Alberto Lattuada, the Italian director who made some of the more light, entertaining films of the post-war era, such as The Bandit (1946) and Variety Lights (1950), died on July 3 in his country home outside Rome of natural causes. He was 91.

Born in Milan on November 13, 1914, he trained as an architect before going into cinema in the '30s, as a set designer. His interest in cinema soon led to his directorial debut with the modest wartime drama Giacomo the Idealist (1943). He turned out a few pleasant if forgettable comedies before he scored his first national hit, a stylish noir thriller that was written by Fedrico Fellini - The Bandit (1946) with Anna Magnani as a memorable gangster's moll. He would work Fellini again, as a co-director for which is Lattuada's best-known and personal favorite film, Variety Lights (1950), a charming look at the amorous going-ons of a vaudeville troupe.

It became clear with Variety Lights that while other Italian directors such Roberto Rosellini (Open City, 1945) or Vittorio De Sico (Bicycle Thief, 1947), were clearly emphasizing a neo-realistic outlook, Lattuada had more of a light, fanciful touch; and over the course of his long career, their were definite highlights along the way: a surreal version of the Gogol short story, The Overcoat (1952); the lovely serio-comedy The Beach (1954) with Martine Carol as a prostitute unlucky in love; a wonderful coming of age story The Adolescents (1960) with a haunting performance by Catherine Spaak as a teenager falling out of love; the sexy crime-drama Unexpected (1961) starring Anouk Aimee; the bawdy 16th century bedroom romp, The Mandrake (1965) and the fine comedy of manners Come Have Coffee with Us (1971) with the dapper Ugo Tagnazzi giving a particularly droll performance; and his discovery of a 16-year-old Nastassja Kinksi for the May-December romance story Stay as You Are (1978) opposite Marcello Mastrioanni.

Except for a few film in the 80s: The Cricket (1980) starring Virna Lisi; and the quiet love story A Thorn in my Heart (1987), Lattuada retired quietly in Rome, save for a few Italian television shows he would occasionally direct. He is survived by his wife of 60 years, the actress Carla Del Poggio.

by Michael T. Toole