Mario Ferrari Movies

Originally filmed for British television as a six-hour miniseries, Moses appeared in the U.S. in 1975 as a 2 1/2-hour theatrical release. God's lawgiver (Burt Lancaster) is chosen by God to deliver the Israelites out of Egypt, across the Red Sea and into the promised land of Canaan. ~ John Bush, All Movie Guide

In this sword and sandal adventure, Aeneas and his Trojan warriors take on the evil Etruscans to preserve the honor of their hometown. The tale is also known the Last Glory of Troy. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

Leonora Ruffo is the exotically garbed title character in the Italian costume spectacle The Queen of Sheba. In the original Scriptures, Sheba and Israel's King Solomon merely exchanged gifts and parted company. Naturally, the filmmakers "improve" upon the story, with Prince Rehoboam (Gino Leurini), the handsome son of the ageing Solomon (Gino Cervi), falling in love with the Queen while he tries to ferret out Sheba's war plans. This results in a hot-and-heavy romantic triangle involving the Prince, the Queen, and someone named Princess Zymira (Marina Berti). All the usual Biblical-epic cliches are in attendance, including the heroine's obligatory milk bath. At one time a staple of American television Late Late Shows, The Queen of Sheba was temporarily withdrawn from circulation in 1959 to avoid competition with the Yul Brynner-Gina Lollobrigida starrer Solomon and Sheba. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Amedeo Nazzari portrays famed Italian composer Gaetano Donizetti in this expansive biopic. Told in flashback, the story is essentially of one who is lucky in music, unlucky in love. Poor Donizetti always manages to link up with a woman who is all wrong for him; one of his desultory amours lands him in an insane asylum, at the behest of a cuckolded Austrian prince. According to The Life of Donizetti, his greatest compositions were inspired by the tragic self-sacrifice of the true love of his life. Oddly, there is very little of Donizetti's music on the sound track; the filmmakers seemed more interested in the man's sex life than his more lasting contributions to humanity. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Abuna Messias (Cardinal Messias) features Camillo Pilotta in the title role. Designed as propaganda to justify Italy's recent invasion of Ethiopia, the film details the efforts of the Franciscan Monks to spread Christianity among the Ethiopian Melenik tribe. On the verge of total success, Cardinal Messias is challenged by Abuna Atansio (Mario Ferrari), spiritual leader of the tribal Coptic church. Hostilities develop into open warfare, with Atansio urging Ethiopian chieftan Negus Johannes (Ippolito Silvestri) to decimate the Meleniks and their Franciscan brethren. It is perhaps not surprising that Abuna Messias was the 1940 winner of the Mussolini Cup award. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lancieri di Savola (Savoy Lancers) is a ponderous costume drama, elevated somewhat by the performances of stars Elisa Cegani and Amedeo Nazari. Cegani plays Countess Speranza, who has never gotten over the fact that her family forbade her to marry the love of her life, dashing Lancer Lieutenant Solaro (Nazari). Circumstance and coincidence throw the Countess and the lieutenant back together from time to time, but since she is now the wife of a baron, the best she can hope for is a furtive, clandestine relationship. After Solaro is killed in WWI, the Countess remains forever faithful to the memory of her lost love. Top-heavy with symbolism, Lancieri di Savoia seems to go on for years. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Released internationally as Magnificent Rogue, Lorenzino de Medici stars Alessandro Moissi in the title role. The story is set in 16th-century Florence, during the corrupt regime of Duke Alexander (Camilo Pilotto). The depraved Duke finally goes too far when he tries to steal the sweetheart of the dashing Lorenzino de Medici. At this point, the low-key adversarial relationship between the Duke and De Medicini goes from wordplay to swordplay. Alas, Alessandro Moissi died some six months before Lorenzino de Medici hit the screen. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Max Ophuls' La Signora di Tutti can be regarded today as a dress rehearsal for his 1955 masterpiece Lola Montes, though it comes nowhere near the brilliance of that later classic. Isa Miranda stars as a famous actress who, in the opening scenes, attempts suicide. A series of lavish flashbacks details the events leading up to her cataclysmic decision. In her heyday, the actress' haunting beauty was enough to drive men mad--and some to the point of killing themselves. Modern audiences may have trouble keeping a straight face during some of the more heated passages, but Ophuls' basic premise--that fame and celebrity are ultimately hollow entities--is not to be taken lightly. The director's fabled camera techniques help smooth over some of the rougher and more ludicrous passages. La Signora di Tutti represents Max Ophuls' sole participation in the fascist-dominated Italian film industry of the 1930s. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide