Fantozzi
Fantozzi: White Collar Blues - Movie Quotes
Memorable Quotes
Per me... la Corazzata Kotiomkin... è una cagata pazzesca!
— Ugo Fantozzi
Context:
This quote is from the sequel, "Il secondo tragico Fantozzi." After being forced to miss a major Italy vs. England soccer match to attend a screening of Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin" for the umpteenth time, Fantozzi finally snaps during the post-film discussion and shouts this iconic line, leading to a 92-minute standing ovation from his colleagues and a short-lived office rebellion.
Meaning:
Translation: "For me... Battleship Potemkin... is a load of crazy crap!" This line, from the second film but capturing the spirit of the first, is Fantozzi's most famous act of rebellion. It's a cry of liberation against the pseudo-intellectual, mandatory corporate culture imposed by his boss, who forces employees to repeatedly watch the classic silent film. It became an iconic phrase in Italy for rejecting imposed, high-brow culture in favor of authentic, personal opinion.
Com'è umano, Lei!
— Ugo Fantozzi
Context:
Fantozzi uses this phrase multiple times throughout the saga when addressing his bosses. For instance, after being psychologically dismantled by the Galactic Mega-Director, he might utter this line as a sign of his complete submission and gratitude for the 'clemency' shown to him.
Meaning:
Translation: "How human you are, Sir!" This is Fantozzi's go-to phrase of fawning servility, uttered to superiors after they have inflicted some form of cruelty or minor concession upon him. It is dripping with irony, highlighting the complete lack of humanity in the corporate hierarchy. It has entered the Italian lexicon as a sarcastic way to comment on a false or condescending display of kindness from someone in power.
Allora, ragioniere, che fa? Batti? / Ma... mi dà del tu? / No, no! Dicevo: batti lei? / Ah, congiuntivo!
— Filini and Fantozzi
Context:
This dialogue occurs just before Fantozzi and Filini begin their disastrous tennis match at 6 a.m. in the freezing fog. The focus on grammatical correctness over the sheer misery of their situation is a hallmark of the film's satirical humor.
Meaning:
Translation: "So, accountant, your serve? / But... are you using the informal 'you'? / No, no! I was saying: is it your serve, sir? / Ah, the subjunctive!" This exchange perfectly encapsulates the pedantic, overly formal, and ultimately ridiculous communication style between the characters. Their attempt to maintain a veneer of professional, educated decorum (by worrying about verb conjugations) during a freezing, miserable tennis match highlights the absurdity of their condition.