People are voting emotionally.

if their story seems completely bonkers, almost like a feverish work of fiction, you ain't heard nothing yet.

Mostly, the movie is committed to the value of a good time.

Just intense enough to provide a much-needed diversion, just lightweight enough to make you forget about it soon after it’s over. It’s not exactly “good,” per se, but it does what it sets out to do in terms of putting us on edge, which makes it … successful?

"Avanti!" had me scared for a while. It presents itself as a "fish out of water" comedy, and, dare I say it, flounders. But, as the film advances, it grabs a zipper from the back of its neck and reveals itself to be a black, romantic-comedy--and a decent one, at that.The film stars Jack Lemmon as a boorish American businessman, forced to visit Italy--a country where everyone's got a cousin for every job-- to pick up and return his recently deceased father. Not to give anything away, he meets a young woman with a self-prescribed weight- problem- -I don't see it--who may or may not have some relation to his father's death. The two proceed to develop a connection, in a curiously charming fashion. Billy Wilder is, to me, the greatest screenwriter of them all, writing not only some of the greatest comedies of all time ("Some Like it Hot," "One, Two, Three"), but also the greatest dramas ("Ace in the Hole," "Sunset Boulevard"). If Shakespeare had been born some 400 years later, he would be a Wilder fan, or maybe even Wilder himself. It's crime against humanity that Wilder never adapted to the screen "Much Ado About Nothing.""Avanti!" fails to reach the heights of Wilder's career, but it still contains moderate doses of that tigerish Wilder wit, which usually comes in fast-food supersized portions, making this film seem a bit cruel. While there are witticisms abound, hardly any of them land, and they feel like valiant efforts which should have been scrunched up and tossed.Juliet Mills is absorbing as Pamela Piggot, a relatively optimistic woman with the self-esteem of a teenage girl with leprosy. It's a wonder she never found her place in the business. Lemmon is as fun to watch as ever, though he's not given much to work with, dialogue- wise, character-wise or otherwise-wise (Wilder reference).A lame comedy that gets blacker, more romantic and generally better as it goes on, "Avanti!" is a side-step in the career of an all-time great already past his prime. Nonetheless, it's still charming, and more conceptually funny than actually funny.

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")

After decades of dishing out enough cynicism to make a clergyman lose all faith in humanity, I'm almost glad that, by 1972, director Billy Wilder and co-screenwriter I.A.L. Diamond had gotten most of it out of their system. Wilder's fifth film with Jack Lemmon, 'Avanti! (1972),' can only be described as a pleasant comedy – so pleasant, in fact, that our lead character commits adultery seemingly out of politeness. There are, of course, elements of satire concerning foreign policy and the miles of red-tape surrounding international commerce, but the overwhelming emotional tone is one of bittersweet fulfillment. This is a great director approaching the twilight of his life and career, and finally recognising that there is, after all, much goodness in this world, even if one must travel to Italy in order to experience it. Nevertheless, the three major creative talents (Wilder, Diamond and Lemmon) would subsequently return to cynical quickfire screwball with 'The Front Page (1974),' an adaptation of the same play that spawned Howard Hawks' 'His Girl Friday (1940).'Jack Lemmon plays Wendell Armbruster, Jr, a wealthy American businessman who boards the first plane to Italy following the news of his father's death. Wendell Armbruster, Sr was killed in an automobile accident while on his annual pilgrimage to the Grand Hotel Excelsior, where he goes, he says, to rejuvenate in their famous Italian mud baths. It doesn't take long, however, for Wendell to discover that his much-respected father had not died alone, and that his secret English mistress of ten years had also perished when their vehicle ploughed off a winding road and into a vineyard. Pamela Piggott (Juliet Mills), the mistress' open-minded daughter, has also arrived in the country to claim her mother's body, and Wendell treats her poorly, his steadfast morals refusing to acknowledge their parents' liaison for the great love that it was. As the two corpses become embroiled in endless lengths of red tape – including the need to acquire two zinc-lined coffins, and no shortage of obscure contracts to be signed – Wendell and Pamela begin to understand their close connection, and form a touching relationship of their own.Though the two leads both deliver sterling comedic performances, Clive Revill is undoubtedly the film's highlight as Carlo Carlucci, the world's most accommodating hotel manager. Blessed with political connections of all kinds, and an inability to sleep until the hotel's off-season, Carlo darts endlessly across town to tie up all the loose ends, apparently expecting nothing in return – he's probably Wilder's all-time nicest comedic creation. The narrative style is similar to that of Arthur Hiller's 'The Out of Towners (1970),' in that the story is comprised of many consistently-mounting setbacks, though the overall effect is far less frustrating for the audience and spares sufficient time to allow some important character development. There is also a rather unnecessary subplot involving a deported American immigrant and his disturbingly-masculine girlfriend, and the film, however nice its intentions, does run about half an hour overtime. Nevertheless, 'Avanti!' is a mature romantic comedy with memorable performances and a very enjoyable story; I wouldn't be surprised if it warms to me greatly with repeat viewings.