"TheWitchBurntAlive" Afteraverylong,butvisuallyarrestinganimatedopeningcreditssequence,LuchinoVisconti(DeathinVenice)directsthefirststory,whichisthelongestofthefive,takingapproximatelyathirdofthefilm'srunninglength.Manganoplaysasuperstaractressandmodelwhotravelstoamountainresort,onlytofindthewell-to-doinhabitantshaveprejudicesandpreconceivednotionsaboutherbasedonherpublicpersona.Thewomenarealljealousandthemenallwanttosleepwithher,butallManganowantsistobeleftalone.It'samostlysombersatiricalpiece,butstory-wise,itlanguishesinitsmodestideaabitlong,becominginconsequentialtoallbutthosefascinatedbytherealitiesofbeingfamous. "CommunitySpirit" Bolognini'spieceisn'treallyastory.It'smoreofavisualgag,inashortsegmentthatfeaturesManganoofferingtotakeaninjuredmantoahospital,drivinghimatbreakneckspeedthroughoutthecity,butnotstoppingatlocationswherehemightfindaid.Iwon'tgiveawaythepunchlinehere,butitsucceedsinbeingamusing,evenifit'sthekindofthingthatonlyisinterestingthefirsttimethrough. "TheEarthSeenfromtheMoon" Theesteemedwriter/director,PierPaoloPasolini(Salo),craftsthemiddlesegment,whichisthemostartisticandmemorableofthefive.Reminiscentinstyleto"DonQuixote",arecentlywidowedfatherandhissontravelaroundthecountryinsearchofanewwifeandmother,andafteralongperiod,theydiscovertheliterallyspeechlessMangano.Shebringsjoyintotheirlives,buttheyarepoor,andinordertofindabetterlifeforthemselves,theyconcoctaschemetotrytomakesomequickcash.Thestoryiscontrived,andnotcompletelyinteresting,buttheoutlandishperformances,artwork,andcostumesdoesevokegreatcharmandlikeability.Althoughmute,it'sprobablythemostappealingofMangano'sfiveperformances,andTotoisterrific. "TheSicilian" FrancoRossidirectsthefourthanshortestpiece,astraight-forwardrevengestorythatcomesandgoesbeforeiteverhasachanceofbecominginteresting.It'sviolent,buteasilytheleastsatisfyingofthefivestories. "ANightLikeAnyOther" Eastwood'sappearanceisclearlythebiggestattractionhere,whichwasfilmedinbetweentheSergioLeone"Dollars"trilogy.It'sanenjoyabledeparturefromhisnormalroles,playingacomedicromanticlead,andheisaffablyfuntowatch.FamedItaliandirector,VittoriodeSica(TheBicycleThief,UmbertoD.)doesamasterfuljobwiththestory,whichperfectlyblendsthemundaneandthefantasyinavisuallysatisfyingway.Thestoryisaboutaboredhousewife(Mangano,ofcourse),whotriesinvaintogetherhusbandtorealizethatheisnotasromanticasheusedtobe.Thesceneisinterspersedwithcomedicromancesequencesrevolvingaroundthecouple'spastromanticinterludes,anddreamsofhowtheirlivesshouldbe.
