''Letter from Naples'' (Italian: ''Lettera napoletana'') is a 1954 Italian 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

Giorgio Pastina Giorgio Pastina (1905–1956) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He directed '' Henry IV'', a 1943 film version of Luigi Pirandello's '' Henry IV''.Anile, Alberto, '' Orson Welles in Italy'' (Indiana University Press, 2013), p. 94 S ...

and starring Giacomo Rondinella,

Virna Lisi Verna or Virna may refer to: People * Verna Aardema (1911–2000), American author of children's books * Verna Bloom (1939–2019), American actress * Virna De Angeli (born 1976), Italian former sprinter * Virna Dias (born 1971), Brazilian reti ...

and Otello Toso. The film's sets were designed by the art director Alfredo Montori. It was shot on location 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 ...

Plot

In Naples, Don Gaetano's company has Alvaro Ramirez as a partner, who is secretly in love with his secretary Laura. Among the various employees is Franco, in love, also secretly, with the boss's daughter, Anna. Only Carluccio, a nice worker, knows of the affair between Franco and Don Gaetano's daughter. At a party the two boys kiss, but Alvaro suspects something and tells his lover that the marriage between the two does not want it at all, because this would mean that Franco, a former delivery boy, would become the master. To make money, he convinces his lover to take some money to give for a shady turnover, but the motorcycle with the money is captured off the coast of Salerno. The secretary is desperate, but Alvaro has another idea and puts a bomb on the safe, after taking more money and checks, simulating a robbery. Her daughter, Anna, pretends to be ill, sending Concetta to a party. So she goes out with Franco, but Alvaro sees them together. Carluccio notices the theft from the safe and the police are called. Among the suspects there is also Franco, who defends himself by saying that at the time of the outbreak he was at the cinema, but no one saw him. He actually was with Anna, but he can't tell. Alvaro tries to frame him, sending him with Carluccio to pick up a load carrying coffee, but in truth he also has contraband cigarettes inside. Finance discovers them and arrests them. Meanwhile Laura goes to the home of Franco's mother, who, being blind, does not see her putting the stolen money between the pages of one of her books. Don Gaetano returns and his daughter, in tears, tells him everything; but her father doesn't take it well and threatens to kill Franco. Gaetano still wants to get them out of prison, but the police keep them inside because the money and checks placed by Laura at Franco's house are found. Anna goes to Franco's mother and tells her everything; she then she goes to Franco and she tells him she is pregnant. Alvaro has another idea and decides to go and have a talk with Anna and, to save her honor from her father, he proposes to marry him. At a celebration where the inmates are also present, Franco sings the song "Lettera Napoletana" on the radio, moving his mother and Anna who listen to him from their homes. Anna has to get married but she convinces her father that she can't do it and he agrees. Laura, in a moment of weakness and sincerity, tells Gaetano everything, who awaits Alvaro's return. After a fight, in which the youngest and strongest Alvaro wins, Gaetano gets up and hits him from the back with a hammer on the head. He decides to call the police, but Alvaro recovers and shoots him wounding him; then he runs away. But Gaetano manages to reveal to the police that the criminal will surely go away with the ship that is about to leave for the port. So the police search the ship, but when they find Alvaro, the latter reacts and is killed. Now Franco and Anna can kiss peacefully on the beach.

Cast

* Giacomo Rondinella as Franco De Rosa *

as Anna Esposito * Otello Toso as Álvaro Ramírez *

Beniamino Maggio Beniamino Maggio (10 August 1907 - 6 September 1990) was an Italian actor. Born in Naples into a family of actors, Maggio debuted on stage as a child, as the sidekick of the comedian Serafino Mastracchio, and he slowly built a reputation in the ...

as Carluccio *

Rosalia Maggio Rosalia Maggio (1 May 1921 – 25 July 1995) was an Italian actress, dancer, singer and showgirl. Biography Born in Palermo, she was the daughter of two comedian actors and sister of actors Enzo, Dante, Beniamino and Pupella Maggio. She deb ...

as Concetta * Lia Orlandini as Franco De Rosa's Mother *

Natale Cirino Natale Cirino (5 February 1894 – 29 May 1962) was an Italian stage and film actor. Life and career Born in Catania, Cirino started his career entering the most important theatrical companies active in Sicily (including the ones held by Turi ...

as Commendator Gaetano Esposito *

Ignazio Balsamo Ignazio Balsamo (25 October 1912 – 7 August 1994) was an Italian film and stage actor. Life and career Born in Catania, Balsamo began his career on stage, being part of several Sicilian language theatrical companies. Discovered by Pietr ...

as The Police Commissioner *

Giulio Battiferri Giulio Battiferri (15 July 1893 – 22 January 1973) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1939 to 1972. He was married to the actress Pina Piovani. Life and career Born in Rome, Battiferri started his caree ...

as Juan * Pasquale De Filippo as Caporale * Luigi Pisano as The Prison Warden * Almarella as The Nightclub Singer * Lianella Carell as Laura Conforto * Pasquale Martino as Prison Officer *

Mario Passante is a character (arts), character created by Japanese video game designer Shigeru Miyamoto. He is the title character of the ''Mario (franchise), Mario'' franchise and the mascot of Japanese video game company Nintendo. Mario has appeared in ...

as The Restaurant Waiter

References

Bibliography

* Chiti, Roberto & Poppi, Roberto. ''Dizionario del cinema italiano: Dal 1945 al 1959''. Gremese Editore, 1991.

External links

* {{IMDb title, 0047169 1954 films Italian musical films 1954 musical films 1950s Italian-language films Films directed by Giorgio Pastina Films set in Naples Films shot in Naples Italian black-and-white films 1950s Italian films