Very schmaltzy drama-comedy film by Roberto Benigni, and a very misaimed feeling one (in my opinion, anyway) due to being set amidst the Holocaust; not as wretched as Taika Waititi's
JoJo Rabbit, but still, there's a reason Jerry Lewis shelved
The Day the Clown Cried! Costume designer Danilo Donati had previously worked with Benigni on 1994's
The Monster and would work with him again on 2002's
Pinocchio.
Donati's most striking costumes were designed for Nicoletta Braschi as Dora Orefice, the wife of Benigni's Jewish waiter. Braschi is first seen wearing a white dress and bolera jacket with orange and green lining around the collar, pockets and cuffs.
Braschi's next costume, worn when Dora is watching opera, is a black patterned jacket with glittery lining on the lapels, worn with a small hat also encrusted with similar ornamentation, and worn with a plain black skirt.
Donati also constructed a pair of bright red costumes worn by the opera singers; both are made from shiny materials, one a frilly dress and one a suit with top hat.
The rest of the film's costume highlights are worn during the dinner party sequence; Raffaella Lebboroni, as Dora's friend Elena, wears a shiny steely-grey dress with golden buttons.
A more elaborate white dress was designed for Marisa Paredes as Dora's mother, consisting of floral ornamentation around the shoulders and chest, with a white chiffon cape.
However, the film's costume design showstopper is again worn by Braschi; a pink dress with stone-like white ornamentation around the collar, with hard pieces covering the dress all over it, with a bow on the back of the dress.
