Down the Ancient Stairs

Down the Ancient Stairs (1975)

Drama

A mental hospital somewhere in Tuscany during the thirties. Far away from fascism, this closed world is rules over by Dr. Bonaccorsi, a passionate benevolent psychiatrist whose dream is to isolate the germ of madness. He is also a very active ladies'man and makes three women benefit from his sexual itch: Francesca the hospital manager's wife, Bianca, his devoted nurse and Carla, a nymphomaniac doctor's wife. His well-ordered universe starts being challenged with the coming of Anna, a trainee psychiatrist, who disapproves of his theory on the origin of madness. Worse, she resists his advances. As Bonaccorsi is more insecure than he looks, what will become of him?

Director: Mauro Bolognini
Writer: Tullio Pinelli

Casts

	Marcello Mastroianni as Professor Bonaccorsi
	Barbara Bouchet as Carla
	Françoise Fabian as Anna Bersani
	Silvano Tranquilli as professor Rospigliosi
	Marthe Keller as Bianca
	Lucia Bosè as Francesca
	Pierre Blaise as Tonio
	Adriana Asti as Gianna
	Maria Michi as la pazza aggressiva
	Charles Fawcett as dottor Sfameni
	Enzo Robutti as il pazzo scrittore
	Ferruccio De Ceresa as gerarca fascista in treno
	Maria Teresa Albani as
	Paolo Pacino as
	Paola Corazzi as
	Alessandra Cardini as
	Annunziata Fuciarelli as Asylum Patient (uncredited)

Crew