Beach House

One hot Sunday at a simple beach house on the Roman coast brings together a large, mismatched group whose lives overlap over the course of a day. Nearby a women's basketball team practices and jokes, two sports-obsessed soldiers bicker and show off, and two friends spend time with their girlfriends. An elderly couple arrives with a pregnant granddaughter, a priest carries a carefully kept secret, and a young engaged pair hope to share an intimate milestone. The film moves from vignette to vignette, favoring character beats over plot twists, and watches small quarrels, flirtations and comic misunderstandings reveal private desires, social manners and a surprising tenderness without tying up every storyline.

Directed by Sergio Citti from a story by Vincenzo Cerami, Beach House stars Ugo Tognazzi, Mariangela Melato, Anna Melato, Gigi Proietti and Paolo Stoppa. Released in 1977, it was filmed on location along the Lazio coast and reflects the informal, location-driven approach common in Italian comedies of the period.

Box office records for Beach House are scarce, and it didn't become a major export. Its theatrical run was mostly domestic, drawing viewers who came for the ensemble cast rather than broad international promotion, so it's better known among Italian audiences than overseas.

While not a global landmark, the movie is remembered in Italy for bringing together several leading comic performers of the 1970s and for its sunlit portrayal of seaside social life. Its scenes of gossip, flirtation and small-town ritual reinforced seaside comedy motifs in later Italian films, where holiday settings act as a mirror for manners and social satire.

Critical response has been mixed to generally positive, and modern ratings average around 6.3 out of 10. Reviewers tended to praise the performances and relaxed pacing while noting the episodic structure. The film treats themes like sexual mores, generational contrast and everyday hypocrisy with light irony, showing how ordinary moments can expose private longings and social contradictions.