Emilio Cigoli

Luciano Emmer's wonderful Sunday in August (Domenica d'agosto) skillfully interweaves several stories involving a disparate array of Romans who flock to the beaches of Ostia on the eponymous day to escape both the summer heat and their daily troubles. As this lively blend of fiction and documentary proves, however, they are only partly successful in their endeavors.

Two shoeshine boys in postwar Rome, Italy save up to buy a horse, but their involvement in a burglary lands them in juvenile prison.