Avanti! (1972) Synopsis

Harried straight-laced Baltimore-based business executive Wendell Armbruster, Jr. is rushing to Ischia, Italy to claim the body of his father, who died in a car accident. Wendell's father spent a month vacation by himself at the same Ischia resort every summer for the past 10 years. On his way to Ischia, Wendell keeps bumping into a young Englishwoman who seems to know who he is--and seems to be following him. Upon arriving at the resort, he learns that she is Pamela Piggott, the daughter of his father's long-term mistress, who also died in the accident. While Wendell knew absolutely nothing about his father's secret life, Pamela knew and accepted her mother's indiscretion. In addition to shock, Wendell also feels the stress of needing to get his father's body back to Baltimore in time for the service in three days, which the mount of legal red tape will not make the least bit easy; also, one of the days is Sunday, on which nobody works; and in Italy things move at a slower pace. Despite their different viewpoints, Wendell and Pamela decide to honor their parents by doing things in Ischia that their parents would have done while Wendell prepares to take his father's body home--and facing one problem after another beyond the previously-mentioned issues. Bruno, the resort's valet, who is trying to extort a favor from Wendell, could be the answer to all his problems.—Huggo

Harried straight-laced Baltimore-based business executive Wendell Armbruster, Jr. is rushing to Ischia, Italy to claim the body of his father, who died in a car accident. Wendell's father spent a month vacation by himself at the same Ischia resort every summer for the past 10 years. On his way to Ischia, Wendell keeps bumping into a young Englishwoman who seems to know who he is--and seems to be following him. Upon arriving at the resort, he learns that she is Pamela Piggott, the daughter of his father's long-term mistress, who also died in the accident. While Wendell knew absolutely nothing about his father's secret life, Pamela knew and accepted her mother's indiscretion. In addition to shock, Wendell also feels the stress of needing to get his father's body back to Baltimore in time for the service in three days, which the mount of legal red tape will not make the least bit easy; also, one of the days is Sunday, on which nobody works; and in Italy things move at a slower pace. Despite their different viewpoints, Wendell and Pamela decide to honor their parents by doing things in Ischia that their parents would have done while Wendell prepares to take his father's body home--and facing one problem after another beyond the previously-mentioned issues. Bruno, the resort's valet, who is trying to extort a favor from Wendell, could be the answer to all his problems.—Huggo

Published Time: 2019-01-10 00:14:03