
Unlikemanymultistoriedfilmsofthe1950s,GranVarietaisthehandiworkofasinglesolitarydirector--thoughfivewriterscollaboratedonthescreenplay.Thefilmisdividedintofiveseparateplaylets,allunifiedbya"backstage"theme.Inthefirst,MariaFioreplaysanaspiringsingerwhogetsmorethanshebargainsforuponattainingstardom.Thesecondtaleinvolvesquick-changeartistAlbertoSordi,whoissuccessfulinloveonlywhenhedecidestobe"himself".CarloCroccolostarsinthethirdsegmentasavarietyperformerwhose"soldieract"resultsinhisearlydemise.Thefourth(andbest)storyfeaturesVittorioDeSicaasaonce-famousactor,nowontheskids.GranVarietaconcludeswithasatiricalstoryaboutafascist-governmentcensor,playedbyRenatoRascal,whohashisworkcutoutforhimwhenhetriestocleanupagirlieshow.






