The King of Laughter

The King of Laughter
Theatrical release poster
ItalianQui rido io
Directed byMario Martone
Screenplay by
  • Mario Martone
  • Ippolita Di Majo
Story by
  • Mario Martone
  • Ippolita Di Majo
Produced by
Starring
CinematographyRenato Berta
Edited byJacopo Quadri
Production
companies
Distributed by01 Distribution
Release dates
  • 7 September 2021 (2021-09-07) (Venice)
  • 9 September 2021 (2021-09-09) (Italy)
Running time
133 minutes
Countries
  • Italy
  • Spain
LanguagesItalian, Neapolitan

The King of Laughter (Italian: Qui rido io, lit.'Here I laugh') is a 2021 Italian-Spanish biographical drama film directed by Mario Martone about actor and playwright Eduardo Scarpetta's legal battle against Gabriele D'Annunzio over his parody of the latter's The Daughter of Iorio (1904). Toni Servillo stars as Scarpetta.

The film was selected to compete for the Golden Lion at the 78th Venice International Film Festival.[1]

Cast

Reception

The King of Laughter has an approval rating of 67% on review aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, based on 9 reviews, and an average rating of 6/10.[2]

Reviewing the film for Variety at the Venice Film Festival, Guy Lodge wrote, "Martone’s film certainly appears to channel the spirit of Scarpetta, though its 18-course tribute banquet doesn’t leave you particularly hungry to investigate further."[3]

References

  1. ^ Roxborough, Scott (26 July 2021). "Venice Film Festival 2021 Full Lineup". The Hollywood Reporter. Retrieved 5 August 2021.
  2. ^ "The King of Laughter". Rotten Tomatoes. 2022-11-25. Retrieved 2024-04-15.
  3. ^ Lodge, Guy (September 8, 2021). "'The King of Laughter' Review: Mario Martone's Lavish, Ultra-Italian Theatrical Biopic Is a Lot to Digest". Variety. Retrieved 27 October 2021.