The Art of Getting Along

The story unfolds primarily in Catania, a bustling Sicilian city known for its markets and political life. The action then shifts to Rome as the protagonist pursues film industry ambitions, and to rural outskirts for land deals. These settings capture both the local color of Sicily and the national stage where power plays out.

The story spans from the prewar 1910s through the Fascist era and into the postwar period. It tracks how shifting regimes and wars shape the fortunes of a highly adaptable opportunist over several decades.

Rosario Scimoni, called Sasà, is the nephew and unpaid assistant to the mayor of Catania. He is a charming but unscrupulous opportunist who flits between political ideologies, socialism, fascism, and eventually his own political party, whenever they serve his advancement. He embodies the film's critique of fickle Italian politics.

The film centers on political opportunism and the relentless drive to climb social and political ladders. Sasà forges alliances, manipulates rivals, and pivots between ideologies to suit his goals, even at the expense of others. The movie uses his ascent to critique how easily power can be bought and sold.

Money threads through every major plot point, from financing schemes with aristocrats to profiting from the postwar black market. Characters bend rules, launder influence, and channel funds to personal gain. The story shows how greed corrupts politics, art, and personal relationships.

Sasà pretends madness to dodge military service and crafts public images through beauty pageants and film dreams. He stages marriages and cinematic schemes to manipulate perception. The line between performance and reality constantly blurs as appearances mask real motives.

Lilli De Angelis is a beauty-queen hopeful who longs for a film career. She becomes a focal point of Sasà's romantic schemes and represents the era's appetite for celebrity and power. Her ascent is intertwined with the film-world backdrop of the narrative.

The Duca di Lanocita is a wealthy aristocrat who initially backs Sasà's financial schemes. His capital becomes instrumental in the political-financial chessboard, and he is drawn into Sasà's manipulation before seeking to pull out of their arrangements.

The comedy satirizes the fickle nature of Italian politics in the post-war era. Through Sasà's effortless switching between socialism and fascism, and even launching his own political party, the film exposes how opportunists exploit shifting regimes for personal gain.

The film uses the emerging Italian cinema world as both a setting and a symbol. Characters pursue fame, manipulate through beauty pageants, and stage cinematic schemes. This backdrop illustrates how performance and illusion permeate society beyond just politics.

The settings illustrate a cross-section of Italian society. Catania represents local Sicilian politics and grafting, while Rome serves as the national stage where power plays out on a larger scale. This contrast shows how provincial opportunism scales to national politics.