''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 – Sverdlovsk plane crash: ''Aeroflot'' Lisunov Li-2 crashes in a snowstorm. All 19 ...

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 ...

film directed by

John Brahm John Brahm (August 17, 1893 – October 12, 1982) was a German film and television director. His films include '' The Undying Monster'' (1942), '' The Lodger'' (1944), ''Hangover Square'' (1945), ''The Locket'' (1946), ''The Brasher Doubloon'' (1 ...

. 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 María África Gracia Vidal (6 June 1912 – 7 September 1951), known professionally as Maria Montez, was a Dominican motion picture actress who gained fame and popularity in the 1940s starring in a series of filmed-in-Technicolor costume ...

as Tina * Paul Christian as Alfiere Lorenzo Contarini *

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 Scarpa the Inquisitor * Faye Marlowe as Francesca Disani *

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'' ...

as Capt. von Sturm *Luigi Saltamerenda ... Alfredo *

Guido Celano Guido Celano (19 April 1904 – 7 March 1988) was an Italian actor, voice actor and film director. He appeared in 120 films between 1931 and 1988. He also directed two Spaghetti Westerns: '' Cold Killer'' and '' Gun Shy Piluk''. He was born ...

... Polo *

Umberto Sacripante Umberto Sacripante (2 October 1904 – 14 January 1975) was an Italian film and stage actor. Life and career Born Umberto Sacripanti in Rome, Sacripante debuted on stage in 1921, and in 1926 he became first actor in the theatrical company Teat ...

... Durro *

Camillo Pilotto Camillo Pilotto (6 February 1888 Birth name: Camillo Raul Vittorio Pilotto. – 27 May 1963) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 101 films between 1916 and 1963. He was born and died in Rome, Italy. Selected filmography * ''The Song ...

... Adm. Disani * Ferdinando Tamberlani... Lombardi *

Liana Del Balzo Liana Del Balzo (4 March 1899 – 26 March 1982) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 90 films between 1935 and 1979. She was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina and died in Rome, Italy. Even making her film debut quite late, in her fort ...

... Duenna *

Paolo Stoppa Paolo Stoppa Knight Grand Cross (6 June 1906 – 1 May 1988) was an Italian actor. Biography Born in Rome, he began as a stage actor in 1927 in the theater in Rome and began acting in films in 1932. As a stage actor, his most celebrated ...

... Marco * Mario Tosi ... Mario *

Vinicio Sofia Vinicio Sofia (13 November 1907 – 30 December 1982) was an Italian actor and voice actor. Biography Born in Corleone, Sofia began his career on screen in 1933 when he made his film debut in '' Black Shirt'' directed by Giovacchino Forzano ...

... 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 Jacques Tourneur (; November 12, 1904 – December 19, 1977) was a French film director known for the classic film noir ''Out of the Past'' and a series of low-budget horror films he made for RKO Studios, including ''Cat People (1942 film), Cat ...

was intended to direct. In June it was thought

Edmond O'Brien Eamon Joseph O'Brien (September 10, 1915 – May 9, 1985) was an American actor and film director. His career spanned almost 40 years, and he won one Academy Award, two Golden Globe Awards, and two stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. O'Brien w ...

and his wife

Olga San Juan Olga San Juan (March 16, 1927January 3, 2009) was an American actress. Born in Brooklyn, she began her brief film career with Paramount Pictures after being scouted at Copacabana. She performed in several Hollywood musicals in the 1940s and on ...

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 Olive Deering ( Corn; October 11, 1918 – March 22, 1986) was an American actress of film, television, and the stage, active from the late 1940s to the mid-1960s. She was a life member of The Actors Studio, as was her elder brother, Alfred ...

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

and Paul Christian would star. Christian had just made ''Bagdad'' with Maureen O'Hara.

signed to direct and Faye Marlowe and

George Sanders George Henry Sanders (3 July 1906 – 25 April 1972) was a British actor and singer whose career spanned over 40 years. His heavy, upper-class English accent and smooth, bass voice often led him to be cast as sophisticated but villainous chara ...

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 Jean-Pierre Aumont (born Jean-Pierre Philippe Salomons; 5 January 1911 – 30 January 2001) was a French actor, and holder of the Légion d'Honneur and the Croix de Guerre for his World War II military service. Early life Aumont was born Jea ...

, 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