“The Brancaleone army” on TV: Catherine Spaak and the accusation of bullying, the arm wrestling matches between Volonté and Gassman and 5 other curiosities

The Middle Ages reread by Mario Monicelli: “The Brancaleone Army” is back on TV, the 1966 film directed by the Roman director with Vittorio Gassman (Brancaleone da Norcia), Gian Maria Volonté (Teofilatto dei Leonzi), Catherine Spaak (Matelda), Enrico Maria Salerno (Zenone) and Carlo Pisacane (Abacuc). Among the best known (and loved) films of Italian comedy – winner of three Silver Ribbons and presented in competition at the 19th Cannes Film Festival – “The Brancaleone Army” is set in medieval Italy in the 11th century: Brancaleone da Norcia, the last penniless scion of a decayed noble family, he leads a bizarre gang of miserable people and with them he embarks on a journey to the fiefdom of Aurocastro in Puglia, to take possession of it. Waiting to see him again on Thursday on Rai Storia at 9.15 pm, here are some curiosities that perhaps not everyone knows.