Peccato che sia una canaglia (Too Bad She's Bad) (1954)

75% of users liked it
(131 ratings)

Can a good man tame a woman on the wrong side of the law? Paolo (Marcello Mastroianni) is a slightly clumsy cab driver who, not long after being issued a new vehicle, picks up an interesting fare -- a strikingly beautiful young woman, Lina (Sophia Loren), who is going to the beach with two of her… More Can a good man tame a woman on the wrong side of the law? Paolo (Marcello Mastroianni) is a slightly clumsy cab driver who, not long after being issued a new vehicle, picks up an interesting fare -- a strikingly beautiful young woman, Lina (Sophia Loren), who is going to the beach with two of her boyfriends. When they arrive at the seashore, Lina invites Paolo to join them, but he soon discovers Lina is simply working her charm on him so her friends can steal his cab. Paolo takes up the matter with the police, but Lina's profoundly silly explanation of the events makes him wonder if he simply misinterpreted the whole thing. However, after meeting Lina's dignified father Stroppiani (Vittorio De Sica), Paolo discovers that both father and daughter are thieves, as is the rest of the family. As Paolo unsuccessfully tries to bring the family to justice, he finds himself falling for the beauteous Lina, and decides to marry her, certain that matrimony will bring her to the straight and narrow. Peccato Che Sia una Canaglia (released in America as Too Bad She's Bad) marked the first time Sophia Loren (then only twenty years old) was co-starred with her frequent screen partner Marcello Mastroianni; they would eventually make thirteen pictures together. ~ Mark Deming, Rovi

Rating, Runtime: Unrated, 1 hr. 36 min.
Directed By: Alessandro Blasetti
Genres: Romance, Art House & International, Comedy

In Theaters: Dec 24, 1955 Wide
On DVD: Apr 5, 2005

Critic Reviews

Dennis Schwartz, Ozus' World Movie Reviews
... the three Binga, Banga, Bonga stars are enjoyable and if the comedy doesn't grab you then the men can at least ogle the curvaceous Sophia.

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Featured Audience Ratings

Stefanie C

Charming con caper, Italian style.
Ken S

Funny Italian comedy that introduced the world to Sophia Loren. Va va va voom!
Walter M

In "Too Bad She's Bad," Lina(Sophia Loren), Toto(Michael Simone) and Peppino(Giorgio Sanna) hire Paolo(Marcello Mastroianni), a taxi driver, for the day for 8000 lire to drive them to the beach, so they can go skinnydipping.(Calm down! You're drooling on the… More
In "Too Bad She's Bad," Lina(Sophia Loren), Toto(Michael Simone) and Peppino(Giorgio Sanna) hire Paolo(Marcello Mastroianni), a taxi driver, for the day for 8000 lire to drive them to the beach, so they can go skinnydipping.(Calm down! You're drooling on the keyboard.) While Paolo is chatting up Lina, the guys try to steal his cab but are foiled by the car's alarm. They escape but not before the mudguard is damaged. Paolo tries to get Lina to lead him to them but she gets away. However, they soon run into each other again, this time going back to her place where they meet Vittorio(Vittorio De Sica), her father who has a thing for suitcases, especially empty ones. "Too Bad She's Bad" is a very good, very funny and delightful screwball comedy that gives new meaning to trying to make an honest woman out of somebody. It was made at a time when Italy had finally recovered from World War II and was on the move again, with tourists aplenty which makes it perfect for any amount of chicanery. This brings up quite a bit of generational conflict as Paolo looks down on the kids for not working hard while Vittorio looks down on them for not knowing how to steal correctly. I read on TCM.com that this was the first pairing between Loren and Mastroianni and already they have a great chemistry working together with him playing the straight man to her character out to prove that there is more to her than simply her physical assets. That having been said, Vittorio De Sica nearly steals the movie out from under them, playing a different kind of crook than the one he would play in "General Della Rovere." Now, if somebody could only explain what the waiter is doing in the police station, I'll be all set.