Carlo Fortunato Pietro Ponti Sr. (11 December 1912 – 9 January 2007) was an Italian

film producer A film producer is a person who oversees film production. Either employed by a production company or working independently, producers plan and coordinate various aspects of film production, such as selecting the script, coordinating writing, di ...

with more than 140 productions to his credit. Along with

Dino De Laurentiis Agostino "Dino" De Laurentiis (; 8 August 1919 – 10 November 2010) was an Italian-American film producer. Along with Carlo Ponti, he was one of the producers who brought Italian cinema to the international scene at the end of World War II. He ...

, he is credited with reinvigorating and popularizing

Italian cinema The cinema of Italy (, ) comprises the films made within Italy or by Italian directors. Since its beginning, Italian cinema has influenced film movements worldwide. Italy is one of the birthplaces of art cinema and the stylistic aspect of film ha ...

post-World War II, producing some of the country's most acclaimed and financially-successful films of the 1950s and 1960s. Ponti worked with many of the most important directors of Italian cinema of the era, including

Federico Fellini Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...

, Michelangelo Antonioni, and

Vittorio De Sica Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement. Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...

, as well as many international directors. He helped launch the career of his wife, international film star

Sophia Loren Sofia Costanza Brigida Villani Scicolone (; born 20 September 1934), known professionally as Sophia Loren ( , ), is an Italian actress. She was named by the American Film Institute as one of the greatest female stars of Classical Hollywood ci ...

. He won the Academy Award for Best Foreign-Language Film for ''

La Strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

'' (1954) and was nominated for

Best Picture This is a list of categories of awards commonly awarded through organizations that bestow film awards, including those presented by various film, festivals, and people's awards. Best Actor/Best Actress *See Best Actor#Film awards, Best Actress#F ...

for producing ''Doctor Zhivago'' (1965). In 1996, he was ascended as a Knight Grand Cross to the

Order of Merit of the Italian Republic The Order of Merit of the Italian Republic ( it, Ordine al Merito della Repubblica Italiana) is the senior Italian order of merit. It was established in 1951 by the second President of the Italian Republic, Luigi Einaudi. The highest-ranking ...

Career

Ponti was born in

Magenta, Lombardy Magenta (, ) is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Milan in Lombardy, northern Italy. It became notable as the site of the Battle of Magenta in 1859. The color magenta takes its name from the battle, most likely referring to the u ...

, where his grandfather had been mayor of the city. Ponti studied law at the

University of Milan The University of Milan ( it, Università degli Studi di Milano; la, Universitas Studiorum Mediolanensis), known colloquially as UniMi or Statale, is a public research university in Milan, Italy. It is one of the largest universities in Europe ...

. He joined his father's law firm in

Milan Milan ( , , Lombard: ; it, Milano ) is a city in northern Italy, capital of Lombardy, and the second-most populous city proper in Italy after Rome. The city proper has a population of about 1.4 million, while its metropolitan city h ...

and became involved in the film business through negotiating contracts. Ponti attempted to establish a film industry in Milan in 1940 and produced

Mario Soldati Mario Soldati (17 November 1906 – 19 June 1999) was an cinema of Italy, Italian writer and film director. In 1954 he won the Strega Prize for ''Lettere da Capri.'' He directed several works adapted from novels, and worked with leading Ital ...

's ''Piccolo Mondo Antico'' there, starring

Alida Valli Alida Maria Laura, '' Freiin'' Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg (31 May 1921 – 22 April 2006), better known by her stage name Alida Valli (or simply Valli), was an Italian actress who appeared in more than 100 films in a 70-year career, ...

, in her first notable role. The film dealt with the Italian struggle against the Austrians for the inclusion of northeastern Italy into the

Kingdom of Italy The Kingdom of Italy ( it, Regno d'Italia) was a state that existed from 1861, when Victor Emmanuel II of Kingdom of Sardinia, Sardinia was proclamation of the Kingdom of Italy, proclaimed King of Italy, until 1946, when civil discontent led to ...

during the

Risorgimento The unification of Italy ( it, Unità d'Italia ), also known as the ''Risorgimento'' (, ; ), was the 19th-century political and social movement that resulted in the consolidation of different states of the Italian Peninsula into a single ...

. The film was successful, because it was easy to see "the Austrians as Germans" during World War II. As a result, he was briefly jailed for undermining relations with

Nazi Germany Nazi Germany (lit. "National Socialist State"), ' (lit. "Nazi State") for short; also ' (lit. "National Socialist Germany") (officially known as the German Reich from 1933 until 1943, and the Greater German Reich from 1943 to 1945) was ...

. Ponti accepted an offer from

Riccardo Gualino Riccardo Gualino (25 March 1879 – 6 June 1964) was an Italian Business magnate and art collector. He was also a patron, and an important film producer. His first business empire was based on lumber from Eastern Europe and included forest concess ...

Lux Film Lux Film was an Italian film distribution (and later production) company founded by Riccardo Gualino in 1934. Gualino was an anti-fascist businessman who had clashed with the regime of Mussolini in 1931 and had been forced into internal exile on ...

Rome , established_title = Founded , established_date = 753 BC , founder = King Romulus (legendary) , image_map = Map of comune of Rome (metropolitan city of Capital Rome, region Lazio, Italy).svg , map_caption ...

in 1941, where he produced a series of commercially successful films featuring the comedian

Totò Antonio Griffo Focas Flavio Angelo Ducas Comneno Porfirogenito Gagliardi de Curtis di Bisanzio (15 February 1898 – 15 April 1967), best known by his stage name Totò (), or simply as Antonio de Curtis, and nicknamed ''il Principe della risata ...

. In 1954 he had his greatest artistic success with the production of

's ''

La strada ''La strada'' () is a 1954 Italian drama film directed by Federico Fellini and co-written by Fellini, Tullio Pinelli and Ennio Flaiano. The film tells the story of Gelsomina, a simple-minded young woman (Giulietta Masina) bought from her mother ...

''. However, Fellini denied Ponti's role in its success and said that "''La Strada'' was made in spite of Ponti and De Laurentiis". Ponti produced ''

Boccaccio '70 ''Boccaccio '70'' is a 1962 comedy anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica, Federico Fellini, Mario Monicelli and Luchino Visconti from an idea by Cesare Zavattini. It consists of four episodes, each by one of the directors, all about a di ...

'' in 1962, ''

Marriage Italian Style ''Marriage Italian Style'' ( it, Matrimonio all'italiana ) is a 1964 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica, starring Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The film was adapted by Leonardo Benvenuti, Renato Castellani, Piero ...

'' in 1964, and ''

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow ''Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow'' ( it, Ieri, oggi, domani) is a 1963 comedy anthology film by Italian director Vittorio De Sica. It stars Sophia Loren and Marcello Mastroianni. The film consists of three short stories about couples in differ ...

'' in 1965. He produced his most popular and financially successful film, ''

Doctor Zhivago ''Doctor Zhivago'' is the title of a novel by Boris Pasternak and its various adaptations. Description The story, in all of its forms, describes the life of the fictional Russian physician and poet Yuri Zhivago Yuri Andreievich Zhivago is the ...

,'' in 1965; the movie was directed by

David Lean Sir David Lean (25 March 190816 April 1991) was an English film director, producer, screenwriter and editor. Widely considered one of the most important figures in British cinema, Lean directed the large-scale epics ''The Bridge on the River ...

. He subsequently produced three notable films with Michelangelo Antonioni, ''

Blowup ''Blowup'' (sometimes styled as ''Blow-up'' or ''Blow Up'') is a 1966 mystery drama thriller film directed by Michelangelo Antonioni and produced by Carlo Ponti. It was Antonioni's first entirely English-language film, and stars David Hemming ...

'' in 1966, ''

Zabriskie Point Zabriskie Point is a part of the Amargosa Range located east of Death Valley in Death Valley National Park in California, United States, noted for its erosional landscape. It is composed of sediments from Furnace Creek Lake, which dried up 5 mi ...

'' in 1970 and '' The Passenger'' in 1974.

Personal life

Marriages

In 1946, he married Giuliana Fiastri with whom he had a daughter, Guendalina, in 1951, and a son, Alex, in 1953. While serving as a judge in a beauty contest in 1951, Ponti met a minor actress named Sofia Lazzaro (real name Sofia Villani Scicolone). He subsequently cast her in films such as ''

Anna Anna may refer to: People Surname and given name * Anna (name) Mononym * Anna the Prophetess, in the Gospel of Luke * Anna (wife of Artabasdos) (fl. 715–773) * Anna (daughter of Boris I) (9th–10th century) * Anna (Anisia) (fl. 1218 to 12 ...

'' (1951). In 1952, his friend Goffredo Lombardo, head of production at

Titanus Titanus is an Italian film production company, founded in 1904 by Gustavo Lombardo (1885–1951). The company's headquarters are located at 28 Via Sommacampagna, Rome and its studios on the Via Tiburtina, 13 km from the centre of Rome. Lom ...

, changed Lazzaro's name to

. Five years later, Ponti obtained a

Mexican divorce In the mid-20th century, some Americans traveled to Mexico to obtain a "Mexican divorce". A divorce in Mexico was easier, quicker, and less expensive than a divorce in most U.S. states, which then only allowed at-fault divorces requiring extensive ...

from his first wife and married Sophia Loren by

proxy Proxy may refer to: * Proxy or agent (law), a substitute authorized to act for another entity or a document which authorizes the agent so to act * Proxy (climate), a measured variable used to infer the value of a variable of interest in climate ...

. Divorce was still forbidden in Italy, and he was informed that were he to return there, he would be charged with bigamy, and Loren would be charged with "

concubinage Concubinage is an interpersonal and sexual relationship between a man and a woman in which the couple does not want, or cannot enter into a full marriage. Concubinage and marriage are often regarded as similar but mutually exclusive. Concubin ...

". Ponti co-produced several films in Hollywood starring Loren, establishing her fame. In 1960, he and Loren returned to Italy and when summoned to court, denied being married. In 1962, they had the marriage annulled, after which Ponti arranged with his first wife, Giuliana, that the three of them move to France (which at that time allowed divorce) and become French citizens. In 1965, Giuliana Ponti divorced her husband, allowing Ponti to marry Loren in 1966 in a civil wedding in

Sèvres Sèvres (, ) is a commune in the southwestern suburbs of Paris, France. It is located from the centre of Paris, in the Hauts-de-Seine department, Île-de-France region. The commune, which had a population of 23,251 as of 2018, is known for i ...

. They later became French citizens after their application was approved by then-French President

Georges Pompidou Georges Jean Raymond Pompidou ( , ; 5 July 19112 April 1974) was a French politician who served as President of France from 1969 until his death in 1974. He previously was Prime Minister of France of President Charles de Gaulle from 1962 to 196 ...

. Ponti and Loren had two sons: * Carlo Ponti Jr. (born 29 December 1968) *

Edoardo Ponti Edoardo Ponti (born 6 January 1973) is an Italian director. He is the younger son of actress Sophia Loren and producer Carlo Ponti Sr. and the brother of conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. Early life Ponti was born on 6 January 1973 in Geneva, Swi ...

(born 6 January 1973) Their daughters-in-law are

Sasha Alexander Sasha Alexander (born Suzana Drobnjakovic on May 17, 1973), is an American actress and TV director. She played Gretchen Witter in ''Dawson's Creek'' and has acted in films including '' Yes Man'' (2008) and ''He's Just Not That Into You'' (20 ...

and Andrea Meszaros. They have four grandchildren. Loren remained married to Ponti until his death on 10 January 2007 of pulmonary complications.

Kidnapping attempts

Two unsuccessful attempts were made to kidnap Ponti in 1975, including one involving an attack on his car with gunfire.

Smuggling charges

He was tried ''in absentia'' in 1979 for smuggling money and works of art abroad, fined 22 billion lire, and sentenced to four years in prison. Ponti did not attend the hearing, as his French nationality made him immune from extradition. He was finally cleared of the charges in 1990.

Art collection

Ponti owned works by, among others,

Picasso Pablo Ruiz Picasso (25 October 1881 – 8 April 1973) was a Spanish painter, sculptor, printmaker, ceramicist and Scenic design, theatre designer who spent most of his adult life in France. One of the most influential artists of the 20th ce ...

Georges Braque Georges Braque ( , ; 13 May 1882 – 31 August 1963) was a major 20th-century List of French artists, French painter, Collage, collagist, Drawing, draughtsman, printmaker and sculpture, sculptor. His most notable contributions were in his all ...

Renoir Pierre-Auguste Renoir (; 25 February 1841 – 3 December 1919) was a French artist who was a leading painter in the development of the Impressionist style. As a celebrator of beauty and especially feminine sensuality, it has been said that "Re ...

René Magritte René François Ghislain Magritte (; 21 November 1898 – 15 August 1967) was a Belgian surrealist artist known for his depictions of familiar objects in unfamiliar, unexpected contexts, which often provoked questions about the nature and bounda ...

(including his ''Lumière du pole'' from 1927),

Salvador Dalí Salvador Domingo Felipe Jacinto Dalí i Domènech, Marquess of Dalí of Púbol (; ; ; 11 May 190423 January 1989) was a Spanish Surrealism, surrealist artist renowned for his technical skill, precise draftsmanship, and the striking and bizarr ...

Henry Moore Henry Spencer Moore (30 July 1898 – 31 August 1986) was an English artist. He is best known for his semi- abstract monumental bronze sculptures which are located around the world as public works of art. As well as sculpture, Moore produced ...

(including his ''Figure'' from 1933),

Barbara Hepworth Dame Jocelyn Barbara Hepworth (10 January 1903 – 20 May 1975) was an English artist and sculptor. Her work exemplifies Modernism and in particular modern sculpture. Along with artists such as Ben Nicholson and Naum Gabo, Hepworth was a leadi ...

Giorgio de Chirico Giuseppe Maria Alberto Giorgio de Chirico ( , ; 10 July 1888 – 20 November 1978) was an Italian artist and writer born in Greece. In the years before World War I, he founded the '' scuola metafisica'' art movement, which profoundly influ ...

and

Canaletto Giovanni Antonio Canal (18 October 1697 – 19 April 1768), commonly known as Canaletto (), was an Italian painter from the Republic of Venice, considered an important member of the 18th-century Venetian school. Painter of city views or ...

. His collection was renowned for containing ten works by

Francis Bacon Francis Bacon, 1st Viscount St Alban (; 22 January 1561 – 9 April 1626), also known as Lord Verulam, was an English philosopher and statesman who served as Attorney General and Lord Chancellor of England. Bacon led the advancement of both ...

. These included examples from his early Van Gogh series, triptychs, self-portraits and pope paintings, which were rarely publicised or lent to public exhibitions. In 1977 the Bacon paintings, then valued at an estimated $6.7 million, were seized and turned over by the Italian government to the

Pinacoteca di Brera The Pinacoteca di Brera ("Brera Art Gallery") is the main public gallery for paintings in Milan, Italy. It contains one of the foremost collections of Italian paintings from the 13th to the 20th century, an outgrowth of the cultural program of ...

in Milan; thirty-three sketches by

George Grosz George Grosz (; born Georg Ehrenfried Groß; July 26, 1893 – July 6, 1959) was a German artist known especially for his caricatural drawings and paintings of Berlin life in the 1920s. He was a prominent member of the Berlin Dada and New Objec ...

went to a museum in

Caserta Caserta () is the capital of the province of Caserta in the Campania region of Italy. It is an important agricultural, commercial, and industrial ''comune'' and city. Caserta is located on the edge of the Campanian plain at the foot of the Camp ...

. When Ponti reached a deal with the Italian government and was cleared of the charges brought against him in 1990, he regained possession of 230 confiscated paintings. At some point, the collection is said to have been split between Ponti and Loren.Colin Gleadell (January 30, 2007)
Art sales: Sophia Loren's slice of Bacon
''

The Daily Telegraph ''The Daily Telegraph'', known online and elsewhere as ''The Telegraph'', is a national British daily broadsheet newspaper published in London by Telegraph Media Group and distributed across the United Kingdom and internationally. It was fo ...

''. Over the years, several works have been sold privately. In 2006 two Bacon paintings that had previously been in the Ponti collection were exhibited in an exhibition at the

Gagosian Gallery Gagosian is a contemporary art gallery owned and directed by Larry Gagosian. The gallery exhibits some of the most influential artists of the 20th and 21st centuries. There are 16 gallery spaces: five in New York City; three in London; two in P ...

in London. One, a vertical composition of four self-portraits, had already been sold to the American collector Steven A. Cohen. In 2007 another pope painting by Bacon, sold by Ponti in 1991, was sold in a private deal brokered by Acquavella Galleries in New York for more than £15 million. That same year, ''Study for Portrait II'' (1956) was consigned by Loren at

Christie's Christie's is a British auction house founded in 1766 by James Christie (auctioneer), James Christie. Its main premises are on King Street, St James's in London, at Rockefeller Center in New York City and at Alexandra House in Hong Kong. It is ...

; it was auctioned for the record price of £14.2 million ($27.5 million).

Death

Ponti died in

Geneva Geneva ( ; french: Genève ) frp, Genèva ; german: link=no, Genf ; it, Ginevra ; rm, Genevra is the List of cities in Switzerland, second-most populous city in Switzerland (after Zürich) and the most populous city of Romandy, the French-speaki ...

, Switzerland, from pulmonary complications on 10 January 2007. He was survived by his daughter Guendalina (b. 1951), and his son Alessandro (b. 1953) from his first marriage; and by his second wife, Sophia Loren and their sons Carlo (b. 1968) and

(b. 1973). His body rests in the family tomb in

Filmography

*'' Piccolo mondo antico'' (1940) * ''

Giacomo the Idealist ''Giacomo the Idealist'' (Italian: ''Giacomo l'idealista'') is a 1943 Italian drama film directed by Alberto Lattuada and starring Massimo Serato, Marina Berti and Andrea Checchi.Moliterno p.267 It represents the directorial debut of Lattuada. ...

'' (1943) *''

A Yank in Rome ''A Yank in Rome'' ( it, Un americano in vacanza) is a 1946 Italian comedy film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Valentina Cortese. Cast * Valentina Cortese as Maria, La maestrina * Andrea Checchi as Roberto * Leo Dale as Dick * Adolfo Cel ...

'' (1946) * ''

To Live in Peace ''To Live in Peace'' (Italian: ''Vivere in pace'') is a 1947 Italian neorealist comedy-drama war film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Aldo Fabrizi, John Kitzmiller and Ave Ninchi.Gundle p.138 It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome a ...

'' (1947) * ''

The White Primrose ''The White Primrose'' (Italian: ''La primula bianca'') is a 1947 Italian comedy film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Carlo Campanini, Carlo Ninchi and Andrea Checchi.Gundle p.187 Cast * Carlo Campanini as Felice Moretti * Carl ...

'' (1947) * ''

Prelude to Madness ''Prelude to Madness'' or ''Loveless Lovers'' (Italian: ''Amanti senza amore'') is a 1948 Italian drama film directed by Gianni Franciolini and starring Clara Calamai, Roldano Lupi and Jean Servais. It is inspired by the 1889 novella ''The Kreutz ...

'' (1948) *'' Hey Boy'' (1948) * '' Alarm Bells'' (1949) *'' The White Line'' (1950) * ''

Her Favourite Husband ''Her Favourite Husband'' (also known by the alternative titles ''The Taming of Dorothy'' and ''Quel bandito sono io'') is a 1950 British-Italian comedy film directed by Mario Soldati and starring Jean Kent, Robert Beatty and Margaret Rutherford ...

'' (1950) * ''

Figaro Here, Figaro There ''Figaro Here, Figaro There'' (Italian: ''Figaro qua, Figaro là'') is a 1950 Italian historical comedy film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Totò and Isa Barzizza. The title and the plot allude to ''The Barber of Seville''.Bìs ...

'' (1950) *''

A Dog's Life ''A Dog's Life'' is a 1918 American Comedy short silent film written, produced and directed by Charlie Chaplin. This was Chaplin's first film for First National Films. Chaplin plays opposite an animal as "co-star". "Scraps" (the dog) was the ...

'' (1950) * ''

The Knight Has Arrived! ''The Knight Has Arrived!'' (Italian: ''È arrivato il cavaliere!'') is a 1950 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Monicelli and Steno and starring Tino Scotti, Silvana Pampanini and Nyta Dover. The film's sets were designed by the art di ...

'' (1950) *''

Toto the Third Man ''Toto the Third Man'' ( it, Totò terzo uomo) is a 1951 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Totò. Plot In a small village Peter and Paul (both starring Toto), twin brothers of opposite characters, Peter, mayor of the t ...

'' (1951) *''

Il padrone del vapore ''The Steamship Owner'' (Italian: ''Il padrone del vapore'') is a 1951 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Walter Chiari, Delia Scala and Carlo Campanini.Aprà p.101 The film's sets were designed by the art director Al ...

'' (1951) *''

Europa '51 ''Europe '51'' ( it, Europa '51), also known as ''The Greatest Love'', is a 1952 Italian neorealist film directed by Roberto Rossellini, starring Ingrid Bergman and Alexander Knox. The film follows an industrialist's wife who, after the death ...

'' (1952) * ''

The Piano Tuner Has Arrived ''The Piano Tuner Has Arrived'' (Italian: ''È arrivato l'accordatore'') is a 1952 Italian comedy film directed by Duilio Coletti and starring Nino Taranto, Alberto Sordi and Virgilio Riento.Segrave & Martin p.52 The film's sets were de ...

'' (1952) * ''

Toto in Color ''Toto in Color'' (Italian: ''Totò a colori'') is a 1952 Italian comedy film, and was the first Italian color film shot with the Ferraniacolor system. The film was directed by Steno and starred the comic actor Totò. Plot Antonio Scannagatti is ...

'' (1952) *''

Easy Years ''Easy Years'' ( it, Anni facili) is a 1953 drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Nino Taranto. Cast *Nino Taranto as Professor Luigi De Francesco *Clelia Matania as Rosina, his wife *Giovanna Ralli as Teresa, his daughter *Gino Buz ...

'' (1953) *'' Le infedeli'' (1953) *''

Carosello napoletano ''Neapolitan Carousel'' ( it, Carosello napoletano) is a 1954 Italian comedy film directed by Ettore Giannini and starring Léonide Massine, Achille Millo and Agostino Salvietti. It was entered into the 1954 Cannes Film Festival, winning its ' ...

'' (1954) *''

'' (1954) * '' The Doctor of the Mad'' (1954) *''

Mambo Mambo most often refers to: * Mambo (music), a Cuban musical form *Mambo (dance), a dance corresponding to mambo music Mambo may also refer to: Music * Mambo section, a section in arrangements of some types of Afro-Caribbean music, particul ...

'' (1954) *''

Un americano a Roma ''An American in Rome'' (originally ''Un americano a Roma'') is a 1954 Italian comedy film directed by Steno. The film consists in a satire of Americanization, and it was referred as "a milestone in the evolution of Italian self-identification". I ...

'' (1954) *''

L'oro di Napoli ''The Gold of Naples'' ( it, L'oro di Napoli ) is a 1954 Italian anthology film directed by Vittorio De Sica. It was entered into the 1955 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The film is a tribute to Naples, where director De Sica spent his first years, ...

'' (1954) *''

Attila Attila (, ; ), frequently called Attila the Hun, was the ruler of the Huns The Huns were a nomadic people who lived in Central Asia, the Caucasus, and Eastern Europe between the 4th and 6th century AD. According to European traditio ...

'' (1954) *''

The Miller's Beautiful Wife ''The Miller's Beautiful Wife'' ( it, La bella mugnaia) is a 1955 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Camerini, that stars Marcello Mastroianni, Sophia Loren and Vittorio de Sica. A remake of the director's 1934 film, 'Il capello a tre punt ...

'' (1955) *''

War and Peace ''War and Peace'' (russian: Война и мир, translit=Voyna i mir; pre-reform Russian: ; ) is a literary work by the Russian author Leo Tolstoy that mixes fictional narrative with chapters on history and philosophy. It was first published ...

'' (1956) *'' Il ferroviere'' (1956) *''

Guendalina ''Guendalina'' is a 1957 Italian comedy film directed by Alberto Lattuada. It was entered into the 1957 Cannes Film Festival. Cast * Jacqueline Sassard as Guendalina * Raf Mattioli as Oberdan * Sylva Koscina as Francesca, Guendalina's mother * ...

'' (1957) *'' The Black Orchid'' (1958) *''

That Kind of Woman ''That Kind of Woman'' is a 1959 American drama film directed by Sidney Lumet, who was nominated for the Golden Bear at the 9th Berlin International Film Festival. It stars Sophia Loren and Tab Hunter. The screenplay by Walter Bernstein, based on ...

'' (1959) *''

Heller in Pink Tights ''Heller In Pink Tights'' is a 1960 American Technicolor Western film adapted from Louis L'Amour's 1955 novel ''Heller with a Gun''. It stars Sophia Loren and Anthony Quinn and was directed by George Cukor. The movie is noted for its lavishly ...

'' (1960) *''

A Breath of Scandal ''A Breath of Scandal'' (released as ''Olympia'' in Italy) is a 1960 American/Italian international co-production romantic comedy-drama film directed by Michael Curtiz, based on the stage play ''Olympia'' by Ferenc Molnár. It stars Sophia Lore ...

'' (1960) *''

Two Women ''Two Women'' ( it, La ciociara , rough literal translation "The Woman from Ciociaria") is a 1960 war drama film directed by Vittorio De Sica from a screenplay by Cesare Zavattini and De Sica, based on the novel of the same name by Alberto ...

'' (1960) *''

Lola Lola may refer to: Places * Lolá, a or subdistrict of Panama * Lola Township, Cherokee County, Kansas, United States * Lola Prefecture, Guinea * Lola, Guinea, a town in Lola Prefecture * Lola Island, in the Solomon Islands People * Lola ...

'' (1961) *''

A Woman Is a Woman ''A Woman Is a Woman'' (french: Une femme est une femme) is a 1961 French Musical film, musical romantic comedy film written and directed by Jean-Luc Godard, starring Jean-Paul Belmondo, Anna Karina and Jean-Claude Brialy. It is a tribute to Americ ...

'' (1961) *'' Léon Morin, prêtre'' (1961) *''

Cléo from 5 to 7 ''Cléo from 5 to 7'' (french: Cléo de 5 à 7 ) is a 1962 French New Wave film written and directed by Agnès Varda. The film follows a young singer, Florence "Cléo" Victoire, from 5 p.m. on June 21, until 6:30 p.m. as she waits to hea ...

'' (1962) *''

'' (1962) *'' Le Doulos'' (1962) *'' L'isola di Arturo'' (1962) *''

Redhead Red hair (also known as orange hair and ginger hair) is a hair color found in one to two percent of the human population, appearing with greater frequency (two to six percent) among people of Northern or Northwestern European ancestry and ...

'' (1962) *''

The Empty Canvas ''The Empty Canvas'' is a 1963 Italian drama film directed by Damiano Damiani. The screenplay written by Damiani, Tonino Guerra and Ugo Liberatore is based on the best-selling novel ''La noia'' by Alberto Moravia. The film stars Horst Buchholz ...

'' (1963) *'' Landru'' (1963) *''

Les Carabiniers ''The Carabineers'' (french: Les Carabiniers; 1963) was the fifth narrative feature film by French filmmaker Jean-Luc Godard. Plot ''Les Carabiniers'' (1963) tells the story of two poor men called to serve in battle, lured by promises of the world' ...

'' (1963) *''

Contempt Contempt is a pattern of attitudes and behaviour, often towards an individual or a group, but sometimes towards an ideology, which has the characteristics of disgust and anger. The word originated in 1393 in Old French contempt, contemps, ...

'' (1963) *''

'' (1964) *''

Break Up A relationship breakup, breakup, or break-up is the termination of a relationship. The act is commonly termed "dumping omeone in slang when it is initiated by one partner. The term is less likely to be applied to a married couple, where a bre ...

'' (1965) *''

Operation Crossbow ''Crossbow'' was the code name in World War II for Anglo-American operations against the German V-weapons, long range reprisal weapons (V-weapons) programme. The main V-weapons were the V-1 flying bomb and V-2 rocket – these were launched aga ...

'' (1965) *''

The 10th Victim ''The 10th Victim'' ( it, La decima vittima) is a 1965 science fiction film directed and co-written by Elio Petri, starring Marcello Mastroianni, Ursula Andress, Elsa Martinelli, and Salvo Randone. An international co-production between Italy and ...

'' (1965) *''

Closely Watched Trains ''Closely Watched Trains'' ( cs, Ostře sledované vlaky) is a 1966 Czechoslovak film directed by Jiří Menzel and is one of the best-known products of the Czechoslovak New Wave. It was released in the United Kingdom as ''Closely Observed Trains ...

'' (1965, uncredited) *''

'' (1966) *''

The Firemen's Ball ''The Firemen's Ball'' (or ''The Fireman's Ball''; cs, Hoří, má panenko - "Fire, my lady") is a 1967 comedy film directed by Miloš Forman. It is set at the annual ball of a small town's volunteer fire department, and the plot portrays a se ...

'' (1967, uncredited) *''

Smashing Time ''Smashing Time'' is a 1967 British satirical comedy film starring Rita Tushingham and Lynn Redgrave. It is a satire on the 1960s media-influenced phenomenon of ''Swinging London''. It was written by George Melly and directed by Desmond Davis ...

'' (1967, uncredited) *'' La Ragazza e il Generale'' (1967) *'' Ghosts – Italian Style'' (1968) *''

Diamonds for Breakfast ''Diamonds for Breakfast'' is the fourth studio album by French singer Amanda Lear, released in 1980 by the West German label Ariola Records. The album turned out a commercial success and spawned two European hit singles, "Fabulous (Lover, Love Me ...

'' (1968) *''

'' (1970) *''

The Priest's Wife ''The Priest's Wife'' ( it, La moglie del prete) is a 1970 Italian-French comedy film directed by Dino Risi. The song "Anyone", sung by Loren, was released as a single. Cast * Sophia Loren as Valeria Billi * Marcello Mastroianni as Don Mario ...

'' (1971) *'' What?'' (1972) *''

Giordano Bruno Giordano Bruno (; ; la, Iordanus Brunus Nolanus; born Filippo Bruno, January or February 1548 – 17 February 1600) was an Italian philosopher, mathematician, poet, cosmological theorist, and Hermetic occultist. He is known for his cosmologic ...

'' (1973) *''

Torso The torso or trunk is an anatomical term for the central part, or the core, of the body of many animals (including humans), from which the head, neck, limbs, tail and other appendages extend. The tetrapod torso — including that of a human � ...

'' (1973) *'' Dirty Weekend'' (1973) *''

Mr. Hercules Against Karate ''Mr. Hercules Against Karate''/''Ming, ragazzi!'' is a 1973 Italian comedy Kung fu film directed by Antonio Margheriti that was filmed in Hong Kong, Singapore, Sydney and Bangkok. Produced by Carlo Ponti, the film features Bud Spencer and Terenc ...

'' (1973) *''

Flesh for Frankenstein ''Flesh for Frankenstein'' is a 1973 horror film written and directed by Paul Morrissey. It stars Udo Kier, Joe Dallesandro, Monique van Vooren and Arno Juerging. Interiors were filmed at Cinecittà in Rome by a crew of Italian filmmakers. In ...

'' (1973) *''

Gawain and the Green Knight ''Sir Gawain and the Green Knight'' is a late 14th-century chivalric romance in Middle English. The author is unknown; the title was given centuries later. It is one of the best-known Arthurian stories, with its plot combining two types of f ...

'' (1973) *'' The Voyage'' (1974) *'' The Passenger'' (1974) *'' Sex Pot'' (1975) *''

L'infermiera ''L'Infermiera'' is a 1975 commedia sexy all'italiana film starring Ursula Andress, Jack Palance and Luciana Paluzzi, also known by the titles ''I Will If You Will'', ''The Nurse'', ''The Sensuous Nurse'' and ''The Secrets of a Sensuous Nurse''. ...

'' (1975) *''

Brutti, sporchi e cattivi ''Ugly, Dirty and Bad'' (''Brutti, sporchi e cattivi'') is an Italian grotesque film directed by Ettore Scola and released in 1976. Ettore Scola won the Prix de la Mise en scène at the 1976 Cannes Film Festival. Plot The film tells the grotes ...

'' (1976) *''

The Cassandra Crossing ''The Cassandra Crossing'' is a 1976 disaster thriller film directed by George Pan Cosmatos and starring Sophia Loren, Richard Harris, Ava Gardner, Martin Sheen, Burt Lancaster, Lee Strasberg and O. J. Simpson about a disease-infected Swedish ...

'' (1976) *''

A Special Day ''A Special Day'' ( it, Una giornata particolare) is a 1977 Italian drama film directed by Ettore Scola and starring Sophia Loren, Marcello Mastroianni and John Vernon. Set in Rome in 1938, its narrative follows a woman and her neighbor who stay h ...

'' (1977)

Notes

References

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Ponti, Carlo Sr. 1912 births 2007 deaths People from Magenta, Lombardy Italian emigrants to France Italian film producers Naturalized citizens of France David di Donatello winners Nastro d'Argento winners University of Milan alumni Golden Globe Award-winning producers