Down the Ancient Stairs
Dante's Inferno is Alive and Well
Directed by Mauro Bolognini
Plot
A mental hospital somewhere in Tuscany during the thirties. Far away from fascism, this closed world is rules over by Dr. Bonaccorsi, a passionate benevolent psychiatrist whose dream is to isolate the germ of madness. He is also a very active ladies'man and makes three women benefit from his sexual itch: Francesca the hospital manager's wife, Bianca, his devoted nurse and Carla, a nymphomaniac doctor's wife. His well-ordered universe starts being challenged with the coming of Anna, a trainee psychiatrist, who disapproves of his theory on the origin of madness. Worse, she resists his advances. As Bonaccorsi is more insecure than he looks, what will become of him?
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Cast
Marcello Mastroianni
Professor Bonaccorsi
Barbara Bouchet
Carla
Françoise Fabian
Anna Bersani
Silvano Tranquilli
professor Rospigliosi
Marthe Keller
Bianca
Lucia Bosè
Francesca
Pierre Blaise
Tonio
Adriana Asti
Gianna
Maria Michi
la pazza aggressiva
Charles Fawcett
dottor Sfameni
Enzo Robutti
il pazzo scrittore
Ferruccio De Ceresa
gerarca fascista in treno
Maria Teresa Albani
Paolo Pacino
Paola Corazzi