Raffaello Matarazzo Movies
- 1956
In this heartwarming drama, the life of an Italian rice farmer involved in an unhappy marriage is chronicled. One day, he notices a familiar looking migrant in his field. Upon following the girl, he discovers that she is his illegitimate daughter. To quietly make up for his past indiscretion, he begins giving the girl many gifts, but he does not tell her who he is. Later the girl falls for an auto mechanic who gets jealous of her secret father's attention to her. This causes the father to tell the mechanic the truth; the fix it man then decides to engineer a reunion. He then goes on to save the girl from getting raped by her father's deadbeat nephew. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Elsa Martinelli, Folco Lulli, (more)
- 1953
The story of Francesca da Rimini, previously immortalized by Dante Alighieri and Peter Ilyich Tchaikovsky, was captured in celluloid in 1953's Paolo and Francesca. The scene is 13th-century Italy, where a truce between two warring families is secured by the marriage of elderly Giancotto Malatesta (Andrea Checchi) to young and beautiful Francesca da Rimini (Odile Versois). Malatesta sends his younger brother Paolo (Armando Francioli) to marry Francesca by proxy. Inevitably, Francesca falls in love with the younger man, leading to a surfeit of sadism at the hands of the vindictive Malatesta. Despite enduring the most horrendous of tortures, Paolo and Francesca maintain their pledge of eternal love. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Odile Versois, Armando Francioli, (more)
Verdi, the King of Melody, though lensed in color, is an essentially colorless Italian costume picture. Pierre Cressoy stars as famed composer Giuseppe Verdi (1813-1901). The film covers Verdi's life from his first opera in 1838 to the last, Falstaff, in 1896, when Verdi was 83. Along the way we are treated to Verdi's amorous exploits, as well as his political activism in lobbying for an independent Italy. And of course we both see and hear snippets from Il Trovatore, La Traviata and Aida (the latter tied in with the opening of Suez canal). All of this is crammed into 80 minutes, giving indication of severe cutting before the film's US release. As a result of its international box-office failure, Verdi, the King of Melody is one of the most obscure of all musical biopics. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Pierre Cressoy
- 1953
The English title of this Italian melodrama is Ship of Damned Women. After murdering her illegitimate baby, Isabella (Tania Weber) pins the blame on her innocent cousin Consuelo (May Britt). Despite the strenuous efforts of her attorney-lover DeSylva (Ettore Manni), Consuelo is found guilty and shipped to a penal colony along with several other female prisoners. En route, the women mutiny, and the ship is sunk. Among the few survivors are Consuelo, her attorney, and through an improbable coincidence, Isabella. Likewise improbable, though eminently satisfying, is the film's finale. Featured in the cast is craggy-faced character actor Eduardo Cianelli, who returned to his native Italy after nearly 20 years in Hollywood to make a handful of films. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Kerima, Ettore Manni, (more)
- 1953
Tormento is right. Anna Ferrari (Yvonne Sanson) is thrown out of her home by her nasty stepmother. She moves in with boyfriend Carlo Guarnieri (Amedeo Nazzari), intending to marry him. While awaiting the birth of their child, Carlo is arrested for a crime he didn't commit. A long prison sentence threatens the legitimacy of Anna's child. Will this dilemma be solved in time, or will Anna be forever stigmatized? An expertly assembled "soap opera," Tormento arrived in the U.S. with surprisingly few censorial excisions; the TV prints, however, are considerably shorter than the theatrical version. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Amedeo Nazzari, Yvonne Sanson, (more)
- 1936
To judge by the title, which translates as Carnival Is Here Again, one might assume that this is a circus picture. But no, "Carnival" is the name of the hero, played by Armando Falconi. An impoverished nobleman, Carnival finds that he hasn't a friend in the world now that he's broke. Well, he does have one loyal companion: his old family retainer Gennarialo (Signor Coop). Suddenly, and as if by magic, two people from our hero's past materialize out of nowhere, offering to help put Carnival back on his feet. Since one the two benefactors is a lady, and a very pretty one at that, the audience is encouraged to expect a completely happy ending. But, alas, such is not to be. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Armando Falcone
- 1936
This Italian murder mystery is set against the backdrop of an exclusive girl's school. A much-hated teacher is killed, and everyone had ample reason to commit the deed. Among the suspects are two students who'd been plotting to poison the teacher for humiliating one of their classmates. Naturally, these kids aren't the guilty parties, as inspector Nino Benzoni proves in the action-packed final reel. The film was apparently designed as a group "screen test" for several promising young starlets, none of whom went on to bigger things. The title, incidentally, translates as The Serpent's Fang. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Andreina Pagnani
- 1936
Also known as Popular Train, this short-and-sweet Italian comedy takes place during a weekend train excursion. Bored with her nerdish boyfriend, heroine Lina Gennari dumps him in favor of handsome Marcello Spada. Eventually, Lisa realizes that she's truly in love with her beau, whereupon Spada gracefully steps aside. Between this set-up and payoff, the film concentrates on another young lady, a lonely social outcast, who blossoms into a swan with Spada's affectionate assistance. Though the acting and direction of Lacrimme e Sorrisi are pedestrian, the film scores points on energy and vitality. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide
- Starring:
- Lina Gennari
