The movie Marriage Italian Style was released in 1964 and was directed by Vittorio De Sica. It stars Sophia Loren as Filumena Marturano and Marcello Mastroianni as Domenico Soriano.
The story is set in Naples, Italy during the Second World War and the post-war period. Domenico Soriano is a wealthy businessman who owns several shops in the city. He meets Filumena Marturano, a young prostitute, during an allied bombing and is immediately attracted to her.
They become lovers and Filumena begins to work for Domenico, managing his shops while he is away on business trips. Their relationship continues for twenty-two years, with Domenico visiting Filumena whenever he is in town.
One day, Domenico decides to marry a young cashier from his bakery. Filumena is devastated and decides to lure him into marrying her instead. She claims to be dying of a terminal illness and convinces Domenico to marry her so that she can die as his wife.
After the wedding, Domenico discovers that Filumena has been lying to him. She reveals that she has three sons whom she has kept a secret from him. One of them is his legitimate son but she refuses to disclose his identity.
Domenico sets out to find which of the three sons is his own. He uses various subterfuges to get to know each of them, even pretending to be an old friend of their deceased father.
Throughout the movie, there are flashbacks to Domenico and Filumena's earlier relationship, which help to explain their complicated dynamic.
Marriage Italian Style is a classic Italian movie that explores themes of love, betrayal, and family. It features outstanding performances from both Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The movie was popular at the time of its release and won several awards, including the Oscar for Best Foreign Language Film. Its enduring popularity continues to this day, with many people still considering it one of the best Italian movies ever made.