Pietro offers to quit and return to his honest but low-paying job as a pump salesman.
The film remains a stark study of how ordinary people can become complicit in global atrocities simply by prioritizing their own comfort and social standing. Pietro offers to quit and return to his
When a journalist exposes Pietro's profession, his family initially reacts with shock and moral indignation. As Pietro travels across Africa selling weapons to
As Pietro travels across Africa selling weapons to dictators and warring factions, his wealth skyrockets. However, the physical and moral toll of his "dirty" business begins to weigh on him. The film's title, a play on the proverb
While some reviewers on IMDb note its "melancholic vision" and "cynicism," others feel the second half leans heavily into anti-war rhetoric.
The film's title, a play on the proverb "Finché c'è vita c'è speranza" (While there is life, there is hope), became a common saying in Italy to describe cynical opportunism.
The story follows (Sordi), a modest salesman of hydraulic pumps for bathrooms. Realizing that his current profession cannot support the lavish lifestyle his family craves, he pivots to a far more lucrative business: international arms dealing in Third World countries.