill as the flamboyant hotel proprietor who has a word of wisdom for every situation and a crack for everything he can't advise on. Edward Andrews makes a late entry as the American diplomat who is a "friend" of Lemmon's family, summoned from France to Italy by Lemmon's unseen wife.With a practically perfect screenplay by Wilder and longtime partner I.A.L. Diamond, this is a beautiful looking travelogue with a fun story and many humorous situations. It may seem at first glance to be a bit too long, but once you get settled into the plot line, you won't even notice.

A successful businessman (Jack Lemmon) goes to Italy to arrange for the return of his tycoon-father's body only to discover dad died with his mistress of long standing.Whether this film is good or not depends on how you look at it. If you want a film that is not predictable, you will hate this film, because it follows all the classic formulas from scene one to the closing credits.But we do have the Wilder touch, and Jack Lemmon is always a joy to watch. He won a Golden Globe for this role. Is it his best movie? No. He probably won because of his nude scenes.Some of the characters (notably the coroner) are amusing and really make the film worthwhile, but it is not the best film from either Lemmon or Wilder and thus while I liked it would not strongly endorse it.

You can do that by simply not watching this atrocity. I said so over 10 years ago and I maintain the same line. You've got to be over 70 AND hate modern times to like this ancient concoction. I've seen Lemmon in memorable movies, but he ain't in this one. But then, any old movie has trouble keeping up with changing culture, I'll give you this. I admit, I saw Avanti, possibly when I was too young to make much sense of it. But it did cause me a few laughs. That I remember. Watching it now, I see myself sitting stony-faced, counting the minutes. What on earth was that all about!? I need to write ten lines but there's nothing to be said other than save yourself the expense, the time, the disappointment. If you have to see ancient movies, get yourself something substantial and let me know what that might be. Thank you. Go away, Avanti.

The arrogant and rude Vice-President of the Armbruster Industries Wendell Armbruster, Jr. (Jack Lemmon) travels to Ischia, in Italy, to bring the body of his father Wendell Armbruster, Sr., who died in a suddenly and tragic accident while driving on a road, back to Baltimore. During his trip, the British woman Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills) tries to start a conversation with him, but the impolite executive does not give a chance to her. In Ischia, the manager of Hotel Excelsior Carlo Carlucci (Clive Revill) welcomes Wendell telling that it is a place that heals everything; he helps him with the Italian bureaucracy and to get a sealed zinc casket in Amalfi to release the corpse from the morgue. When Wendell meets Pamela in the hotel, he discovers that his father and her mother had been lovers for ten years and they had met each other every year from July 15th to August 15th. Wendell offers to help Pamela, who is needy and has weight problem, and they decide to follow the routine of his father and their mother, finding why the couple had had a so long love affair."Avanti!" is another delightful movie of the genius Billy Wilder. This witty, ironic and dramatic romantic comedy has another partnership with Jack Lemmon in the lead role of a rude and tough executive that is surprised with the secret relief valve of his father's life in the wonderful Italy. The sweet and charming Juliet Mills is perfect in the role of the complexed and needy Pamela. And Clive Revill is fantastic in the role of an experienced hotel manager that fixes everything in the Hotel Excelsior and his performance deserved a nomination to the Oscar. The plot is supported by magnificent landscapes and one of the most beautiful soundtracks of the cinema history. My vote is eight.Title (Brazil): "Avanti … Amantes Á Italiana" ("Avanti ...Italian Lovers")