Overview
A desperate man concocts a darkly comedic scheme to escape his marriage in 1960s Italy.
Ember's analysis
- Pacing
- Brisk
- Intensity
- Moderate
- Complexity
- Layered
- Violence
- Mild
- witty
- sardonic
- irreverent
- classic film night
- arthouse comedy viewing
What critics said
Critics broadly regard the film as a brilliantly acted, boldly irreverent black comedy whose penetrating Sicilian satire combines arthouse sophistication with broad appeal.
What sets it apart
May contain story progression spoilers
The film turns Ferdinando’s murderous scheme and the surrounding social code into mocking, irreverent comedy.
Ferdinando relies on the unequal treatment of adulterous women and lenient punishment for crimes framed as defending male honor.
The plot uses Sicily’s insular marriage, honor, and family structures as the engine of its satire.
Ferdinando repeatedly reframes an attempt to kill his wife as a practical solution to the legal impossibility of divorce.
Films like Divorce Italian Style, and why
The Exterminating Angel
sardonic social satire, black comedy, and critique of provincial patriarchy
The Marriage of Maria Braun
biting comedy of marriage, sexual hypocrisy, and restrictive social customs
The Great War
italian social comedy combining absurdity, class critique, and moral cynicism
The Milky Way
darkly comic examination of institutions, masculinity, and criminal justice
Movie Details
- Director
- Pietro Germi
- Release Date
- 1961-12-20
- Runtime
- 104 min
- Rating
- 7.9 / 10 (553)
Cast
- Marcello Mastroianni
- Daniela Rocca
- Stefania Sandrelli
- Leopoldo Trieste
- Odoardo Spadaro
- Margherita Girelli
- Angela Cardile
- Lando Buzzanca
- Pietro Tordi
- Ugo Torrente
Where to watch in United States
- Streaming
- HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max
- Rent
- Fandango At Home
- Buy
- Fandango At Home
Streaming options come from TMDB and change over time.
Common questions
- What is Divorce Italian Style about?
- A trapped Sicilian aristocrat engineers an adultery scandal to escape his marriage, producing a razor-sharp satire of honor, law, and male privilege.
- What is Divorce Italian Style like to watch?
- Ember's analysis rates the pacing of Divorce Italian Style as brisk, its intensity as moderate and its storytelling as layered.
- Is Divorce Italian Style violent?
- Only mildly. Ember rates the violence in Divorce Italian Style as mild.
- What did critics think of Divorce Italian Style?
- Critics broadly regard the film as a brilliantly acted, boldly irreverent black comedy whose penetrating Sicilian satire combines arthouse sophistication with broad appeal.
- Which films are like Divorce Italian Style?
- Films with a similar feel include The Exterminating Angel, The Marriage of Maria Braun, The Great War, and The Milky Way.
- How long is Divorce Italian Style?
- Divorce Italian Style runs 104 minutes.
- Where can I watch Divorce Italian Style?
- In United States, Divorce Italian Style streams on HBO Max Amazon Channel, HBO Max.
