
Down the Ancient Stairs
Dante's Inferno is Alive and Well
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
Cast

Maria Teresa Albani

Annunziata Fuciarelli
Asylum Patient (uncredited)

Pierre Blaise
Tonio

Enzo Robutti
il pazzo scrittore

Paola Corazzi

Adriana Asti
Gianna

Maria Michi
la pazza aggressiva

Ferruccio De Ceresa
gerarca fascista in treno

Paolo Pacino

Alessandra Cardini

Barbara Bouchet
Carla

Françoise Fabian
Anna Bersani

Marthe Keller
Bianca

Charles Fawcett
dottor Sfameni

Marcello Mastroianni
Professor Bonaccorsi

Silvano Tranquilli
professor Rospigliosi

Lucia Bosè
Francesca