A former film critic whose writing and directing career began in earnest after the end of WWII, Monicelli first gained attention with his satirical 1958 treatment of a bungled heist, "Big Deal on Madonna Street". He has proved himself a master of satirical black comedy, notably in films such as "The Great War" (1959) and "The Organizer" (1963), and his elicited fine performances from some of Italy's best actors, notably Vittorio Gassman and Marcello Mastroianni. Monicelli also has a reputation for turning out uninspired commercial vehicles such as "Casanova '70" (1965) and "La Mortadella"