Saturday, Sunday and Friday (1979)

 

(Original Title: Sabato, domenica e venerdì) An Italian three-act anthology featuring Edwige Fenech, Barbara Bouchet, and Lino Banfi.

Story #1 Sabato

Nicola La Brocca (Lino Banfi) is a bumbling accountant, way down on the office totem pole. Clelia (Milena Vukotic) is his highly annoying, gum smacking, overly jealous girlfriend.

A minor fender bender is escalated thanks to Clelia's mouth.

Even at work Clelia, who has a desk next to Nicola, keeps a watchful eye on him.

The boss (Daniele Vargas) of this Italian branch of a large Japanese company, Zaikoto, appoints Nicola as the public relations officer.

It's not because Nicola is a star employee.  Quite the opposite.  The position will require the thankless task of welcoming Engineer Tokimoto, representative of Zaikoto. The boss has no intention of doing it himself, so sends the newly appointed public relations officer.

Nicola meets teh Zaikoto representative and is introduced to the engineer.

Imagine Nicola's surprise when he sees that the engineer, Tokimoto (Edwige Fenech), is actually a stone cold fox.

Tokimoto clutches her father's funeral urn.  She intends to release his ashes into the water.

Meanwhile, Clelia is at the beach flirting with tough-guy neanderthal Gustavo (Salvatore Baccaro)

Tokimoto enters the room wearing a completely sheer nightgown. 

Tokimoto performs acupuncture on Nicola.  A truly painful scene to watch as the retractable table presses the pins into his back.

Clelia keeps pestering Nicola, but he's becoming less and less responsive thanks to Tokimoto.

The boss and a girl named 'Baby' (Lory Del Santo) spot Nicola and Tokimoto at a restaurant. 

The boss can't believe how hot the engineer is, and he quickly replaces Nicola as her escort.

Clelia calls Nicola and Tokimoto answers.

Clelia knows something's up. 

Clelia, accompanied by Gustavo and his brothers come to rough them up.  They beat the shit out of the boss.  Tokimoto knows martial arts (of course) and ultimately they win the battle.

Fast forward and Nicola has opened a restaurant in Tokyo with his wife Tokimoto (and kids). THE END

Story #2 Domenica

Poor Mario (Michele Placido) is a truck driver that just can't find time to get some sleep.

At his apartment building, he finds a neighbor Enza (Barbara Bouchet) trying to drown herself.

He rushes in to save her.

Mario learns why Enza was committing suicide.  She was to be wed to a guy that has turned out to be a two-timing liar.  Her supposed fiance actually is married with kids.

Even worse, her parents are Sicilian traditionalists and will be humiliated and disown her if they find out the truth.  They are coming to visit this very day!

Despite extreme sleep deprivation, Mario is sucked into posing as Enza's partner in front of her parents (Antonio Ferrandis and Margot Cottens).

The problem is, they are insufferable and he is going on no sleep.

You can feel Mario's pain as he just wants to sleep but can't. It's worse than watching torture.

At church he takes any chance he can to close his eyes, even for a minute.

He falls asleep at the dinner table and the mother shoves a bread stick in his mouth.

Mario falls asleep at the wheel and wrecks his truck.  The police think he's dead.  Nope - just fast asleep, finally.

Things come to a head when the two-timing liar Camillo (Manuel Zarzo) is confronted.

There's a big fight, Enza is now naked; Mario punches Camillo; Mario and Enza end up together. THE END.

Story #3 Venerdi'

Constantin (Adriano Celentano) is the eccentric and flamboyant director of the famous dance troupe Les porte-bonheur (Ballet de Crazy Horse).

The dancers are summoned to his boudoir. 

Diva Jacqueline (Lova Moor) is singled out

It is the choreographer Ambrose's (Ernst Thole) misfortune to have Jacqueline as his responsibility. 

Constantin is a flamboyant entertainer; the paparazzi eat it up.

He watches the rehearsal - where the girls' costumes have the boobs and butts cut out.

The mobster HQ

Constantin has learned that Jacqueline is to be wed to the mob boss, Fred (Manuel Gallardo).  This cannot happen - for the sake of the Crazy Horse ballet (and his own personal affection for the diva).

Lighting fred's cigarette, Constantin literally flames his face off.  Damn.

But he's no match for Fred's goons.  Fred and Jacqueline are getting married.

Constantin arrives in the nick of time and carries off his star dancer.

The Crazy Horse ballet is able to go on... with thier boobs and half their bush exposed.

I thought it was a nice touch to have the characters from the first two stories in the audience.

After the performance Jacqueline kisses Constantin and we can presume they are now together.

The first two stories were kinda cute, bolstered by Fenech and Bouchet.  However, the third story was downright intolerable.  Overall, not nearly sleazy enough, not quite funny enough, with a miserable third act.

★★★★★☆☆☆☆☆5/10