Alright, rewind enthusiasts, let's dim the lights, adjust the tracking, and settle in for something a little different from the usual action fare. Remember browsing those slightly more... continental sections of the video store? Tucked away, perhaps near the comedies or just ambiguously labelled "Foreign," you might have stumbled upon a particular kind of Italian delight. Tonight, we're popping in a tape that embodies that era perfectly: Michele Massimo Tarantini's 1978 romp, School Teacher in the House (or L'insegnante viene a casa for the purists).
This wasn't your typical Hollywood blockbuster, oh no. Finding this felt like uncovering a slightly forbidden, definitely goofy secret. It stars the luminous Edwige Fenech, the undisputed queen of the commedia sexy all'italiana – a genre that blended slapstick, farce, and generous glimpses of its stunning leading ladies into a uniquely European confection. Seeing Fenech's name on the box was often reason enough to grab the tape, wasn't it? You knew you were in for... well, something.
### Bedroom Farce, Italian Style
The premise is wafer-thin, as flimsy and inviting as some of the characters' intentions. Fenech plays Luisa, a piano teacher who arrives in a bustling apartment building to give lessons to Ferdinando (played with lecherous gusto by the great Renzo Montagnani), a politician trying to keep his affair with her secret from his suspicious wife. Naturally, the apartment is already a chaotic hive of activity, including Ferdinando's goofy, girl-crazy son, Amedeo (the legendary Alvaro Vitali, practically a genre staple himself), various neighbours popping in and out, and mistaken identities galore. It's pure bedroom farce, dialed up with Italian exuberance.
Tarantini, who directed a whole slew of these light-hearted romps (often starring the same core cast, including Fenech and Vitali in films like La liceale nella classe dei ripetenti), knew exactly what buttons to push. The comedy relies heavily on misunderstandings, double entendres (often made broader or lost in translation in the English dubs many of us encountered on VHS), and Vitali's rubber-faced mugging and pratfalls. Does the plot make perfect sense? Absolutely not. Does it need to? Not really. The goal here isn't intricate storytelling; it's setting up increasingly absurd situations for these characters to navigate, usually poorly.
### The Fenech Factor and Vitali's Antics
Let's be honest, the main draw here is Edwige Fenech. Even in a film as knowingly silly as this, she possesses an undeniable star quality. She manages to project a certain innocence amidst the chaos, even while the script demands she frequently find herself in compromising (but rarely truly explicit) situations. It's a testament to her screen presence that she became such an icon of European cult cinema. Renzo Montagnani is perfectly cast as the flustered, middle-aged man trying desperately to juggle his desires and deceptions. His comedic timing, often playing the straight man (or rather, the desperately trying to be straight man) to Vitali's outright cartoonishness, is spot on.
And then there's Alvaro Vitali. If you've seen one commedia sexy from this era, you've likely seen him. His character, often some variation of the perpetually horny, none-too-bright student or son named "Pierino," is pure physical comedy. Think Italian Benny Hill, maybe? His gurning expressions and willingness to endure slapstick punishment were trademarks. Retro Fun Fact: Vitali became so associated with this type of role, particularly the 'Pierino' character (even though his character here is Amedeo), that he starred in a whole series of Pierino films throughout the early 80s, cementing his place as a comedic icon in Italy, even if less known internationally beyond cult film circles.
### That Late 70s European Vibe
Watching School Teacher in the House now is like stepping into a time capsule. The fashion, the interior design, the slightly grainy film stock – it all screams late 70s Italy. The humour is broad, playing on stereotypes and situations that feel distinctly of their time. While these films were hugely popular domestically and in certain European markets, their reception elsewhere was often relegated to late-night TV slots or the aforementioned dusty video store shelves. Retro Fun Fact: Despite their often low budgets and critical dismissal at the time, these films were frequently box office successes in Italy, tapping into a public appetite for light-hearted, slightly risqué escapism. They churned these out quickly, often reusing plots, locations, and of course, the beloved stable of actors like Fenech, Montagnani, and Vitali. It was a veritable factory of farce!
The dubbing on many English-language VHS releases could be... variable. Sometimes hilarious in its own right, other times just functional. It adds another layer to the retro viewing experience – that slight disconnect between the frantic visuals and the sometimes strangely formal or oddly accented dialogue.
### Final Thoughts & Rating
Is School Teacher in the House high art? Absolutely not. Is it a laugh riot of sophisticated wit? Definitely not. But as a relic of its time, a prime example of the commedia sexy all'italiana, and a vehicle for the charms of Edwige Fenech and the antics of Alvaro Vitali, it holds a certain nostalgic appeal. It's goofy, predictable, and entirely reliant on its specific formula, but there's an innocence to its silliness. It delivered exactly what its audience expected: some laughs, some mild titillation, and a guaranteed dose of Fenech.
Rating: 5/10
Justification: It perfectly executes the commedia sexy formula, which is both its strength and limitation. Fenech elevates the material, and Vitali provides the expected slapstick, but the plot is forgettable, and the humour is very much of its era. It achieves its modest goals but doesn't transcend the genre.
Final Comment: A quintessential slice of cheeky Italian VHS history – more Carry On than Cannes, but undeniably part of the colourful tapestry of late-night rentals. Pure, unadulterated Euro-fluff.