UIP comedy Meet TheFockers stormed into the number one slot at the Italian box office with anastounding $5,724,641. While other releases, new and old, paled in comparison,the Dustin Hoffman-Robert De Niro sequel earned a massive average of $11,518from 497 screens.

Meanwhile, Johnny Deppvehicle Finding Neverland dropped into second place with a running totalof $4,380,427 for BVI, while The Aviator slumped to number four and shed60% of its earnings. The Martin Scorsese picture has now earned $6,134,387after three weeks.

New releases included TheMerchant of Venice - an Italian, Luxembourg, UK, US co-production - whichopened strongly for Istituto Luce, grossing $1,098,178 for a high screenaverage of $4,409.

But Provincia Meccanica,Italy's sole Berlin competition entry, met a lukewarm reception on its hometurf, earning only $367,581 for Medusa from 193 screens.

The weekend's fourth opener,Warner Bros' A Very Long Engagement, also disappointed. The picturegrossed only $251,669 from 153 screens.