Half a century and still not feeling it
The second chapter of the saga, but considered by many even superior to the first. “The second tragic Fantozzi” turns 50 today, exactly, since it was released in cinemas April 15, 1976: a half-century well-worn, so much so that the gags and jokes from this film are still very relevant today and are readily exploited. Among the episodes considered the funniest of all is undoubtedly the hunting trip (in fact, one of the scenes was used on the poster for Luciano Salce's film). In less than 10 minutes, you're quickly transported to the hunting scene of the 1970s in Italy, complete with the inevitable exaggerations expertly crafted by Paolo Villaggio for his most famous character.
Exaggerations without end
The viewer is made aware of Ugo Fantozzi's umpteenth involvement in his colleague Filini's plot—the opening of the hunting season. The two go to a green area that should be almost uninhabited, but where there's actually a staggering concentration of hunters. Both Fantozzi and Filini are their usual clueless selves, with clothing and equipment scrounged together: from the accountant's slingshot to the giant machine gun cartridge belt, to the anti-viper serum and the cage with a canary. Between misunderstandings and misinterpretations, the episode continues in a deliberately exaggerated crescendo, demonstrating Villaggio's unsuspected hunting knowledge, which includes mentioning, among other things, meadow pipits and live decoys.
Satire and reflections
The situation escalates, transforming a normal hunting trip into trench warfare, complete with bombings, tanks, and everything else warfare can conjure up. The scenes were filmed in Manziana, a small town north of Rome (not far from Lake Bracciano), as explained by Villaggio's daughter, Elisabetta, in the book "Fantozzi Behind the Scenes." This cinematic involvement with hunting is as hilarious today as it was in 1976, thanks to the typical Fantozzi plot: the average man, Fantozzi himself, is catapulted into an absurd ritual, becoming the victim of convention. Beyond a depiction of the typical hunting activity of the time, it is a satire of the Italian bourgeoisie of 50 years ago—in short, an almost elitist hunting trip transformed into a grotesque nightmare.
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