''The Thief of Venice'' or ''Il Ladro di Venezia'' is a

1950 Events January * January 1 – The International Police Association (IPA) – the largest police organization in the world – is formed. * January 5 – 1950 Sverdlovsk plane crash, Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 cr ...

Italian

film A film also called a movie, motion picture, moving picture, picture, photoplay or (slang) flick is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, feelings, beauty, or atmosphere ...

directed by John Brahm. The US title was "The Thief of Venice". It was released in the US two years after being made.

Plot

In 1575 Venice, the Doge has just died and Scarpa the Grand Inquisitor leads a plot to seize control of Venice. Disani, a popular admiral works to stop the Grand Inquisitor's power grab with the help of Lorenzo, one of his officers. They manage to get back to Venice in record time by promising the galley slaves their freedom. When they arrive back Disani is killed and Lorenzo goes into hiding. Lorenzo continues the fight against Scarpa, who plans to marry Disani's daughter Francesca. Lorenzo and Francesca fall in love even though Lorenzo is also loved by tavern girl Tina. Lorenzo's rebellion against Scarpa is successful.

Cast

* Maria Montez as Tina * Paul Christian as Alfiere Lorenzo Contarini * Massimo Serato as Scarpa the Inquisitor *

Faye Marlowe Faye Marlowe, also known as Faye Joseph and Faye Heuston (October 26, 1926 – May 5, 2022) was an American film and television actress with a career spanning a single decade, from 1945 to 1955. Early life Faye Marlowe was born in Los Angeles, ...

as Francesca Disani * Aldo Silvani as Capt. von Sturm *Luigi Saltamerenda ... Alfredo * Guido Celano ... Polo * Umberto Sacripante ... Durro * Camillo Pilotto ... Adm. Disani *

Ferdinando Tamberlani This is a list of male actors from Italy, which generally includes those who have resided in Italy or have largely appeared in Italian film productions. This list includes all actors from :Italian male actors. Persons are listed alphabetical ...

... Lombardi * Liana Del Balzo ... Duenna * Paolo Stoppa ... Marco *

Mario Tosi Mario Tosi (Born in Rome, Lazio, Italy on May 11, 1935 – Died in Fort Lauderdale, FL on November 11, 2021) was an Italian-American painter, cinematographer and cameraman. Tosi's works include '' The Killing Kind'' (1973), ''Report to the Commissi ...

... Mario * Vinicio Sofia ... Grazzi *Leonardo Scavino ... Sharp Eye

Production

The movie was an Italian-American co production. It was announced in March 1949 with Gordon Griffith to be the original producer and Jess Lasky Jnr to be associate producer. Filming was to begin June 1 and Jacques Tourneur was intended to direct. In June it was thought Edmond O'Brien and his wife Olga San Juan would star and the producers would be Monte Schaff and Lou Appleton. Douglas Fairbanks Jnr was also mentioned as a possible lead and Nat Waschburger was going to be the European producer. Olive Deering was mentioned as a possible female lead. Eventually in August it was announced Nathan Wachsberger would produce (in Europe) from a script by Jesse Lasky Jrn, and that former Universal contract stars Maria Montez and Paul Christian would star. Christian had just made ''Bagdad'' with

Maureen O'Hara Maureen O'Hara (; 17 August 1920 – 24 October 2015) was a native Irish and naturalized American actress and singer, who became successful in Cinema of the United States, Hollywood from the 1940s through to the 1960s. She was a natural ...

. John Brahm signed to direct and

and George Sanders were to play support roles, with filming to start in Italy on 1 November 1949. (Brahm had worked with both at 20th Century Fox.) Sanders eventually pulled out.

Shooting

Filming started November 1949 and went until February. Then it resumed in June. The movie was shot on location in Italy with studio work done at Scalera Studios. Filming finished by March 1950.

Reception

Critical

The ''New York Times'' called it "mammoth, picturesque and infantile" which "represents the lustiest barrage of screen hokum in a blue moon. Principally because of the unabashed muscularity of the action and a stunning authenticity of background this production... remains for the most part palatable fun to watch." The ''Christian Science Monitor'' said that "a series of coups, captures and escapes take place with a great deal of running about but very little inventiveness." The ''Washington Post'' called it "a rip snorting Western" style film.'Thief of Venice' Provides Lots of Action -- In 1575 By Dorothea Pattee Post Reporter. The Washington Post 14 Mar 1953: 4. Jean Pierre Aumont, Montez's husband, liked Brahm's direction so much that he wanted him to direct Aumont in a film called ''The Bumbler''.British Will Re-enact Big Malta Fight; Busch Story Eyed for Jennifer Schallert, Edwin. Los Angeles Times 27 Oct 1952: B9.

References

External links

*
The Thief of Venice
at Letterbox DVD
Review of film
at Variety {{DEFAULTSORT:Thief Of Venice, The 1950 films 1950s Italian-language films Films set in Venice 1950 crime films Films directed by John Brahm 1950s historical films Italian historical films 20th Century Fox films Films scored by Alessandro Cicognini Italian crime films Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films