Liquirizia

Liquirizia

Year: 1979

Runtime: 103 mins

Language: Italian

Director: Salvatore Samperi

Comedy

Two groups of students - the third-class high school students and the matured accountants - decide to perform a show to celebrate the last day of school.

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Timeline & Setting – Liquirizia (1979)

Explore the full timeline and setting of Liquirizia (1979). Follow every major event in chronological order and see how the environment shapes the story, characters, and dramatic tension.

Time period

1959

Set in 1959, the film captures an Italy where postwar affluence meets a rising youth culture drawn to pop music and performance. Students from different social backgrounds converge to stage a school event that becomes a battleground of ambition and tradition. The plot mirrors the era's informal revolution, where theatre and rock influences begin to reshape everyday life.

Location

Padua

The story unfolds in Padua in 1959, focusing on a provincial city with a mix of university life and social clubs. A family-owned theatre serves as the main venue for the end-of-year show, overseen by a Neapolitan caretaker who idolizes Eduardo De Filippo. The setting highlights the clash between working-class Fulvio and bourgeois Carletto, against a backdrop of local theatres, schools, and ambitious dreams.

🏛️ Padua 🎭 Northern Italian city 🏙️ Historic theatre town

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:34

Main Characters – Liquirizia (1979)

Meet the key characters of Liquirizia (1979), with detailed profiles, motivations, and roles in the plot. Understand their emotional journeys and what they reveal about the film’s deeper themes.

Fulvio (Massimo Anzellotti)

A working-class high school student drawn to trends like sports, cars, and rock. He personally drives the plan to stage the year-end show, even traveling to Milan to recruit performers; his rebellion against his father’s socialist expectations fuels his appetite for modern pleasures.

🧩 Youth 🚗 Modern tastes 🎵 Rock-lover

Carletto (Stefano Ruzzante)

From a wealthy bourgeois background, Carletto dreams of becoming a theatrical director. He organizes the show and pushes the project forward, relying on the other students and staff, while wrestling with his own insecurity and romantic entanglements.

💼 Bourgeois 🎬 Ambition 🎭 Theatre

Raffaella (Barbara Bouchet)

Mother of a younger student who becomes involved with Carletto. She offers encouragement and practical help, and her growing affection for Carletto drives a pivotal emotional arc, even as she declines his Rome-bound invitation.

💚 Love interest 🪶 Support 🏛️ Theatre

Gian Galeazzo Lo Cascio (Christian De Sica)

A naïve wealthy heir who is engaged to Marina. His presence represents the upper-class bubble and acts as a foil to the more grounded ambitions of Fulvio and Carletto.

👑 Wealth 🕊️ Naiveté 🧭 Social role

Marina (Jenny Tamburi)

The young woman from a wealthy background who is Gian Galeazzo’s fiancée, adding a layer of romance and social contrast to the plot.

💍 Romance 💎 Wealth 🎀 Youth

Tonazzi "Er Nano" (Ricky Gianco)

A boisterous former student turned rock singer who storms the stage with energy and disrupts the planned performances, symbolizing the unpredictable chaos of pop culture.

🎤 Rock 🌀 Chaos 🧨 Rebellion

Flyn (Teo Teocoli)

A boastful rock singer Fulvio hopes to recruit; his presence highlights the era’s burgeoning pop culture and the gap between studio polish and live street swagger.

🎸 Pop culture 😎 Showmanship 🎯 Attention

Bartolozzi (Gigi Ballista)

A wealthy shoemaker and father of a daughter involved in the social circle; he owns a shop and lends his community's support, observing the events with wry optimism.

🛍️ Local business 🧱 Community 🕰️ Heritage

Padre di Fulvio (Enzo Liberti)

Fulvio’s father, who attempts to push his son toward socialism, highlighting the generational clash and the pull between political ideals and personal freedom.

👨‍👦 Family 🗳️ Politics 🧭 Tradition

Fidanzata di Fulvio (Carmen Russo)

Fulvio’s girlfriend, who witnesses his desire for the latest trends and supports his ambitions, illustrating the social expectations placed on relationships.

💞 Romance 👭 Social pressure 🧒 Youth

Mimic (Giancarlo Magalli)

A performer in the theatre lineup who provides mimicry and comic acts, contributing to the show's varied programme and its chaotic energy.

🎭 Comedy 🗣️ Performance 🎤 Stage

Liceale (Sandro Ghiani)

One of the high school students in the show, representing the younger generation from the student body.

🎒 Student 🧭 Classmate 🕺 Youth

Liceale (Paolo Baroni)

Another high school student participant, contributing to the diverse acts that fill the theatre programme.

🎒 Student 🧭 Classmate 🎭 Performer

Liceale (Diego Cappuccio)

A third high school student in the production, part of the ensemble that attempts to salvage the show.

🎒 Student 🌀 Ensemble 🎬 Performer

Liceale (Christiana Borghi)

Another young participant from the high school group, adding to the mix of talents on stage.

🎒 Student 🧩 Ensemble 🎭 Performer

Liceale (Gianfranco Manfredi)

A further student actor in the show, illustrating the broad cast of youth involved in the endeavour.

🎒 Student 🗺️ Ensemble 🎤 Performer

Liceale (Pietro Zambiasi)

One of the young participants from the student group, contributing to the energetic acts.

🎒 Student 🧭 Ensemble 🎬 Performer

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:34

Major Themes – Liquirizia (1979)

Explore the central themes of Liquirizia (1979), from psychological, social, and emotional dimensions to philosophical messages. Understand what the film is really saying beneath the surface.

🎶 Youth Culture

Two young students channel their restless energy into a big end-of-year show, illustrating how youth seeks self-definition through music and performance. The plan pits the thrill of rock and variety acts against parental and societal expectations. The result is a clash between novelty and tradition, with friendships and rivalries driving the plot.

🎭 Theatre and Ambition

The family-owned theatre becomes the crucible for dreams, funds, and ego. A caretaker who idolizes Eduardo De Filippo keeps a watchful eye on every act, reminding the students that live performances are unpredictable. The show’s chaos—bored audiences, failed acts, and a rogue rock singer—tests the characters’ resolve and planning.

💘 Romance Across Classes

Raffaella’s affection for Carletto cuts across social lines, adding pressure to an already fragile collaboration. Carletto’s bourgeois dreams and Fulvio’s working-class roots create a tension that romance both complicates and deepens. The romance subplot underscores how love can intersect with ambition, influence decisions, and complicate loyalties.

Last Updated: October 04, 2025 at 17:34

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Liquirizia Summary

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Liquirizia Timeline

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