Avanti is a 1972 comedy directed by Billy Wilder. The film begins with Wendell Armbruster Jr. (Jack Lemmon) leaving his American home to travel to Italy, where his father has just died in a car crash. Upon his arrival, he discovers that his father has not just been going to Italy to enjoy revitalizing mud baths, but he has actually been seeing an English mistress there for the past ten years. When Wendell arrives at the scene he is met by the daughter of the mistress, Pamela (Juliet Mills), who he quickly takes a shine to. Unfortunately, their romance is complicated when the owners of a local vineyard that was damaged when Wendell's father crashed, decide to steal the bodies from the morgue and hold them for ransom. International authorities get involved in trying to recover the bodies, while it seems like everyone they meet tries to push Pamela and Wendell together. This classic comedy is based on the play by Samuel Taylor.moreless