Down the Ancient Stairs
1975A 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?
Acted in
Marcello Mastroianni
as Professor Bonaccorsi
Barbara Bouchet
as Carla
Françoise Fabian
as Anna Bersani
Silvano Tranquilli
as professor Rospigliosi
Marthe Keller
as Bianca
Lucia Bosè
as Francesca
Pierre Blaise
as Tonio
Adriana Asti
as Gianna
Maria Michi
as la pazza aggressiva
Charles Fawcett
as dottor Sfameni
Enzo Robutti
as il pazzo scrittore
Ferruccio De Ceresa
as gerarca fascista in treno
Maria Teresa Albani
Paolo Pacino
Paola Corazzi
Alessandra Cardini
Annunziata Fuciarelli
as Asylum Patient (uncredited)