Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell

Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell

Year: 1968

Runtime: 108 mins

Language: English

Director: Melvin Frank

RomanceComedyCrude humor and satireCharming romances and delightful chemistryCatchy songs and hilarious musical comedy

Set in post‑World War II Italy, the film follows an unmarried mother who discovers she is receiving child‑support checks from three former American soldiers, each convinced he is the father of her daughter, Gia. Their competing claims spark a warm, comedic clash of cultures and a gentle portrait of love, responsibility and rebuilding life after the war.

Warning: spoilers below!

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Timeline – Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968)

Trace every key event in Buona Sera, Mrs. Campbell (1968) with our detailed, chronological timeline. Perfect for unpacking nonlinear stories, spotting hidden connections, and understanding how each scene builds toward the film’s climax. Whether you're revisiting or decoding for the first time, this timeline gives you the full picture.

1

WWII occupation in San Forino

American GIs are quartered in the Italian town of San Forino during the war, and Carla quietly houses one soldier at a time. Over a ten-day period she sleeps with Cpl. Phil Newman, Lt. Justin Young, and Sgt. Walter Braddock, each unaware of the others. The resulting situation leaves Carla pregnant with Gia, setting up a hidden legacy that will haunt the town for years.

Early 1940s, World War II San Forino, Italy
2

First pregnancy with Phil Newman

Carla discovers she is pregnant by Cpl. Phil Newman after the first encounter, and she must navigate the stigma of an unwed pregnancy in a wartime village. She hides the truth from the town while managing how the baby will be raised. The pregnancy becomes the seed of a deceptive life plan that stretches over decades.

1940s, during WWII San Forino, Italy
3

Second pregnancy with Justin Young

Carla becomes pregnant by Lt. Justin Young as the war continues, further complicating her already fragile standing. She continues to guard the secret, maintaining appearances in the village while the war drags on. Gia's existence becomes a hidden thread connecting the three men to the same child.

Mid to late 1940s, WWII San Forino, Italy
4

Third pregnancy with Walter Braddock

Sgt. Walter Braddock is the third man, completing Gia's paternity mystery. Carla remains discreet about the pregnancy and keeps the growing family puzzle to herself. The three relationships become a silent web that will affect the town years later.

Late 1940s, WWII San Forino, Italy
5

Secret support payments and a false lineage

To secure Gia's future and avoid scandal, Carla arranges monthly payments for the child from all three men, who still believe they are the only father. She hides the overlapping paternity, sheltering Gia from gossip and the reach of village judgment. This financial web plants the seeds for years of secrecy that will shape her daughter's life.

Late 1940s–early 1950s San Forino, Italy
6

Carla builds a vineyard and Gia grows up

Over the next twenty years, Carla deftly invests the funds from the payments and buys a wine vineyard, turning it into a thriving business. Her handsome manager Vittorio helps run the operation while Gia is sent to a Swiss boarding school for education. The family becomes firmly rooted in the Italian countryside, far from the war's immediate shadows. This period cements Carla's independence and shrewdness.

1950s–1960s Italy (San Forino region)
7

Gia raised as Eddie Campbell's daughter

To protect Gia and her social standing, Carla raises her daughter to believe her mother is the widow of Captain Eddie Campbell, a nonexistent army captain she conjures from a soup can. This deception gives Carla social prominence in a community that would otherwise shun an unwed mother. Gia remains largely unaware of the truth as she grows up in the vineyard's orbit.

1950s–1960s San Forino, Italy
8

Reunion of the 293rd Squadron

Twenty years after the war, the three ex-airmen return to the village for a unit-wide reunion of the 293rd Squadron of the 15th Air Force, accompanied by their wives and, in the Newman family, their obnoxious children. The town buzzes with the prospect of meeting Gia and revisiting old memories. Carla navigates the social dynamics as she keeps her daughter protected.

Circa 1960s San Forino, Italy
9

Wives meet Gia and advocate for a memorial chapel

Carla tries to keep the three fathers from discovering Gia’s paternity, triggering a run of social maneuvering. The three wives meet Carla and Gia at the town beauty parlor, where Gia's story moves them to push for a memorial chapel honoring Captain Campbell. The town senses the strain as plans for the chapel surface amid the looming truth.

1960s San Forino, Italy
10

Housekeeper hints at the truth

The housekeeper inadvertently informs the men that something has been learned or discovered, setting off a cascade of hints and near-discoveries. The initial spark of truth threatens Carla's carefully constructed lie. The atmosphere becomes tense as Gia senses the shifting loyalties.

1960s Carla's house, San Forino
11

Carla confronts the three men

Mrs. Campbell admits she does not know which of the three is Gia's father and challenges the men to consider what kind of father they would have been. She forces a conversation that questions their missed opportunities to participate in Gia's life. The moment tests the relationships Carla kept secret for decades.

1960s San Forino, Italy
12

Vittorio supports Gia and explains Carla's motives

Vittorio helps Gia understand Carla's motivations, showing patience and loyalty as they face the unraveling family mystery. He reassesses his own role, choosing to remain a partner to Carla rather than stepping aside. Gia learns to interpret her mother's love through the lens of sacrifice and protection.

1960s Vittorio's vineyard and home, San Forino
13

Dedication ceremony for Captain Campbell Chapel

At the town's dedication ceremony, Carla asserts that Eddie Campbell would have been too humble to accept the honor. She asks the Contessa to accept the chapel dedication on behalf of the people of San Forino. The moment crystallizes the new, if complicated, community memory and reconciles some of the town's tensions.

Late 1960s Town chapel, San Forino
14

Fathers stop support; Gia's future secured

The three fathers cease their monthly payments after the chapel dedication and the truth revelation. The Braddocks agree to have Gia stay with them while she attends college in the US, ensuring Gia has a stable family. Vittorio commits to remaining Carla's sole romantic partner and business partner, solidifying their long-term arrangement.

After chapel dedication, late 1960s San Forino, Italy

Last Updated: October 09, 2025 at 14:14

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