Schick deine Frau nicht nach Italien (1960)

Lawyer Martin Wiebold is enamored of the beautiful pediatrician Dr. Sabine Reimer. During an evening rendezvous, he makes it clear to her that he is interested in a relationship, but not in getting married. Disappointed, Sabine decides to take the planned trip to Italy on her own. The newlywed Elisabeth, known as Lizzie, is having trouble with her husband Robert, a fashion photographer who would rather spend the evening with one of his models than have dinner together to celebrate their first three months of marriage. Jealous, Lizzie leaves Robert and seeks comfort with her friend Sabine. The housewife and mother of two, Manuela Beetz, also turns up; she has had enough of always having to run the household alone while her husband Karl constantly criticizes everything. The three women decide to travel to Italy together and leave the men to manage the household on their own. For Karl, his wife’s absence soon becomes a catastrophe: he has to look after the household and the two children—the young Jokki and the baby, Pusselchen—by himself, as their exasperated housekeeper, Tete, has also quit. Robert’s offer to help him with the housework does not make things any better. Martin is the only one who takes it in stride and drives to Italy alone. By then, the women have met the racing cyclist Brunelli and his friend Costa, a singer. Sabine borrows Manuela’s wedding ring to keep Brunelli at a distance. Manuela, meanwhile, enjoys being courted by Costa, who believes her to be unmarried. Only Lizzie longs for Robert and keeps trying to contact him, which the other two women try to prevent. When she manages to call him from Siena, Robert learns where the women are and sets off for Italy the next day with Karl, Jokki, and Pusselchen. The search continues in Rome and Portofino, where the couples meet up again. Brunelli believes Martin is Sabine’s husband and is astonished by how little Martin shows Sabine his love. He asks Martin to divorce Sabine, but Martin has long since realized that he truly wants to marry her and, in their marriage, give her every freedom; she is not to give up her work for him, either. Brunelli proves to be a good sport in defeat. The other two couples also reconcile. Lizzie realizes that she was jealous of Robert for nothing, while Karl has finally learned how difficult it is to run a household. Manuela, for her part, eventually discovers that Costa, whom she thought was a bachelor, is actually married and a womanizer, and is therefore glad she remained faithful to Karl. In the end, all the couples set off for home.