O la borsa o la vita: A comedy of very clumsy errors

Is it worth your time?

If you have a soft spot for vintage slapstick that doesn't care much about internal logic, you'll probably enjoy O la borsa o la vita. It moves fast, sometimes too fast, and relies on that classic 'everyone is running in circles' energy. If you need your movies to be grounded or serious, you’re gonna hate this. It’s pure, unadulterated nonsense.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of O la borsa o la vita (1932) through its definitive frames.

The whole premise is built on Daniele trying to kill himself by accident because his life insurance won't pay out for suicide. It’s a dark starting point that the movie immediately turns into a cartoon. I mean, he tries to get eaten by a lion and the zoo guards literally pull him out like he’s a misbehaving toddler. 🦁

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of O la borsa o la vita (1932) through its definitive frames.

There is this one moment where he’s picking petals off a daisy, whispering 'I die, I do not die.' It’s so theatrical it almost circles back to being charming. But then the last petal lands on 'I do not die' and he looks genuinely annoyed. It’s the kind of tiny, weird detail that makes you realize the director wasn't trying to make a statement—they were just trying to keep the momentum going.

Cinematic perspective: Exploring the visual vocabulary of O la borsa o la vita (1932) through its definitive frames.

The middle section of the film feels like it’s being held together by duct tape and sheer willpower. Daniele keeps running into people who are chasing him for entirely different reasons. It’s chaotic. At one point, there’s an airplane engine running inside a hangar just to clear a crowd, and honestly? That’s about as much explanation as you get for anything in this movie.

It definitely has that Buster's Spooks energy where the plot is secondary to the physical bits. You can tell they had a blast filming the plane scenes, even if the stunt work looks like it was done on a shoestring budget. It’s not quite as sharp as The Ropin' Fool, but it’s got enough spirit to keep you watching.

The ending is a total cop-out, obviously. Everything resolves because of a lucky stock market turn, which feels like a lazy way to wrap up a frantic day. But honestly? By the time the clock hit midnight, I was tired of watching him try to kick the bucket anyway. ⏰

• That basset dog is the real MVP of the movie.
• The dream sequence is bizarrely lit.
• I still don't understand why the anarchist was hanging out at that inn.
• The pacing is frantic, like the camera operator had a bus to catch.

It’s a strange little film that doesn't overstay its welcome. Just don't go in looking for a deep dive into existential dread. It’s just a man having a very, very bad day. And that’s fine. 🎬