This opera is like an episode of the Flintstones. Everyone has a scheme and unforeseen circumstances keep the audience on their toes.
Puccini's music is beautiful, although I wish he would have had less recitatives and more songs, since this is only a one act opera. If there were no songs in this other than O Mio Babbino Caro, I would still give Puccini an A+.
The actors playing the various parts are excellent and there are quite a number of wonderful voices! I've heard many different versions of O Mio Babbino Caro and most of them stink. I'm very impressed by the one in this movie. It's definitely one of the best versions. Not quite as good as a young Haley Westenra, but definitely in the same class.
The movie has been modernized to current times, and it mostly works well. Showing the mule as a sports car really puts it into terms that a modern audience can really appreciate. Other modernizations cheapen the story just a little, but not enough to keep me from really enjoying it. The lyrics to the opera have not been changed though. If they had, I would have given this a much lower score. A spoken prologue has been added to the story and the spoken tag on the end has been changed to be spoken by Buoso Donati rather than Gianni Schicchi. I don't know that these changes were necessary, but they're fun just the same, and they help to introduce all of the characters before the actual opera starts.
Manuela Custer who plays Aunt Zita is absolutely perfect for the role. Many of the other characters are a pleasure. I really enjoyed Matteo Peirone as Maestro Spinelloccio. I could say good things about every character.
I thoroughly enjoyed this movie and I recommend it for everyone.
