Avanti! (1972)

Avanti! is Billy Wilder in his most sun-dappled, civilized mode: a romantic comedy that feels like a long, luxurious exhale, where the Italian island setting isn’t just scenery but a gentle force that melts defenses. Jack Lemmon plays a tightly wound American executive with delicious comic precision, and watching Juliet Mills’ warm, quietly assured presence draw him into a different rhythm of life is the movie’s central pleasure. Wilder turns culture clash, bureaucracy, and mortifying complications into buoyant wit rather than cynicism, letting the romance sneak up on you with surprising tenderness and a confidently unhurried pace. It’s not for viewers who want a snappy farce or who bristle at its frankness about adultery and a bit of nudity, but if you’re in the mood for grown-up charm with a generous heart, it’s an absolute treat.

Avanti! is Billy Wilder trying to turn a morbid setup into a sun-drenched, grown-up romantic comedy about slowing down, letting go, and admitting what you actually want. The problem is it’s deliberately leisurely to the point of feeling overlong, with comedy that arrives in fits and starts rather than building real momentum, and some of the “topical” banter now plays more dated than sharp. If you’re expecting a tight, laugh-a-minute Lemmon vehicle or Wilder at his most acidic and efficient, this can feel like a charming vacation that won’t end. But if you’re happy to settle into a talky, slightly naughty, bittersweet mood piece with beautiful Italian atmosphere and two likable leads, it has an old-fashioned warmth that still lands.