''Catene'' (internationally released as ''Chains'') is a

1949 Events January * January 1 – A United Nations-sponsored ceasefire brings an end to the Indo-Pakistani War of 1947. The war results in a stalemate and the division of Kashmir, which still continues as of 2022. * January 2 – Luis ...

Italian Italian(s) may refer to: * Anything of, from, or related to the people of Italy over the centuries ** Italians, an ethnic group or simply a citizen of the Italian Republic or Italian Kingdom ** Italian language, a Romance language *** Regional Ita ...

melodrama 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 ...

film directed by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films w ...

. It had an impressive commercial success, being seen by 6 million people, one in eight Italians of the time, and was followed by a series of six other successful films directed by Matarazzo and featuring the couple

Amedeo Nazzari Amedeo Nazzari (10 December 1907 in Cagliari – 5 November 1979 in Rome) was an Italian actor. Nazzari was one of the leading figures of Italian classic cinema, often considered a local variant of the Australian–American star Errol Flynn. Al ...

and

Yvonne Sanson Yvonne Sanson ( el, Υβόν Σανσόν; 29 August 1925 – 23 July 2003) was a Greek-Italian film actress. She appeared in 46 films between 1946 and 1972, mainly working in Italy. Born in Thessaloniki, Sanson was a naturalised Italian cit ...

. The film was remade in 1974. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film industry, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and ...

Ottavio Scotti Ottavio Scotti (1904–1975) was an Italian art director. Scotti was born in Umago, which was then part of Italy but is today in Croatia. He worked on more than a hundred films during his career, including Orson Welles's ''Black Magic'' which wa ...

. The film features in ''

Cinema Paradiso ''Cinema Paradiso'' ( it, Nuovo Cinema Paradiso, , literally "New Paradise Cinema") is a 1988 coming-of-age drama film written and directed by Giuseppe Tornatore. Set in a small Sicilian town, the film centers on the friendship between a young b ...

''.

Plot and outline

A husband kills his wife's ex-boyfriend, who was blackmailing her. He flees to America, but is sent back to Italy to stand trial. The only way he can be set free is if his wife confesses to adultery – so the murder can be considered a crime of passion – but this estranges her from her family. Starring

and actress of Greek origin

. Maligned by critics because it did not conform to precepts of neorealism,Dave Keh
"The Italian Potboiler’s Master Chef"
''New York Times'', 24 June 2011 this did not prevent its unexpected box office success.

Cast

: Guglielmo *

: Rosa *

Aldo Nicodemi Aldo Nicodemi (1919–1963) was an Italian film actor An actor or actress is a person who portrays a character in a performance. The actor performs "in the flesh" in the traditional medium of the theatre or in modern media such as film, ra ...

: Emilio *

Teresa Franchini Teresa Franchini (19 September 1877 – 11 August 1972) was an Italian stage and film actress. She was a leading lady of the theatre in her youth, appearing in the first Italian staging of Oscar Wilde's ''Lady Windermere's Fan'' in 1905. Beginnin ...

: Anna Aniello, mother of Guglielmo *

Aldo Silvani Aldo Silvani (21 January 1891 – 12 November 1964) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 110 films between 1934 and 1964. He was born in Turin, Italy and died in Milan, Italy. Selected filmography * ''Cardinal Lambertini'' ...

: prosecutor *

Roberto Murolo Roberto Murolo (19 January 1912 – 13 March 2003) was an Italian musician. Career Born in Naples, Italy as the son of poet Ernesto Murolo and Lia Cavalli, Murolo showed a began singing and playing the guitar as a child. Murolo won the Itali ...

: emigrant *

Gianfranco Magalotti Gianfranco is a compound Italian given name, consisting of Gian- and Franco. ''Gian-'' comes from Giovanni and is used in compound names. It is closest to John or French Jean. Gianni means "God is gracious" and Franco means "Free man" or "Frenchman ...

as Tonino Aniello *

Rosalia Randazzo Rosalia or Rosalía (with diacritic) may refer to: Persons * Saint Rosalia (1130–1166), the patron saint of Palermo in Italy * Rosalia (given name) * Rosalía (born 1992), Spanish singer Places * 314 Rosalia, an asteroid * Rosalia, Pisidia, ...

as Angela Aniello *

Nino Marchesini Nino Marchesini (1895 – 13 January 1961) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than seventy films from 1931 to 1961. Filmography References External links * 1895 births 1961 deaths Italian male film actors {{Italy-film- ...

as L'avvocato difensore *

Lilly Marchi Lilly may refer to: * an archaic spelling of lily, a flowering plant Arts and entertainment * ''Lilly'' (film), a 1958 Malayalam film * ''Lilly'' (album), by Antonello Venditti, 1975 * "Lilly", a song by Pink Martini from the 2004 album ''Han ...

Amalia Pellegrini Amalia Pellegrini (16 June 1873 – 13 September 1958) was an Italian actress. She appeared in more than sixty films from 1935 to 1958. Selected filmography References External links * 1873 births 1958 deaths Italian film actresses ...

Giulio Tomasini Giulio () is an Italian given name. Notable people with the name include: * Giulio Alberoni (1664–1752), Italian cardinal and statesman * Giulio Alenio (1582–1649), Italian Jesuit missionary and scholar * Giulio Alfieri (1924–2002), Italian ...

References

External links

* 1949 films 1949 drama films Films directed by Raffaello Matarazzo Italian drama films 1940s Italian-language films Italian black-and-white films 1940s Italian films {{1940s-Italy-film-stub