Day by Day, Desperately

Day by Day, Desperately (Giorno per giorno disperatamente) is a 1961 Italian drama film written and directed by Alfredo Giannetti. According to the film critic Morando Morandini, the film is "a naturalistic drama of strong emotional charge, crossed by a vein of desperate lyricism."

Plot
The mental illness affecting young Dario, one of the two sons of the Dominici family living in a low-income area of Rome, turns their lives upside down. Tilde, the mother, devotes herself entirely to caring for Dario, neglecting her husband Pietro and their other son Gabriele. During a severe crisis, Dario is readmitted to the asylum, and Tilde insists on using all their money to bribe the nurses for better treatment.

Pietro, a tailor, can't oppose his wife's obsession but manages to find Gabriele a job in a construction company to distance him from the family's distress. Gabriele falls for Marcella, a colleague, who ultimately chooses their wealthy boss over him.

In a final attempt to cure Dario, Tilde takes him to Vienna for treatment. However, Dario's condition worsens, and he threatens his mother before being readmitted to the asylum. Tilde dies of a heart attack, leaving Pietro to care for Dario alone, but he finds solace in successfully separating Gabriele from the family turmoil.

Cast

 * Nino Castelnuovo: Gabriele Dominici
 * Tomas Milian: Dario Dominici
 * Madeleine Robinson: Tilde
 * Tino Carraro: Pietro
 * Franca Bettoia: Marcella
 * Milly: Luisella
 * Riccardo Garrone: un cliente di Pietro Dominici
 * Mario Scaccia: un infermiere del manicomio
 * Rosalia Maggio: collega di Marcella
 * Lino Troisi: un agente di Polizia
 * Marcella Rovena: amica di Pietro Dominici
 * Alvaro Piccardi: Daniele
 * Mario Brega: un borgataro