''Luisa Sanfelice'' is a 1942 Italian
historical
History (derived ) is the systematic study and the documentation of the human activity. The time period of event before the invention of writing systems is considered prehistory. "History" is an umbrella term comprising past events as well ...
drama film
In film and television, drama is a category or genre of narrative fiction (or semi-fiction) intended to be more serious than humorous in tone. Drama of this kind is usually qualified with additional terms that specify its particular super-g ...
directed by
Leo Menardi
Leo Menardi (1903–1954) was an Italian screenwriter, producer and film director. He also worked as editor and assistant director on ''The Song of Love'' (1930), the first Italian sound film. In 1942 he wrote and directed ''Luisa Sanfelice' ...
and starring
Laura Solari
Laura Solari ( Camaur; 5 January 1913 – 13 September 1984) was an Italian film actress.
Early and personal life
Laura Camaur was born on 5 January 1913, in Trieste, then part of Austria-Hungary. She was the daughter of sculptor and arti ...
,
Massimo Serato
Massimo Serato, born Giuseppe Segato, (31 May 1916 – 22 December 1989) was an Italian film actor with a career spanning over 40 years.
Serato was born in Oderzo, Veneto, Italy and started appearing in films in 1938. He played leading roles in ...
and
Osvaldo Valenti
Osvaldo Valenti (17 February 1906 – 30 April 1945) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1928 and 1945. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey to a Sicilian carpet trader and a wealthy Lebanese woman of Greek descen ...
.
[Marrone & Puppa p.461] The film is an adaptation of a novel by
Alexandre Dumas
Alexandre Dumas (, ; ; born Dumas Davy de la Pailleterie (), 24 July 1802 – 5 December 1870), also known as Alexandre Dumas père (where '' '' is French for 'father', to distinguish him from his son Alexandre Dumas fils), was a French writer ...
based on the story of
Luisa Sanfelice
Luisa or Luigia Sanfelice (1764–1800) was an Italian aristocrat who was executed by Ferdinand I of the Two Sicilies because of her involvement with the French-backed Parthenopean Republic during the French Revolutionary Wars, although Sanfelice ...
(1764-1800) an Italian aristocrat executed in
Naples
Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adminis ...
by
Ferdinand I for supporting a Republican attempt to overthrow him during the
French Revolutionary Wars
The French Revolutionary Wars (french: Guerres de la Révolution française) were a series of sweeping military conflicts lasting from 1792 until 1802 and resulting from the French Revolution. They pitted French First Republic, France against Ki ...
.
Horatio Nelson
Vice-Admiral Horatio Nelson, 1st Viscount Nelson, 1st Duke of Bronte (29 September 1758 – 21 October 1805) was a British flag officer in the Royal Navy. His inspirational leadership, grasp of strategy, and unconventional tactics brought abo ...
and
Lady Hamilton
Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), generally known as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becoming the mistress of a series of wealthy men ...
both feature prominently.
It was made at the
Cinecittà Studios
Cinecittà Studios (; Italian for Cinema City Studios), is a large film studio in Rome, Italy. With an area of 400,000 square metres (99 acres), it is the largest film studio in Europe, and is considered the hub of Italian cinema. The studios wer ...
in
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 ...
. One of the film's screenwriters was
Vittorio Mussolini
Vittorio Mussolini (27 September 1916 – 12 June 1997) was an Italian film critic and producer. He was also the second child of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini. However, he was the first officially acknowledged son of Mussolini, with his secon ...
, the son of dictator
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...
, who was heavily involved in the Italian film industry. The film's sets were designed by
Virgilio Marchi
Virgilio Marchi (21 January 1895 – 30 April 1960) was an Italian architect and art director. He designed the sets for more than fifty films during his career. Marchi was stylistically identified with the Futurist movement.Sabatino, Michelangelo ...
.
Main cast
*
Laura Solari
Laura Solari ( Camaur; 5 January 1913 – 13 September 1984) was an Italian film actress.
Early and personal life
Laura Camaur was born on 5 January 1913, in Trieste, then part of Austria-Hungary. She was the daughter of sculptor and arti ...
as Luisa Sanfelice
*
Massimo Serato
Massimo Serato, born Giuseppe Segato, (31 May 1916 – 22 December 1989) was an Italian film actor with a career spanning over 40 years.
Serato was born in Oderzo, Veneto, Italy and started appearing in films in 1938. He played leading roles in ...
as Ferdinando Ferri
*
Osvaldo Valenti
Osvaldo Valenti (17 February 1906 – 30 April 1945) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 50 films between 1928 and 1945. He was born in Istanbul, Turkey to a Sicilian carpet trader and a wealthy Lebanese woman of Greek descen ...
as
Nelson
Nelson may refer to:
Arts and entertainment
* ''Nelson'' (1918 film), a historical film directed by Maurice Elvey
* ''Nelson'' (1926 film), a historical film directed by Walter Summers
* ''Nelson'' (opera), an opera by Lennox Berkeley to a lib ...
*
Carlo Ninchi
Carlo Ninchi (31 May 1896 – 27 April 1974) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1963. He was born in Bologna, Emilia-Romagna, and died on 27 April 1974 in Milan, Lombardy, Italy.
Selected filmogra ...
as Il banchiere Gerardo Bacher
*
Hilde Sessak
Hilde Sessak (27 July 1915 – 17 April 2003) was a German actress who appeared in more than ninety film and television series during her career. She appeared in a number of films during the Nazi era including ''Quax the Crash Pilot'' (1941).Rei ...
as
Lady Hamilton
Dame Emma Hamilton (born Amy Lyon; 26 April 176515 January 1815), generally known as Lady Hamilton, was an English maid, model, dancer and actress. She began her career in London's demi-monde, becoming the mistress of a series of wealthy men ...
*
Stelio Carnabuci as Andrea Sanfelice - marito de Luisa
*
Ada Dondini
Ada Dondini (18 March 1883 – 3 January 1958) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 48 films between 1916 and 1954. She was born in Cosenza, Italy and died in Chieti, Italy.
Selected filmography
* '' The Charmer'' (1931)
* ''Just ...
as Donna Camilla Molinis
*
Armando Migliari
Armando Migliari (29 April 1889 – 15 June 1976) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 103 films between 1914 and 1965. He was born in Latium, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.
Selected filmography
* ''The Last of the Bergeracs'' (1934 ...
as Lord Aston
*
Jole Ferrari as la principessa Clementina
*
Amelia Perrella as Domestica di casa Sanfelice
*
Amina Pirani Maggi
Amina Pirani Maggi (January 15, 1892 – November 10, 1979) was an Italian stage and film actress.Waldman p.162
Selected filmography
* ''Television'' (1931)
* ''Seconda B'' (1934)
* '' Dimmed Lights'' (1934)
* '' Like the Leaves'' (1935)
* ''Depa ...
as Una popplana
*
Oreste Fares
Oreste Fares (1885–1950) was an Italian stage and film actor.Landy p.155
Selected filmography
* '' Before the Jury'' (1931)
* ''Venus'' (1932)
* '' Villafranca'' (1934)
* '' Red Passport'' (1935)
* '' Cavalry'' (1936)
* '' To Live'' (1937)
* '' ...
as Amico fedele di donna Camilla
*
Achille Majeroni
Achille Majeroni (24 August 1881 – 12 October 1964) was an Italian film actor.
Born in Syracuse, Sicily, son of Achille Majeroni and his second wife Graziosa Bignetti, he made his stage debut at age twelve with the Marazzi-Diligenti c ...
as Altro amico di donna Camilla
References
Bibliography
* Marrone, Gaetana & Puppa, Paolo. ''Encyclopedia of Italian Literary Studies''. Routledge, 2006.
External links
*
1942 films
Italian historical drama films
1940s historical drama films
1940s Italian-language films
Films directed by Leo Menardi
Films set in Naples
Films set in the 1790s
Films set in the 1800s
French Revolutionary Wars films
Films based on French novels
Films based on works by Alexandre Dumas
Cultural depictions of Emma, Lady Hamilton
Cultural depictions of Horatio Nelson
Italian black-and-white films
Films shot at Cinecittà Studios
1942 drama films
Films scored by Renzo Rossellini
Cultural depictions of Italian women
1940s Italian films
{{1940s-Italy-film-stub