Carlo Ninchi Movies

Normally, an actor or actress in a foreign-language film was not the ideal candidate for an Academy Award, inasmuch as his or her English-language "performance" was often dubbed in by an anonymous third party. Such was not the case of Sophia Loren in Two Women (La Ciociara), who did her own English dubbing. Adapted by director Vittorio De Sica and Cesare Zavattini from the novel by Alberto Moravia, Two Women is the semi-neorealist account of widow Cesira (Loren) and her teenaged daughter, Rosetta (Eleanora Brown), as they struggle to survive in war-ravaged Italy. A conventional romantic triangle between mother, daughter, and Michele (Jean-Paul Belmondo), is barely under way when the war rears its ugly head once more. Seeking shelter in a bombed-out church, Cesira and Rosetta are attacked and raped -- a horrifying sequence, capped by a freeze-frame close-up of Rosetta, her face a taut mask of terror (this image was enough to prompt a virulent "anti-smut" editorial in The Saturday Evening Post). Once they've recovered from this appalling experience, mother and daughter are offered a ride back to Rome by friendly truck driver Florindo (Renato Salvatori). Though Cesira had hoped to keep her daughter from compromising herself as a means of survival, she is crushed to discover that Rosetta has given herself to the truck driver in exchange for a pair of stockings. When Cesira and Rosetta finally reconcile, it is a grievous occasion, mourning the death of their mutual love, Michele. A last-minute replacement for Anna Magnani, Sophia Loren brought hitherto untapped depths of emotion to her performance in Two Women; she later stated that she was utilizing "sensory recall," dredging up memories of her own wartime experiences. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

In this Biblical epic, a brave Chaldean rebel takes on his evil nemesis, a cruel Assyrian king. En route to his fateful meeting, the rebel hides in the humble hut of a luscious peasant girl. She is found by the king's passing troops; when the king sees the lass he is immediately smitten and makes her a part of his court. Unfortunately, when the king is suddenly poisoned, she is blamed. Later it is revealed that the real killer is the king's corrupt advisor who wants the kingdom for himself. Meanwhile, the rebel continues to fight his way to the palace so he can liberate the people and save the girl. ~ Sandra Brennan, All Movie Guide

The Affairs of Messalina is a French/Italian historical spectacle produced in the wake of the internationally successful Fabiola (1949). Mexican film luminary Maria Felix essays the role of Messalina, the scheming wife of Roman emperor Augustus who searches for love by walking the streets of the Eternal City. Also in the cast is an Italian specialist and silky seductresses, Gianna Maria Canale. It is difficult to believe that any producer/director could go wrong with lavish sets, exotic costumes, and two of the most glamorous actresses on Earth, but Carmine Gallone (who previously helmed the 1937 Fascist-financed epic Scipio Africanus) achieves the impossible: Affairs of Messalina makes Roman decadence as dull as dishwater. Originally released in Europe in 1951 under the deceptively short title Messaline, Affairs of Messalina was mercifully cut to ribbons by its American distributor Columbia Pictures in 1954. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Lantern-jawed French comedian Fernandel plays a dual role in Most Wanted Man. He stars as an ordinary Joe (or ordinary Pierre, perhaps) who is the exact double of a notorious gangster. In the tradition of Edward G. Robinson's The Whole Town's Talking, Fernandel must take the place of the criminal, and vice versa. The toughest hurdle in the charade is fooling the gangster's mistress "Mademoiselle", played by Zsa Zsa Gabor (who unlike Fernandel has trouble playing one role). Eventually Zsa Zsa takes a liking to the "nice" Fernandel and helps him collar the rest of the crooks. Most Wanted Man was first released in the U.S. as Most Wanted Man in the World; it was initially screened in France in 1953 as L'Ennemi Public No. 1. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Camicie Rosse (Red Shirts) was released in most markets as Anita Garibaldi, in deference to the star status of Anna Magnani. The actress plays the wife of the great Italian patriot Garibaldi, who at the beginning of the film hovers on the brink of death, harking back to past glories. Most of the story deals with the European political upheavals of 1848-49, and Garibaldi's participation in these earth-shattering events. Raf Vallone stars as Garibaldi, while the stellar supporting cast includes Alain Cuny, Jacques Sernas, Serge Reggiani and Michel Auclair. According to some reports, Auclair was supposed to have played Garibaldi, but was replaced by Vallone when the film's initial director, Goffriedo Allesandri, was put out of commission by an auto accident (Allesandrishares screen credit with Franco Rosi, who completed the film). ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Originally titled Spartaco, Sins of Rome is a highly suspect retelling of the 1st-century B.C. slave revolt which rocked the Roman Empire to its foundations. Spearheading the rebellion is Thracian slave Spartacus (Massimo Girotti), who is no Kirk Douglas but who handles the role with panache. To enhance the film's box-office appeal, the scriptwriters contrive to bestow upon Spartacus two leading ladies: Sabina (Gianna Maria Canale), the sensuous daughter of a Roman aristocrat, and Sabina's personal slave Amitys (played by ballerina Ludmilla Tcherina). There's plenty of gladiatorial combat, exciting battle scenes and out-of-synch English dubbing. Sins of Rome was distributed in the U.S. by RKO Radio Pictures. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

This episodic Italian comedy follows the misadventures of housemaid Maria (Elsa Merlini). Her various employers include a salesman (Aldo Fabrizi) who values peace and quiet, but never gets it, and a vainglorious actor (Vittorio de Sica) with woman trouble. Through it all, Maria survives with a little help from her friends, including best pal Ermelinda, played by the future star of Stromboli and Juliet of the Spirits, Giulette Masina. Among the screenwriters for this film was Masina's husband Federico Fellini. Cameriera Bella, Presenza Offresi marked the return to the screen of Elsa Merlini, one of the most popular personalities of the prewar Italian cinema. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Few Italian filmmakers turned out lavish costume dramas with as much panache as Riccardo Freda. In Il Figlio D'Artagnan, Piero Palmermini stars as Raul, the son of swashbuckler D'Artagnan of Three Musketeers fame. Unlike his famous father, Raul has no deep abiding love for swordplay, but before long he's fighting side-by-side with his dad against the foes of Cardinal Richelieu (a good guy this time out). D'Artagnan Junior also finds time for romance with several buxom wenches. The screenplay for Il Figlio D'Artagnan is credited to one "Dick Jordan," which sounds suspiciously like one of director Freda's many aliases. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Opera star Beniamino Gigli stars as The Singing Taxi Driver. When not picking up fares and bursting into song, Gigli searches for the parents of a cute baby who was left in the back seat of his cab. Along the way, our hero suffers one setback after another, but he always recovers with a song in his heart and a smile on his lips -- or is it the other way around? The film's romantic angle is handled by Danielle Godet and Virginia Belmont. Comedy relief is in the capable hands of Aroldo Tieri, doing a "Mischa Auer" turn as a vainglorious nobleman. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

La Beaute du Diable came into being when French filmmaker Rene Clair became fascinated with a structural defect in the "Faust" legend. Clair felt that the beginning and end of the story was perfect, but the middle section, wherein the title character blasphemes the Pope, was "silly." The director also wondered what would happen if, instead of forcing Faust to sign his soul away in exchange for happiness and knowledge, the Devil were to ask for nothing, and simply assume that Faust would sign the contract at a later date. As played by Michel Simon, Clair's devil -- or Mephisto --is actually quite a likeable fellow. In fact, he's more fun to be around than the somewhat ethereal Faust of Gerard Philipe. In establishing the "reality" of his fantasy, Clair utilizes several adroit camera tricks to get the audience to swallow the tale. Nicole Besnard co-stars as Marguerite, the vessel of Faust's ultimate redemption. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide

Toto, the brilliant Italian comic actor, frequently appeared in parodies of previous movie hits. Toto le Moko is a lampoon of Jean Gabin's Pepe le Moko, and as such plays best if one is familiar with the Gabin picture. Toto plays the cousin of notorious Pepe le Moko, leader of all illegal activities in the Casbah. When Pepe disappears, Toto is obliged to take his place. Through a combination of a magic potion and sheer dumb luck, Our Hero manages to keep himself alive, and also finds time to dally with several desirable lovelies. But when Pepe returns, there's you-know-what to pay. ~ Hal Erickson, All Movie Guide