Big Deal on Madonna Street - Characters & Cast

Peppe is motivated by a desire to transcend his low-status life through what he perceives as a clever, easy score. He craves the respect and success that have eluded him in the boxing ring and on the streets, but lacks the discipline and intelligence to achieve it.

Peppe begins as a cocky, small-time boxer who lucks into the heist plan. He fashions himself the leader, constantly insisting on a "scientific" approach he is incapable of executing. His journey is one of gradual deflation, as his bravado is consistently undermined by his incompetence and bad luck. By the end, stripped of his criminal ambitions, he is seen heading off to find legitimate, manual labor, a humbling end to his grand scheme.

Tiberio's primary motivation is to support his family. He is not a natural criminal but is pushed into it by his desperate financial situation and the need to care for his baby son.

Tiberio is a photographer who has pawned his camera, leaving him unable to work. He is saddled with caring for his infant child while his wife is in jail for a petty offense. He joins the heist out of a sense of paternal responsibility, but his path is one of constant frustration. He fakes a broken arm to steal a camera, only to have his arm genuinely broken later, rendering him useless for the physical part of the heist. His arc highlights the tragicomic intersection of domestic life and criminal endeavor.

Dante is motivated by a professional pride in his old craft and the fee the gang offers him. He is past his life of active crime and treats the consultation as a simple teaching job, detached from the outcome.

Dante is a legendary, now-retired safecracker who acts as the gang's consultant. His role is brief but pivotal. He represents the old guard of professional crime, calmly and expertly explaining the craft of safecracking. He doesn't have a personal arc but serves as a comedic foil, highlighting the gang's amateurishness through his own professionalism. His lesson on the rooftop is a masterclass in both safecracking and comedy.

Cosimo is driven by a singular, obsessive need to execute his "perfect" heist plan, which he sees as his ticket to freedom and fortune. Unlike the others, his motivation is less about communal gain and more about personal ambition.

Cosimo is the originator of the heist plan, which he learns about in prison. His entire arc is a frantic and ultimately tragic attempt to get out of jail and reclaim his idea. He is the most traditionally criminal and self-serving of the group. After Peppe steals his plan, Cosimo's desperation leads him to a pathetic, fatal end during a clumsy purse-snatching, serving as a dark, moralistic counterpoint to the lighter tone of the main plot.