A Difficult Life (Italian: Una vita difficile) is a Commedia all'italiana or Italian-style comedy film directed by Dino Risi in 1961.

In 1944, Roman student Silvio Magnozzi (Alberto Sordi), is a second lieutenant in the Royal Army serving near Lake Como.

On the day of the 1946 referendum deciding whether Italy would become a republic or remain a monarchy, Elena and Silvio are turned away from several different restaurants after trying to obtain a meal on credit.

Silvio barely refrains from openly declaring his republican faith in order not to give up their first real meal in days.

Their lives proceed with difficulty because Silvio, not wanting to compromise his political ideals, refuses to obtain a better paying job.

After his release, Elena suggests he finish his degree and move to Cantù-Cermenate where her mother could get him a permanent job with a good salary.

He is told that his writing is mediocre and uninteresting so he approaches well-known directors and actors (Alessandro Blasetti, Silvana Mangano and Vittorio Gassman at Cinecitta, all of whom refuse him because his book is too critical of the government.

Elena storms away and Silvio vents his bitterness by spitting on luxury cars circulating in the town and shouting at tourists.

He begs Elena to take him back, stating that he has found a permanent job and set aside his political ideas to seek economic stability.

Silvio is now able to afford luxuries like a fur coat and a car, but is forced to perform all kinds of humiliating tasks for his boss.

[3] The famous scene of spitting on cars, although in the film it is said that it is set in Viareggio, was actually shot on the seaside avenue of Ronchi, in the district of Marina di Massa.

During the German occupation of Rome, Domizlaff participated in the organization and execution of the massacre of the Fosse Ardeatine under the orders of Lieutenant Colonel Herbert Kappler.