"Be Italian!" comes the thundering command from one of the catchiest songs in Nine, and the movie version of this Broadway musical hit is undeniably solid on that point. It's drenched in cool cars, glamorous Italian threads, and cozy Roman neighborhoods, all circa 1962. That, you will note, is the vintage of Federico Fellini's classic film 8 ¬Ω, the source for both the stage show and Rob Marshall's frantic musical picture.
Next door neighbors John Gustafson and Max Goldman are Grumpy Old Men. And since they're played by Jack Lemmon and Walter Matthau, they're also Funny Old Men. Pairing up again in this hilarious and heartwarming story of neighborhood curmudgeons whose long-running feud becomes an all-out rivalry when an attractive widow (Ann-Margret) moves into the house across the street. Snowy Minnesota provides the setting as Max and John unleash an uproarious blizzard of practical jokes and zingers.
The second and last of Anthony Mann's historical epics is a smart, handsome spectacle of the decadence, corruption, and intrigue that tears apart the greatest empire the world has seen. The sprawling story spreads itself thin over a number of characters and stories.
