The Rogues (film)

I picari, internationally released as The Rogues, is a 1987 Italian comedy film written and directed by Mario Monicelli. It is freely inspired by the Spanish novels Lazarillo de Tormes and Guzman de Alfarache.

The film was co-produced with Spain, where it was released as Los alegres pícaros.

Plot
I picari was the last of Monicelli's films, such as L'armata Brancaleone, to be set in the Renaissance and medieval eras. As in his previous films, a tilting of the society and surroundings of the characters makes the film a parody of the goliardic lifestyle of the 12th or 13th century.

In 17th-century Spain, vagrants Lazarillo and Guzman meet as slaves on a ship. Both had a troubled and difficult childhood because of their parents. The first was adopted by a prostitute and a blind wanderer (Nino Manfredi) who earned a living by cheating and stealing. The second was beaten and scourged. Escaping from the ship in which they were held captive, Lazarillo and Guzman stop at a strange place where they cheat a blacksmith. Later, disguised as gentleman, they are hosted by an impoverished nobleman (Vittorio Gassman). The two tramps, who hoped to make a fortune by entering the service of a nobleman, are shocked by his poor quarters and dire living conditions. Lazarillo and Guzman then become part of a theater company, scrape together some money, buy a prostitute, and encounter a gang of criminals. One of them kills a king's guard and is sentenced to death. His friend saves him by replacing him with another prisoner.

Cast

 * Giancarlo Giannini: Guzman de Alfarache
 * Enrico Montesano: Lazarillo de Tormes
 * Vittorio Gassman: Marquis Felipe de Aragona
 * Nino Manfredi: the blind wanderer
 * Giuliana De Sio: Rosario
 * Bernard Blier: the pimp
 * Paolo Hendel: the tutor
 * Vittorio Caprioli: Mozzafiato
 * Enzo Robutti: the Captain of the ship
 * Blanca Marsillach: Ponzia
 * Maria Casanova: Pregnant Woman
 * Claudio Bisio: the leader of the mutinied rowers
 * Sal Borgese: the boatswain
 * Sabrina Ferilli the young prostitute