Eat It (1968)
A darkly comic Italian satire in which a ruthless industrialist turns a food-crazed wild man into the ultimate advertising stunt.
Eat It - Movie Information
- Original Title: Mangiala!
- Release Year: 1968
- Directed by: Francesco Casaretti
- Type: Movie
- Genres: Comedy
- Runtime: 1h 24m
- Original Language: Italian
- Spoken Languages: Italian
- Release Date (Theatrical): January 1, 1968 (Italy)
- Alternative Titles: Mangiala (IT)
- Production Companies: Cemo Film
- Production Countries: Italy
Eat It - Plot
An industrialist tries to find an advertising gimmick for his canned meat product "Eat it!". In the fields he finds a savage individual who has reduced himself to two functions only: eating huge amounts of food and making love. So he uses this savage man for his advertising purposes by making the public believe that his meat is an aphrodisiac. Some time later the strange being loses his "gifts". The industrialist tries to replace him, but the incredible amounts of meat he eats turns him into a cow! (Digitmovies)
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Eat It - Cast & Crew
Director(s)
- Francesco Casaretti
Main Cast
- Frank Wolff
- Paolo Villaggio
- Giampiero Albertini
- Silvia Dionisio
- Monica Herfert
- Rossella Bergamonti
Writers
- Roberto Leoni
- Francesco Casaretti
- Franco Bucceri
Eat It - FAQs
What is Eat It about?
Eat It follows a scheming industrialist who discovers a wild man with two extraordinary talents — eating enormous quantities of food and making love. He exploits this savage figure to convince the public that his canned meat is an aphrodisiac, with increasingly surreal and darkly comic results.
Does Eat It have a satirical message?
Absolutely. The film skewers consumer culture and advertising manipulation with gleeful absurdity. By turning a feral man into a marketing mascot, director Francesco Casaretti lampoons the cynicism of capitalism and the gullibility of the public — all wrapped in the irreverent spirit of late-1960s Italian comedy.
What happens at the end of Eat It?
The ending takes the film's absurdist logic to its wildest extreme. When the savage man loses his remarkable gifts, the desperate industrialist tries to replicate the effect himself — only to be transformed into a cow after consuming staggering amounts of his own canned meat. It's a fittingly surreal punchline.
Where can you watch Eat It online?
You can check current streaming and rental options for Eat It on JustWatch, which tracks availability across platforms in your region. Given its status as a lesser-known 1968 Italian comedy, availability may be limited, so JustWatch is your best bet for finding where it's currently accessible.
Who are the main actors in Eat It?
The cast is led by Frank Wolff as the scheming industrialist and Paolo Villaggio — later beloved for his Fantozzi films — as Volpi. They're joined by Giampiero Albertini, Silvia Dionisio, Monica Herfert, and Rossella Bergamonti in supporting roles.
Is Eat It an early Paolo Villaggio film?
Yes, Eat It is one of Paolo Villaggio's early screen appearances, predating his iconic Fantozzi character by several years. It offers a fascinating glimpse of the comedian before he became one of Italy's most beloved comic actors, already displaying his sharp instinct for satirical performance.
Who directed Eat It and what is the film's style?
Francesco Casaretti directed Eat It, co-writing the script with Roberto Leoni and Franco Bucceri. The film blends slapstick with biting social satire, typical of Italian commedia all'italiana of the late 1960s — a genre known for using humor to expose the hypocrisies of modern Italian society.
What are some films similar to Eat It?
If you enjoy Eat It's mix of dark comedy and social satire, you might also like Fido (2006), a similarly absurdist take on consumerism, or How to Murder Your Wife (1965) for vintage comic irreverence. The Cable Guy (1996) shares its satirical edge around media manipulation and public gullibility.
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