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I’m Getting a Yacht (1980) movie poster

Characters & Themes

I’m Getting a Yacht (1980) Characters, Setting & Themes Explained

Release, runtime and language
1980 · 104 mins · Italian
Directed by
Sergio Corbucci
Starring
Laura Antonelli, Christian De Sica, Rossana Canghiari, Sal Borgese, Daniela Poggi, Mario Donatone

A dentist buys a small yacht and takes his two children on a cruise of the Mediterranean. His ex-wife stows away to keep an eye on the children and the inevitable happens.

On this page (7)
  1. 1 Characters explained (10)
  2. 2 Where & when it takes place
  3. 3 Themes & meaning (4)
  4. 4 Character & meaning questions
  5. 5 Movie threads
  6. 6 Movies like I’m Getting a Yacht
  7. 7 Every angle

10 main characters · contains spoilers

I’m Getting a Yacht Characters Explained: Who Is Who

The main characters of I’m Getting a Yacht (1980), heroes and villains: what drives them, how they change over the course of the story and what each of them reveals about the film's bigger ideas.

  • Piero Savelli (Johnny Dorelli)

    Piero is a dentist who lives apart from his wife Roberta. He plans a two-week vacation with his children Fiorella and Claudio by buying the boat Biba. On the voyage, he must improvise through a string of mechanical mishaps while keeping his family together.

    • 🏥 Dentist
    • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family
    • ⚓ Adventure
  • Roberta Savelli (Laura Antonelli)

    Roberta travels from Milan to join her children and husband for a seaside vacation. She grapples with fear for the kids, emotional distance, and marital strains. Her decisions drive the reconciliation, even as she clashes with Piero over fidelity.

    • 💑 Wife
    • ❤️ Romance
    • 👨‍👩‍👧 Family
  • Attilio (Christian De Sica)

    Attilio is a wealthy yacht owner among the Kabir's guests, embodying the social snobbery of the voyage. He is loyal enough to intervene and help the family when danger arises. His presence highlights class differences within the travel party.

    • 💼 Wealth
    • 👑 High society
    • ⚡ Tension
  • Alessia (Daniela Poggi)

    Alessia is Piero's nurse and lover who asks for a career recommendation. Her presence creates a moral dilemma and heightens Roberta's insecurity. She serves as the catalyst for the conflicts surrounding fidelity.

    • 💋 Affair
    • 🧭 Temptation
    • ⚖️ Ethics
  • Fiorella Savelli (Cariddi Nardulli)

    Fiorella is the daughter of Piero and Roberta; her perspective on the parents' marriage adds emotional weight to the voyage. Her misinterpretation of events leads to crucial plot turns, including the sinking of the Biba. She remains a focal point of the family’s resilience.

    • 👧 Child
    • 🧭 Perspective
    • 🌀 Twist
  • Claudio Savelli (Itaco Nardulli)

    Claudio is the other child, part of the family journey aboard the Biba. His actions accidentally trigger a crisis that tests his parents’ resolve. He participates in the adventure, contributing to the emotional crescendo of the story.

    • 🧒 Child
    • 🗺️ Adventure
    • 🧪 Young perspective
  • Casorati (Vittorio Musy Glori)

    Casorati is the engineer who owns the Kabir, hosting the voyage and representing the luxury yacht scene. He serves as a backdrop to the social dynamics aboard the boat. His presence anchors the setting and contributes to the plot’s nautical mood.

    • 👷 Engineer
    • 🛥️ Yacht owner
    • 🧭 Mentor
  • Fugitive #1 (Franco Giacobini)

    One of two prison escapees who hijack the Biba, creating immediate danger for Piero and Roberta. They are eventually incapacitated by the couple, preserving the family’s safety.

    • 🕵️‍♂️ Criminal
    • 🏝️ Escape
    • 🗺️ Danger
  • Fugitive #2 (Sal Borgese)

    The second escapee adds to the peril of the voyage, forcing the family to improvise under pressure. Their defeat signals a turning point in the voyage’s tension.

    • 🕵️‍♂️ Criminal
    • 🏝️ Danger
    • 🪢 Rescue
  • Parcheggiatore (Mimmo Poli)

    A port parking attendant who appears briefly, anchoring the scene to Civitavecchia’s harbor life. A minor but colorful character who helps set the travel mood.

    • 🚶 Daily life
    • 🛠️ Minor role

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:43

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Setting

Where and When Does I’m Getting a Yacht Take Place?

The setting of I’m Getting a Yacht (1980): the year and time period, the places and locations, and how they shape the characters, the mood and the tension of the story.

Time period

Location

Civitavecchia, Argentario, Porto Cervo, Sardinia, Corsica

The film opens in Civitavecchia, a busy port that serves as a departure point for a family voyage. The journey threads through the Argentario coastline toward Sardinia, with Porto Cervo representing coastal luxury and high-society life. The story also brushes Corsica as a distant backdrop, all set on the bright, unpredictable Mediterranean Sea.

  • 🏖️ Coastal towns
  • 🚢 Yacht culture
  • 🌊 Mediterranean setting

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:43

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4 major themes

I’m Getting a Yacht Meaning: Themes & Message Explained

What is I’m Getting a Yacht (1980) really about? The emotional, social and philosophical themes the film keeps returning to, its symbolism and the message beneath the surface.

  • Love and Reunion

    Piero and Roberta's marriage is tested by distance, jealousy, and past affairs. Their vacation forces them to confront what they truly mean to each other. By surviving crises at sea together, they rediscover love and choose to rebuild their life as a family.

  • Adventure at Sea

    The Biba voyage is fraught with mechanical failures and dangerous mishaps that push the family to their limits. They contend with the boat losing parts, a perilous escape by land, and a chase across the waves. The at-sea action provides both danger and unexpected moments of ingenuity.

  • Family Bonds

    Fiorella and Claudio are central to the voyage, their safety and happiness driving many decisions. Their fears and hopes influence the parents’ choices and push them toward reconciliation. The family unit is portrayed as both vulnerable and capable of resilience.

  • Temptation and Trust

    Alessia's affair with Piero introduces temptation and tests ethical boundaries. Roberta's suspicion heightens the stakes, forcing the couple to weigh desire against commitment. The subplot explores trust, honesty, and forgiveness within a marriage.

Last updated: October 04, 2025 at 12:43

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Character & theme questions

I’m Getting a Yacht Characters & Meaning: Your Questions Answered

The questions people ask about I’m Getting a Yacht (1980): who the characters really are, their relationships, what the symbols mean, where it takes place and what the movie is really about. Each answer contains spoilers.

Q1

Where does the movie take place?

The film is set across the Mediterranean Sea, primarily opening in Civitavecchia (a port city near Rome) as the departure point. The voyage follows the Argentario coastline toward Sardinia, with Porto Cervo representing the luxury destination. Corsica appears as a distant backdrop throughout the journey.

  • mediterranean
  • sardinia
  • civitavecchia
  • porto cervo
  • yacht
  • coastal setting
Q2

What is Porto Cervo's role in the story?

Porto Cervo serves as the symbolic destination of wealth and high-society lifestyle on the Sardinian coast. It represents the glamorous endpoint the family is sailing toward, contrasting with the more humble beginnings in Civitavecchia and the dangers they encounter at sea.

  • porto cervo
  • sardinia
  • luxury
  • yacht
  • coastal
Q3

What are the main themes of the movie?

The film explores four core themes: Love and Reunion (marital reconciliation through crisis), Adventure at Sea (mechanical failures and dangerous mishaps), Family Bonds (children driving parental decisions), and Temptation and Trust (an affair testing ethical boundaries within marriage).

  • love
  • reunion
  • family
  • temptation
  • trust
  • adventure
  • themes
Q4

How does the film handle the theme of love and reunion?

Piero and Roberta's marriage is strained by distance, jealousy, and past infidelity. Their Mediterranean voyage forces them to confront their feelings for each other. By surviving crises at sea together, they rediscover their love and choose to rebuild their family.

  • marriage
  • reconciliation
  • love
  • family
  • piero
  • roberta
Q5

What role does the temptation and trust theme play?

Alessia, Piero's nurse and lover, introduces temptation that tests ethical boundaries and intensifies Roberta's insecurity. This subplot explores trust, honesty, and forgiveness within the marriage, ultimately forcing the couple to choose commitment over desire.

  • alessia
  • affair
  • temptation
  • trust
  • infidelity
  • fidelity
Q6

Who is Piero Savelli and what is his role?

Piero Savelli is a dentist living apart from his wife Roberta. He plans a two-week Mediterranean yacht vacation with their children Fiorella and Claudio by purchasing the boat Biba. Throughout the voyage, he must improvise through mechanical mishaps while keeping his family together and reconciling with his ex-wife.

  • piero
  • dentist
  • father
  • captain
  • yacht
  • family
Q7

Who is Roberta Savelli and what motivates her?

Roberta travels from Milan to join her children and husband for the seaside vacation. She grapples with fear for her kids, emotional distance from Piero, and marital strains. Her decisions ultimately drive the reconciliation arc, even as she clashes with Piero over fidelity issues.

  • roberta
  • mother
  • milan
  • ex-wife
  • reconciliation
Q8

Who is Alessia and what is her purpose in the story?

Alessia is Piero's nurse and lover who asks him for a career recommendation. Her presence creates a moral dilemma and heightens Roberta's insecurity during the voyage. She serves as the catalyst for conflicts surrounding fidelity and trust in the marriage.

  • alessia
  • nurse
  • lover
  • affair
  • temptation
Q9

What role do Fiorella and Claudio play?

Fiorella and Claudio are the children whose safety and happiness drive many parental decisions throughout the voyage. Their perspective on their parents' marriage adds emotional weight, and their actions (including misinterpretations that lead to the boat sinking) become pivotal plot points that push the family toward reconciliation.

  • fiorella
  • claudio
  • children
  • family
  • kids
Q10

Who is Attilio and what does he represent?

Attilio is a wealthy yacht owner among the Kabir's guests, embodying the social snobbery of the Mediterranean voyage scene. However, he proves loyal enough to help the family when danger arises, highlighting class differences while also demonstrating that wealth does not determine character.

  • attilio
  • wealthy
  • yacht owner
  • class
  • difference
Q11

What is the overall tone and does the movie have a happy ending?

The film has a hopeful tone that balances relational tension (the ex-wife's presence, the lover's intrusion) with external threats (fugitives, boat sinking). Despite obstacles, the narrative moves toward healing, culminating in a fresh start for the family with renewed commitment between Piero and Roberta.

  • tone
  • ending
  • happy
  • resolution
  • hope
  • family
Q12

Why is the Mediterranean setting important to the story?

The Mediterranean voyage serves as both literal journey and metaphorical backdrop for reconciliation. The at-sea setting creates natural dangers (mechanical failures, fugitives, storms) that force the separated couple to work together. Theluxury coastal locations from Civitavecchia to Porto Cervo represent the aspirational lifestyle the family is trying to rebuild.

  • mediterranean
  • voyage
  • journey
  • sea
  • reconciliation
  • setting

Movie threads

More Movies Like I’m Getting a Yacht, by Mood & Story

Curated lists built around what makes I’m Getting a Yacht tick: the same mood, the same kind of story or the same emotional payoff. Each list explains why these movies belong together.

Seafaring Family Adventures like in I’m Getting a Yacht

Heartwarming stories of family bonding and personal growth while sailing the seas. If you enjoyed the blend of family dynamics and adventure on the high seas in I’m Getting a Yacht, you'll find more movies like it here. These films combine personal growth, family reconciliation, and the challenges and beauty of a life at sea.

  • adventurous
  • family-oriented
  • hopeful
  • seafaring
  • tense
  • warm
  • Tone: hopeful, warm, adventurous
  • Pacing: steady, character-driven
Why these movies?

The story pattern: Narratives typically follow a group setting sail, using the voyage as a catalyst for resolving interpersonal conflicts. External challenges, like storms or unforeseen events, force characters to work together, leading to healing, renewed bonds, and a stronger sense of family.

Why they belong together: They share a hopeful core, a steady pacing that builds character relationships, and a mix of light adventure with meaningful emotional stakes. The sea setting is integral, providing both a picturesque escape and a source of unifying challenges.

Second Chance Romances like in I’m Getting a Yacht

Stories where former lovers get an unexpected opportunity to try again. Fans of the rekindled romance between the dentist and his ex-wife in I’m Getting a Yacht will enjoy these similar movies. Explore stories where separated couples find themselves together again, navigating old wounds and new possibilities for love.

  • romantic
  • hopeful
  • tense
  • warm
  • family-oriented
  • second chances
  • Tone: hopeful, romantic, warm
  • Pacing: steady, relationship-focused
Why these movies?

The story pattern: The pattern involves a divorced or separated couple being brought together again, often by an event involving their children or a shared project. Pride and past hurts create initial tension, but a series of events—both comedic and serious—allows them to see each other in a new light, leading to reconciliation.

Why they belong together: They are united by a central 'will they or won't they' dynamic rooted in a shared history. The tone is hopeful and warm, blending romantic tension with a steady, character-focused pace that builds believably towards a heartfelt and happy resolution.

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Movies Like I’m Getting a Yacht

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Every angle

I’m Getting a Yacht (1980) Explained: Plot, Timeline & Characters

Everything about I’m Getting a Yacht in one place: what happens in the plot summary, the timeline in chronological order, the characters and meaning and a spoiler-free summary. What's After the Movie adds the cast, box office and post-credit scenes.

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