Break Up – L'uomo dei cinque palloni

  • 85'
  • Italy
  • 1965
You can trust Marco Ferreri (1928 -1997) to depict a man in crisis with flair: from the graphical start in the style of a photonovel through classical black-and-white to almost psychedelic scenes in colour. As in his later big hit La grande bouffe (1973), he is not afraid of the grotesque and social satire. Break Up was not released in Italy at the time. Dissatisfied with the result, producer Carlo Ponti used only fragments from it for the episodic film Oggi, domani dopodomani (1965). The restored original recently won the Venice Classics Award. 
Mario (Marcello Mastroianni), owner of a sweets factory in Milan, is about to marry his beautiful fiancée Giovanna (Catherine Spaak). Following a visit by an advertising balloons rep, Mario gradually becomes obsessed with knowing exactly how far you can blow up a balloon before it pops. His search for the answer leads him to an ecstatic, licentious balloon party. Giovanna has soon had enough.
  • 85'
  • Italy
  • 1965
Director
Marco Ferreri
Country of production
Italy
Year
1965
Festival Edition
IFFR 2017
Length
85'
Medium
DCP
International title
Break Up
Language
Italian
Producer
Carlo Ponti
Production Company
Compagnia Cinematografica Champion
Sales
Park Circus Limited
Screenplay
Rafael Azcona, Marco Ferreri
Cinematography
Aldo Tonti
Production Design
Carlo Egidi
Music
Teo Usuelli
Cast
Marcello Mastroianni, Catherine Spaak, Ugo Tognazzi, William Berger
Director
Marco Ferreri
Country of production
Italy
Year
1965
Festival Edition
IFFR 2017
Length
85'
Medium
DCP
International title
Break Up
Language
Italian
Producer
Carlo Ponti
Production Company
Compagnia Cinematografica Champion
Sales
Park Circus Limited
Screenplay
Rafael Azcona, Marco Ferreri
Cinematography
Aldo Tonti
Production Design
Carlo Egidi
Music
Teo Usuelli
Cast
Marcello Mastroianni, Catherine Spaak, Ugo Tognazzi, William Berger