''Andrea Chénier'', also spelled ''Andrea Chenier'', is a 1955 French-Italian historical musical

melodrama film A modern melodrama is a dramatic work in which the plot, typically sensationalized and for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodramas typically concentrate on dialogue that is often bombastic or exces ...

directed by

Clemente Fracassi Clemente Fracassi (5 March 1917 – 2 February 1993) was an Italian film producer, director and screenwriter. His career spanned from 1939 to 1967. Selected filmography * '' To Live in Peace'' (1947 - producer) * ''Senza pietà'' (1948 - p ...

and starring

Antonella Lualdi Antonella Lualdi ( gr, Αντονέλλα Λουάλντι, born Antonietta de Pascale; 6 July 1931) is an Italian actress and singer. She appeared in many Italian and French films in the 1950s and 1960s, notably in Claude Autant-Lara's film '' ...

Raf Vallone The Royal Air Force (RAF) is the United Kingdom's Air force, air and space force. It was formed towards the end of the World War I, First World War on 1 April 1918, becoming the first independent air force in the world, by regrouping the Royal ...

and

Michel Auclair Michel Auclair (born Vladimir Vujović, sr-cyr, Владимир Вујовић; 14 September 1922 – 7 January 1988) was an actor of Serbian and French ancestry, known best for his roles in French cinema. Auclair was born to a Serbian father ...

. It is loosely based on the eponymous 1896 opera by

Umberto Giordano Umberto Menotti Maria Giordano (28 August 186712 November 1948) was an Italian composer, mainly of operas. He was born in Foggia in Apulia, southern Italy, and studied under Paolo Serrao at the Conservatoire of Naples. His first opera, ''Mari ...

about the eighteenth century poet

André Chénier André Marie Chénier (; 30 October 176225 July 1794) was a French poet of Greek and Franco-Levantine origin, associated with the events of the French Revolution of which he was a victim. His sensual, emotive poetry marks him as one of the precur ...

. The film's sets were designed by the art directors Flavio Mogherini and

Franco Zeffirelli Gian Franco Corsi Zeffirelli (12 February 1923 – 15 June 2019), was an Italian stage and film director, producer, production designer and politician. He was one of the most significant opera and theatre directors of the post-World War II era, ...

. It was shot using

technicolor Technicolor is a series of Color motion picture film, color motion picture processes, the first version dating back to 1916, and followed by improved versions over several decades. Definitive Technicolor movies using three black and white films ...

and

vistavision VistaVision is a higher resolution, widescreen variant of the 35 mm motion picture film format which was created by engineers at Paramount Pictures in 1954. Paramount never used anamorphic processes such as 2.55: 1, CinemaScope but refi ...

Cast

as Madeleine de Coigny *

as Gérard *

as Andrea Chénier *

Rina Morelli Rina Morelli (6 December 1908 – 17 July 1976) was an Italian film and stage actress. She appeared in 34 films between 1939 and 1976. She was born in Naples, Italy and died in Rome, Italy. Her husband, Paolo Stoppa, was an Italian stage and ...

as mother of Andrea *

Sergio Tofano Sergio Tòfano (20 August 1886 – 28 October 1973) was an Italian actor, theatre director, director, playwright, scene designer and illustrator. Tofano was born in Rome. In 1909, he made his first appearance on stage with Ermete Novelli, t ...

as Luigi Chénier *Denis d'Inès as Countess of Coigny *Mario Mariani as Maria Giuseppe Chenier *

Denis d'Inès Denis d'Inès, real name Joseph-Victor-Octave Denis, (1 September 1885 - 25 October 1968) was a French actor and theatre director for some plays. He entered the Comédie-Française in 1914, was a sociétaire from 1920 to 1953, and General admin ...

as Countess of Coigny * Piero Carnabuci as Count of Coigny *

Maria Zanoli Maria Zanoli (26 October 1896 – 15 November 1977) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 45 films between 1943 and 1961. Partial filmography * ''Loyalty of Love'' (1934) - La cameriera pettegola di casa Confalonieri * ''Incontri di ...

as housekeeper * Piero Carnabuci as count of Coigny * as Countess of Coigny * as Incroyable * as English ambassador to Paris *

Antonio Pierfederici Antonio Pierfederici (18 March 1919 – 6 January 1999) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Life and career Born in La Maddalena, Pierfederici graduated in law and then he enrolled at the Silvio d’Amico Academy of Dramatic Arts. He start ...

as Robespierre * as Danton *

Marco Guglielmi Marco Guglielmi (6 October 1926 – 28 December 2005) was an Italian actor, screenwriter and author. Life and career Born Augusto Guglielmi in Sanremo, he graduated from ragioneria, then he enrolled at the university in the faculty of economi ...

as public prosecutor *Angelo Galassi as president of the court *Valeria Montesi as Idia Le Gray *Marianna Liebl as hunting lady *Claude Beauclair as Louis * Charles Fernley Fawcett as French ambassador to London *Catherine Valnay as Bersy * Nando Cicero

References

External links

* 1955 films 1950s musical drama films 1950s historical musical films 1950s biographical drama films Italian historical musical films Italian biographical drama films Films directed by Clemente Fracassi Films set in France French Revolution films Lux Film films French historical musical films French musical drama films Italian musical drama films Opera films Melodrama films 1950s Italian films 1950s French films 1950s Italian-language films {{historic-musical-film-stub