![Casadelpeccato](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/30/Casadelpeccato.png)
''Telefoni Bianchi'' (; white telephones)
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 ...
s, also called deco films, were made by
Italian film industry in the 1930s and the 1940s in imitation of American comedies of the time in a sharp contrast to the other important style of the era,
calligrafismo
Calligrafismo (, "caligraphism") is an Italian style of filmmaking relating to some films made in Italy in the first half of the 1940s and endowed with an expressive complexity that isolates them from the general context. Calligrafismo is in a sh ...
, which was highly artistic.
The cinema of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was born from the success of the Italian film comedy of the early 1930s; it was a lighter version, cleansed of any intellectualism or veiled social criticism.
Name
The name derives from the presence of white telephones in the sequences of the first films produced in this period, symptomatic of social well-being, a
status symbol
A status symbol is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of economic or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols. ''Status symbol'' is also a sociological term – as part of social and soci ...
capable of marking the difference from the "popular"
bakelite
Polyoxybenzylmethylenglycolanhydride, better known as Bakelite ( ), is a thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed ...
telephones, cheaper and therefore more widespread, which instead were black. Another definition given to these films is "deco cinema" due to the strong presence of furnishing objects that recall the international
deco style, in vogue in those years.
Origins
The roots of the ''Telefoni Bianchi'' film genre can be found in
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
's cinema of the 1920s, in particular in ''
Rails
Rail or rails may refer to:
Rail transport
*Rail transport and related matters
*Rail (rail transport) or railway lines, the running surface of a railway
Arts and media Film
* ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini
* ''Rail'' ( ...
'' (1929), in which the director photographed — with reverberations of
German expressionist
German Expressionism () consisted of several related creative movements in Germany before the First World War that reached a peak in Berlin during the 1920s. These developments were part of a larger Expressionist movement in north and central ...
cinema or citing the contemporary Soviet cinematographic
avant-garde
The avant-garde (; In 'advance guard' or ' vanguard', literally 'fore-guard') is a person or work that is experimental, radical, or unorthodox with respect to art, culture, or society.John Picchione, The New Avant-garde in Italy: Theoretical ...
s — the reality of the crisis years, in real time. The cinema of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was then born from the success of the Italian film comedy of the early 1930s; it was a lighter version, cleansed of any intellectualism or veiled social criticism.
The first film of the genre ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was ''
The Private Secretary
''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...
'' (1931) by
Goffredo Alessandrini
Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904, in Cairo – 16 May 1978, in Rome) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films.
He practiced athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian champion ...
.
Overview
![Grandimagazzini-1939-Noris-DeSica](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/9/9d/Grandimagazzini-1939-Noris-DeSica.png)
In the 1930s and the 1940s, light comedies known as ''Telefoni Bianchi'' ("white telephones") were predominant in Italian cinema.
These films, which featured lavish set designs, promoted conservative values and respect for authority, and thus typically avoided the scrutiny of government censors. ''Telefoni Bianchi'' proved to be the testing ground of numerous screenwriters destined to impose themselves in the following decades (including
Cesare Zavattini
Cesare Zavattini (20 September 1902 – 13 October 1989) was an Italian screenwriter and one of the first theorists and proponents of the Neorealist movement in Italian cinema.
Biography
Born in Luzzara near Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, ...
and
Sergio Amidei
Sergio Amidei (30 October 1904 – 14 April 1981) was an Italian screenwriter and an important figure in Italy's neorealist movement.
Amidei was born in Trieste. He worked with famed Italian directors such as Roberto Rossellini and Vittorio ...
), and above all of numerous set designers such as
Guido Fiorini
Guido Fiorini (1897–1966) was an Italian engineer, architect and art director.Poretti p.128 He was associated with the futurist movement.
Selected filmography
* ''Loyalty of Love'' (1934)
* ''Just Married'' (1934)
* ''Red Passport'' (1935)
* '' ...
,
Gino Carlo Sensani
Gino Sensani (1888–1947) was an Italian costume designer who worked on over eighty films during his career.Reich & Garofalo p.330
Selected filmography
* ''Loyalty of Love'' (1934)
* '' Naples of Former Days'' (1938)
* ''Kean'' (1940)
* ''Beatri ...
and
Antonio Valente, who, by virtue successful graphic inventions led these productions to become a kind of "summa" of the petty-
bourgeois
The bourgeoisie ( , ) is a social class, equivalent to the middle or upper middle class. They are distinguished from, and traditionally contrasted with, the proletariat by their affluence, and their great cultural and financial capital. They ...
aesthetics of the time.
Among the authors,
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
is the most representative director of the genre. After having practiced the most diverse trends in the 1930s, he happily moved into the territory of sentimental comedy with ''
What Scoundrels Men Are!
''What Scoundrels Men Are!'' ( it, Gli uomini, che mascalzoni!) is a 1932 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini.
The film was a great success, De Sica and Lia Franca became stars and the song ''Parlami d'amore Mari ...
'' (1932), ''
Il signor Max
''Il Signor Max'' is a 1937 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Vittorio De Sica and Assia Noris.
Plot
Gianni is a poor, young newspaper salesman in Rome. However, during his vacations h ...
'' (1937) and ''
Department Store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...
'' (1939). In other films he compares himself with the Hollywood-style comedy on the model of
Frank Capra
Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-born American film director, producer and writer who became the creative force behind some of the major award-winning films of the 1930s ...
(''
Heartbeat'', 1939) and the surreal one of
René Clair
René Clair (11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette, was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. He wen ...
(''
I'll Give a Million'', 1936). Camerini is interested in the figure of the typical and popular Italian, so much so that he anticipates some elements of the future Italian comedy. His major interpreter,
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
, will continue his lesson in ''
Maddalena, Zero for Conduct
''Maddalena, Zero for Conduct'' (Italian: ''Maddalena... zero in condotta'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Vittorio De Sica.Cardullo p.117 It is a remake of the Hungarian film '' Magda Expelled'' (1938).
Plot
A mys ...
'' (1940) and ''
Teresa Venerdì
''Teresa Venerdì'' is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Vittorio De Sica.
Cast
*Vittorio De Sica ... Il dottore Pietro Vignali
*Adriana Benetti ... Teresa Venerdì
*Irasema Dilián ... Lilli Passalacqua
*Guglielm ...
'' (1941), emphasizing above all the direction of the actors and the care for the settings.
![IlsignorMax fotoscena](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/36/IlsignorMax_fotoscena.jpg)
Other directors include
Mario Mattoli (''
Schoolgirl Diary
''Schoolgirl Diary'' ( it, Ore 9: lezione di chimica) is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" drama film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Alida Valli.
Cast
* Alida Valli as Anna Campolmi
* Irasema Dilián as Maria Rovani (as Irasema Dilian ...
'', 1941),
Jean de Limur
Jean de Limur (13 November 1887, Vouhé, Charente-Maritime – 5 June 1976, Paris) was a French film director, actor and screenwriter. His works include '' La Garçonne'' (1936) and '' The Letter'' (1929). A French army officer and a designer, h ...
(''Apparition'', 1944) and
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(''
The House of Shame
''The House of Shame'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Burton L. King and starring Creighton Hale, Virginia Brown Faire and Lloyd Whitlock.Pitts p.85
Cast
* Creighton Hale as Harvey Baremore
* Virginia Brown Faire as Druid ...
'', 1938; ''
A Thousand Lire a Month
''A Thousand Lire a Month'' (Italian: ''Mille lire al mese'') is a 1939 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, Umberto Melnati and Osvaldo Valenti.Nowell-Smith p.119 It is a rema ...
'', 1939). The realist comedies of
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
(''
Before the Postman
''There's Room Up Ahead'' (Italian: ''Avanti c'è posto'') is a 1942 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Aldo Fabrizi, Andrea Checchi and Adriana Benetti.Moliterno p.45 It was made at Cinecittà in Rome.
Plot
A young gi ...
'', 1942; ''
The Peddler and the Lady
''The Peddler and the Lady'' (Italian title: ''Campo de' fiori'') is a 1943 Italian comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Aldo Fabrizi, Caterina Boratto and Anna Magnani.Reich & Garofalo p.101
Much of the film is set on the Campo de ...
'', 1943) are partially different in character, which partially deviate from the imprint of ''Telefoni Bianchi''. Soon the subjects began to become repetitive and more and more predictable and banal; later, with the worsening of
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...
, the production of this genre became more and more sparse and discontinuous until it disappeared completely with the
fall of the Fascist regime (1943).
Characteristics
The most important symbol in these films are the quite expensive Art Deco sets featuring white telephones (status symbol of bourgeois wealth generally unavailable to the movie-going public), and children wearing ''
Shirley Temple
Shirley Temple Black (born Shirley Jane Temple;While Temple occasionally used "Jane" as a middle name, her birth certificate reads "Shirley Temple". Her birth certificate was altered to prolong her babyhood shortly after she signed with Fox in ...
'' curls. The films tended to be socially
conservative
Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy that seeks to promote and to preserve traditional institutions, practices, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civilization i ...
, promoting
family values
Family values, sometimes referred to as familial values, are traditional or cultural values that pertain to the family's structure, function, roles, beliefs, attitudes, and ideals.
In the social sciences and U.S. political discourse, the conventi ...
, respect for authority, a rigid
class hierarchy
A class hierarchy or inheritance tree in computer science is a classification of object types, denoting objects as the instantiations of classes (class is like a blueprint, the object is what is built from that blueprint) inter-relating the vario ...
and country life, all stances perfectly in line with the ideology of the
fascist regime
Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy an ...
. The genre is also referred by modern film critics as "Hungarian style comedies", because the scripts were often
adaptation
In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the po ...
s of
stage plays written by
Hungarian authors (a popular source material also for
Hollywood productions of the time).
The
functionalism of the
Bauhaus
The Staatliches Bauhaus (), commonly known as the Bauhaus (), was a German art school operational from 1919 to 1933 that combined crafts and the fine arts.Oxford Dictionary of Art and Artists (Oxford: Oxford University Press, 4th edn., 200 ...
also arrived in Italy and, as can be seen in these films, there was a reflection of an Italy that was "rebuilding" its own modern and efficient image and in which the
consumerism
Consumerism is a social and economic order that encourages the acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing amounts. With the Industrial Revolution, but particularly in the 20th century, mass production led to overproduction—the supp ...
was timidly beginning to spread. It was represented by the
rationalist architectural style and the industrial ferment that the fascist regime was promoting; in these light films there was a fascination that glimpsed hope in the future.
![Uominichemascalzoni-1932-DeSica-Franca](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/43/Uominichemascalzoni-1932-DeSica-Franca.png)
The bourgeois setting aesthetically echoed American film comedies, especially Frank Capra. The hopes of the petty-bourgeois could only become reality. Films like ''
A Thousand Lire a Month
''A Thousand Lire a Month'' (Italian: ''Mille lire al mese'') is a 1939 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, Umberto Melnati and Osvaldo Valenti.Nowell-Smith p.119 It is a rema ...
'', as well as the song of the same name, went down in history for their explicit lightheartedness and equally irreverent evocation. The melodic element often returned to peep out, many of these films contained at least one hit song (just think ''Parlami d'amore Mariù'' composed for the film ''
What Scoundrels Men Are!
''What Scoundrels Men Are!'' ( it, Gli uomini, che mascalzoni!) is a 1932 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini.
The film was a great success, De Sica and Lia Franca became stars and the song ''Parlami d'amore Mari ...
'' which later became much more famous than the film itself).
However, this representation of well-being and progress was far from the Italian reality of the time; the representation of a wealthy (in some cases even opulent), advanced, emancipated and educated society was enormously contrasting with the real situation of Italy, which, at that time, was instead a substantially poor country, materially and morally backward and with the majority of the illiterate population. As well as the enthusiastic, cheerful and carefree atmosphere of these films, it seemed to clash with the gloomy situation of the nation, subjugated by the fascist dictatorship and which would soon enter World War II.
Major figures
Among the most relevant directors for this genre are:
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
,
Alessandro Blasetti
Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Quattro passi fra le nuvole''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during ...
,
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
,
Mario Mattoli,
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...
,
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
and
Gennaro Righelli
Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...
. Among the most representative actors and actresses:
Caterina Boratto
Caterina Boratto (15 March 1915 – 14 September 2010) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 50 films between 1936 and 1993.
Life and career
Born in Turin, Boratto studied at the Musical Lyceum in her hometown with the purpose of bec ...
,
Assia Noris
Assia Noris (16 February 1912 – 27 January 1998) was a Russian-Italian film actress.
Born Anastasia Noris fon Gerzfeld (Anastassia Noris von Herzfeld), she appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1965.
She starred in films such as the Ma ...
,
Cesco Baseggio
Francesco "Cesco" Baseggio (1897–1971) was an Italian stage, film and television actor. He was born in Venice, and was identified with Venetian roles during his film career.Brunetta p.87 He appeared in a mixture of serious, dramatic films, as ...
,
Elsa Merlini
Elsa Merlini (26 July 1903 – 22 February 1983), was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 29 films between 1931 and 1976. She was born in Trieste, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.
Selected filmography
* ''The Private Secretary'' (1931)
* ...
,
Rossano Brazzi
Rossano Brazzi (18 September 1916 – 24 December 1994) was an Italian actor.
Biography
Brazzi was born in Bologna, Italy, the son of Maria Ghedini and Adelmo Brazzi, an employee of the Rizzoli shoe factory. He was named after Rossano Ve ...
,
Clara Calamai
Clara Calamai (7 September 1909 – 21 September 1998) was an Italian actress.
She was one of the most famous and popular Italian actresses in the 1930s and 1940s, sharing the limelight with actresses such as Alida Valli, Valentina Cortese, an ...
,
Lilia Silvi
Lilia Silvi (22 December 1922 – 27 July 2013) was an Italian film actress. Silvi was one of several young actresses presented as an Italian equivalent to the Canadian-born Cinema of the United States, Hollywood star Deanna Durbin. She appeared ...
,
Vera Carmi
Vera Carmi (23 November 1914 – 6 September 1969) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in more than 50 films between 1940 and 1956. She was born in Turin, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.
Life and career
Carmi was born Virginia Doglioli ...
,
Gino Cervi
Luigi Cervi (3 May 1901 – 3 January 1974), better known as Gino Cervi (), was an Italian actor. He was best known for portraying Peppone in a series of comedies based on the character ''Don Camillo'' (1952-1965), and police detective Jules M ...
,
Valentina Cortese
Valentina Cortese (1 January 1923 – 10 July 2019) was an Italian actress. She was nominated for the Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for her performance in François Truffaut's ''Day for Night'' (1973).
Personal life
Cortese was bor ...
,
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
,
Doris Duranti
Doris Duranti (25 April 1917 – 10 March 1995) was an Italian film actress. She appeared in 43 films between 1935 and 1975. She had a years-long affair with Alessandro Pavolini, a Fascist politician who in 1945 was executed by Italian parti ...
,
Luisa Ferida
Luisa Ferida, real surname Manfrini, (18 March 1914 – 30 April 1945) was an Italian stage and film actress. She was one of divas in Italian cinema during decade 1935-1945 and she was the highest paid movie star of that period. The actress w ...
,
Fosco Giachetti
Fosco Giachetti (28 March 1900, in Sesto Fiorentino – 22 December 1974, in Rome) was an Italian actor.
Fosco Giachetti was the protagonist of ''Lo squadrone bianco'' (1936), directed by Augusto Genina. He became the leading man in Fascist ...
,
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 ...
,
Alida Valli
Alida Maria Laura, '' Freiin'' Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg (31 May 1921 – 22 April 2006), better known by her stage name Alida Valli (or simply Valli), was an Italian actress who appeared in more than 100 films in a 70-year career, ...
,
Carlo Campanini and
Checco Rissone.
Censorship
![Ore 9 lezione di chimica](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/0/04/Ore_9_lezione_di_chimica.jpg)
To avoid the limitations imposed by the
censorship
Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...
of the authorities, with potentially controversial topics in the plot (for instance
divorce
Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganizing of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the ...
, at the time illegal in Italy, or
adultery
Adultery (from Latin ''adulterium'') is extramarital sex that is considered objectionable on social, religious, moral, or legal grounds. Although the sexual activities that constitute adultery vary, as well as the social, religious, and legal ...
, a punishable offence by the contemporary Italian laws), the action was often set in various foreign – sometimes imaginary –
Eastern European countries, but always with
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 ...
protagonists.
Effect on neorealism
The
Neorealist filmmakers saw their gritty films as a reaction to the idealized (and poor quality of the) ''Telefoni Bianchi'' style. They compared and contrasted the high-and-almighty gimmicks of set and studio production, with the dishevelled beauty of everyday life, the rigorous depiction of human life and its sufferings, and chose instead to work on location and with non-professional actors.
Aftermath
In
Federico Fellini
Federico Fellini (; 20 January 1920 – 31 October 1993) was an Italian film director and screenwriter known for his distinctive style, which blends fantasy and baroque images with earthiness. He is recognized as one of the greatest and most i ...
's film ''
Amarcord'' (1973), the popular film movement is satirized in Gradisca's sex dream with the Prince. The era of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' films is remembered in the 1976 film ''
The Career of a Chambermaid
''Telefoni bianchi'' (''White Telephones'', internationally released as ''The Career of a Chambermaid'') is a 1976 Italian comedy film directed by Dino Risi. For this film Agostina Belli was awarded with a Special David di Donatello for her perf ...
'', directed by
Dino Risi
Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''.
Biography
Risi was born in Milan. He had an o ...
.
Notable films
![Gennaro_Righelli](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/75/Gennaro_Righelli.jpg)
* ''
The Private Secretary
''The Private Secretary'' is an 1883 farce in three acts, by Charles Hawtrey (actor born 1858), Charles Hawtrey. The play, adapted from a German original, depicts the vicissitudes of a mild young clergyman, innocently caught up in the machinatio ...
'', by
Goffredo Alessandrini
Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904, in Cairo – 16 May 1978, in Rome) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films.
He practiced athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian champion ...
(1931)
* ''
The Charmer'', by
Guido Brignone
Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone.
Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...
(1931)
* ''
Two Happy Hearts'', by
Baldassarre Negroni
Baldassarre Negroni (21 January 1877 – 18 July 1948) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 89 films between 1912 and 1936. He directed the 1932 film '' Due cuori felici'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Selected film ...
(1932)
* ''
What Scoundrels Men Are!
''What Scoundrels Men Are!'' ( it, Gli uomini, che mascalzoni!) is a 1932 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini.
The film was a great success, De Sica and Lia Franca became stars and the song ''Parlami d'amore Mari ...
'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1932)
* ''
One Night with You'', by
Ferruccio Bianchini and
Emmerich Wojtek Emo (1932)
* ''
Paradise
In religion, paradise is a place of exceptional happiness and delight. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical or eschatological or both, often compared to the miseries of human civilization: in paradis ...
'', by
Guido Brignone
Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone.
Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...
(1932)
* ''
Model Wanted
''Model Wanted'' ( it, Cercasi modella) is a 1933 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by E. W. Emo and starring Elsa Merlini, Nino Besozzi
Nino Besozzi (6 February 1901 – 2 February 1971) was an Italian film actor. He appe ...
'', by
Ferruccio Bianchini and
Emmerich Wojtek Emo (1933)
* ''
Nini Falpala
''Ninì Falpalà'' is a 1933 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Amleto Palermi and starring Dina Galli, Renzo Ricci and Elsa De Giorgi.Chiti & Poppi p.237 It is based on a play by Augusto Novelli, and was shot at the Caesar Film ...
'', by
Amleto Palermi
Amleto Palermi (11 July 1889 – 20 April 1941) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed '' The Old Lady'', which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film.
Se ...
(1933)
* ''
Paprika'', by
Carl Boese
Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957.
Selected filmography
* ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917)
* ''Donna Lucia ...
(1933)
* ''
The Lucky Diamond'', by
Carl Boese
Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957.
Selected filmography
* ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917)
* ''Donna Lucia ...
(1933)
* ''
I'll Give a Million'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1935)
* ''
Adam's Tree
''Adam's Tree'' (Italian: ''L'albero di Adamo'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Elsa Merlini, Antonio Gandusio and Renato Cialente.Goble p.663
The film's sets were designed by the art d ...
'', by
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
(1936)
* ''
White Amazons
''White Amazons'' (Italian: ''Amazzoni bianche'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Gennaro Righelli and starring Paola Barbara, Luisa Ferida and Doris Duranti. Screwball
A screwball is a baseball and fastpitch soft ...
'', by
Gennaro Righelli
Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...
(1936)
* ''
But It's Nothing Serious
''But It's Nothing Serious'' (Italian: ''Ma non è una cosa seria'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" romantic comedy film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Vittorio De Sica, Elisa Cegani and Assia Noris.Cardullo p.268 It is based on a ...
'', by
Enrico Guazzoni
Enrico Guazzoni (18 December 1876 – 23 September 1949) Birth name Enrico Guazzone. Additionally, document states in lower right, "è morte in Roma in 23-9-49 / died in Rome 23 September 1949". was an Italian screenwriter and film director. G ...
(1936)
* ''
King of Diamonds
The king of diamonds is a playing card in the standard 52-card deck.
King of Diamonds may also refer to:
* ''King of Diamonds'' (film), a 1936 Italian comedy film directed by Enrico Guazzoni
* ''King of Diamonds'' (TV series), a 1961–62 Ameri ...
'', by
Enrico Guazzoni
Enrico Guazzoni (18 December 1876 – 23 September 1949) Birth name Enrico Guazzone. Additionally, document states in lower right, "è morte in Roma in 23-9-49 / died in Rome 23 September 1949". was an Italian screenwriter and film director. G ...
(1936)
* ''
Sette giorni all'altro mondo
''Sette giorni all'altro mondo'' is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli.
Cast
*Camillo Pilotto
* Vanna Vanni
* Franco Coop
*Nietta Zocchi
*Emilio Petacci
*Virgilio Riento
*Guglielmo Barnabò
Guglielmo Ba ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1936)
* ''
Music in the Square
''Music in the Square'' (Italian: ''Musica in piazza'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Milly, Ugo Ceseri and Enrico Viarisio.Chiti & Poppi p.229
In Bevagna near Perugia, two cousins are ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1936)
* ''
The Man Who Smiles
''The Man Who Smiles'' (Italian: ''L'uomo che sorride'') is a 1936 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film about an Oedipus Complex, directed by Mario Mattoli. The film stars Vittorio De Sica, Umberto Melnati, Enrico Viarisio, Assia Noris and Paol ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1936)
* ''
A Woman Between Two Worlds
''A Woman Between Two Worlds'' (Italian: ''Una donna tra due mondi'') is a 1936 Italian Telefoni Bianchi, white telephone drama film directed by Goffredo Alessandrini and starring Isa Miranda, Assia Noris and Giulio Donadio. The film's sets were d ...
'', by
Goffredo Alessandrini
Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904, in Cairo – 16 May 1978, in Rome) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films.
He practiced athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian champion ...
(1936)
* ''
I Don't Know You Anymore'', by
Nunzio Malasomma
Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 January 1974) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 41 films between 1923 and 1968.
Selected filmography
* '' Mister Radio'' (1924)
* '' Orient'' (1924)
* '' The Doll Queen'' (1 ...
(1936)
* ''
The Two Misanthropists
''The Two Misanthropists'' (Italian: ''I due misantropi'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" historical comedy film directed by Amleto Palermi and starring Camillo Pilotto, María Denis and Nino Besozzi.Chiti & Poppi p.119-20
It was shot at t ...
'', by
Amleto Palermi
Amleto Palermi (11 July 1889 – 20 April 1941) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed '' The Old Lady'', which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film.
Se ...
(1937)
* ''
The Make Believe Pirates'', by
Marco Elter
Marco may refer to:
People
* Marco (given name), people with the given name Marco
* Marco (actor) (born 1977), South Korean model and actor
* Georg Marco (1863–1923), Romanian chess player of German origin
* Tomás Marco (born 1942), Spanish co ...
(1937)
* ''
The Ferocious Saladin
''The Ferocious Saladin'' (Italian: ''Il feroce Saladino'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Angelo Musco, Alida Valli and Lino Carenzio. The film was made at Cinecittà in Rome. On 28 April ...
'', by
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
(1937)
* ''
The Three Wishes'', by
Giorgio Ferroni
Giorgio Ferroni (12 April 1908 – 1981) was an Italian film director.
Life and career
Giorgio Ferroni was born in Perugia on 12 April 1908. Ferroni began his career in film with short documentaries during World War II. He directed his first dra ...
(1937)
* ''
Felicita Colombo'', by
Mario Mattoli (1937)
* ''
Hands Off Me!'', by
Gero Zambuto (1937)
* ''
Il signor Max
''Il Signor Max'' is a 1937 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Vittorio De Sica and Assia Noris.
Plot
Gianni is a poor, young newspaper salesman in Rome. However, during his vacations h ...
'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1937)
* ''
The Castiglioni Brothers
''The Castiglioni Brothers'' (Italian: ''I fratelli Castiglioni'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Corrado D'Errico and starring Camillo Pilotto, Ugo Ceseri and Amedeo Nazzari. It was based on a play of the same tit ...
'', by
Corrado D'Errico
Corrado D'Errico (1902–1941) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. D'Errico was one of a number of directors in the Fascist era to graduate from the Instituto Luce.Brunetta p.76
Selected filmography
Director
* '' Golden Arrow'' ( ...
(1937)
* ''
These Children'', by
Mario Mattoli (1937)
* ''
The Last Days of Pompeo
''The Last Days of Pompeo'' (Italian: ''Gli ultimi giorni di Pompeo'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Enrico Viarisio, Roberta Mari and Camillo Pilotto.Apra p.101 The film's title is an ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1937)
* ''
The Carnival Is Here Again
''The Carnival Is Back'' or ''The Carnival Is Here Again'' (Italian: ''È tornato carnevale'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Armando Falconi, Clara Tabody and Franco Coop.Aprà p. 99 ...
'', 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 ...
(1937)
* ''
The Countess of Parma'', by regia di
Alessandro Blasetti
Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Quattro passi fra le nuvole''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during ...
(1937)
* ''
I've Lost My Husband!
''I've Lost My Husband!'' (Italian: ''Ho perduto mio marito'') is a 1937 Italian " white-telephones" romantic comedy film directed by Enrico Guazzoni and starring Paola Borboni, Nino Besozzi and Enrico Viarisio.Clarke & Doel p.37 It was based a pl ...
'', by
Enrico Guazzoni
Enrico Guazzoni (18 December 1876 – 23 September 1949) Birth name Enrico Guazzone. Additionally, document states in lower right, "è morte in Roma in 23-9-49 / died in Rome 23 September 1949". was an Italian screenwriter and film director. G ...
(1937)
* ''
Tonight at Eleven'', by
Oreste Biancoli
Oreste Biancoli (20 February 1897 – 25 November 1971) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He wrote for more than 90 films between 1930 and 1986. He also directed nine films between 1938 and 1952. He was born in Bologna, Italy ...
(1938)
* ''
The Lady in White'', by
Mario Mattoli (1938)
* ''
The Woman of Monte Carlo
''The Woman of Monte Carlo'' (Italian: ''La signora di Montecarlo'') is a 1938 Italian " white-telephones" drama film directed by André Berthomieu and Mario Soldati and starring Dita Parlo, Fosco Giachetti and Jules Berry.Amelio p.25 A separate ...
'', by
André Berthomieu and
Mario Soldati
Mario Soldati (17 November 1906 – 19 June 1999) was an Italian writer and film director. In 1954 he won the Strega Prize for ''Lettere da Capri.'' He directed several works adapted from novels, and worked with leading Italian actresses, su ...
(1938)
* ''
The House of Shame
''The House of Shame'' is a 1928 American silent drama film directed by Burton L. King and starring Creighton Hale, Virginia Brown Faire and Lloyd Whitlock.Pitts p.85
Cast
* Creighton Hale as Harvey Baremore
* Virginia Brown Faire as Druid ...
'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1938)
* ''
For Men Only'', by
Guido Brignone
Guido Brignone (6 December 1886 – 6 March 1959) was an Italian film director and actor. He was the father of actress Lilla Brignone and younger brother of actress Mercedes Brignone.
Brignone was born in Milan, Italy. He was the first Italian ...
(1938)
* ''
A Lady Did It
''A Lady Did It'' ( it, L'ha fatto una signora) is a 1938 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Michele Abruzzo, Rosina Anselmi and Alida Valli.Aprà p.101 It was shot at Cinecittà Studios in Rome. The fi ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1938)
* ''
Star of the Sea'', by
Corrado D'Errico
Corrado D'Errico (1902–1941) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. D'Errico was one of a number of directors in the Fascist era to graduate from the Instituto Luce.Brunetta p.76
Selected filmography
Director
* '' Golden Arrow'' ( ...
(1938)
* ''
I Want to Live with Letizia
''I Want to Live with Letizia'' (Italian: ''Voglio vivere con Letizia'') is a 1938 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Camillo Mastrocinque and starring Assia Noris, Gino Cervi and Umberto Melnati.Chiti & Poppi p.414
It was shot ...
'', by
Camillo Mastrocinque
Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing '' Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...
(1938)
* ''
They've Kidnapped a Man
''They've Kidnapped a Man'' (Italian: ''Hanno rapito un uomo'') is a 1938 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Gennaro Righelli and starring Vittorio De Sica, Caterina Boratto and Maria Denis.Chiti & Poppi p.175
It was shot at t ...
'', by
Gennaro Righelli
Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...
(1938)
* ''
A Thousand Lire a Month
''A Thousand Lire a Month'' (Italian: ''Mille lire al mese'') is a 1939 Italian "Telefoni Bianchi, white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, Umberto Melnati and Osvaldo Valenti.Nowell-Smith p.119 It is a rema ...
'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1939)
* ''
At Your Orders, Madame
''At Your Orders, Madame'' ( it, Ai vostri ordini, signora) is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Antonio Gandusio.
Cast
* Elsa Merlini as Manon
* Vittorio De Sica as Pietro Haguet
* Giuditt ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1939)
* ''
We Were Seven Sisters
''We Were Seven Sisters'' ( it, Eravamo sette sorelle) is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" romantic comedy film directed by Nunzio Malasomma and starring Antonio Gandusio.
Cast
* Antonio Gandusio as Il conte Leone Varani
* Nino Besozzi as L ...
'', by
Nunzio Malasomma
Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 January 1974) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 41 films between 1923 and 1968.
Selected filmography
* '' Mister Radio'' (1924)
* '' Orient'' (1924)
* '' The Doll Queen'' (1 ...
(1939)
* ''
Backstage'', by
Alessandro Blasetti
Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Quattro passi fra le nuvole''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during ...
(1939)
* ''
Heartbeat'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1939)
* ''
Unjustified Absence'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1939)
* ''
The Castle Ball'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1939)
* ''
Castles in the Air'', by
Augusto Genina (1939)
* ''
We Were Seven Widows
''We Were Seven Widows'' ( it, Eravamo sette vedove) is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Antonio Gandusio.
Cast
* Antonio Gandusio - L'avvocato Ruggero Mauri
* Nino Taranto - Orlando, il came ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1939)
* ''
Department Store
A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store made a dramatic app ...
'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1939)
* ''
Mille chilometri al minuto!'', by
Mario Mattoli (1939)
* ''
Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi come sei?'', by
Mario Mattoli (1939)
* ''
The Marquis of Ruvolito
''The Marquis of Ruvolito'' (Italian: ''Il marchese di Ruvolito'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Eduardo De Filippo, Peppino De Filippo and Leda Gloria.Goble p.311 Based on a play of ...
'', 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 ...
(1939)
* ''
Father for a Night'', by
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
(1939)
* ''
Diamonds
Diamond is a solid form of the element carbon with its atoms arranged in a crystal structure called diamond cubic. Another solid form of carbon known as graphite is the chemically stable form of carbon at room temperature and pressure, b ...
'', by
Corrado D'Errico
Corrado D'Errico (1902–1941) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. D'Errico was one of a number of directors in the Fascist era to graduate from the Instituto Luce.Brunetta p.76
Selected filmography
Director
* '' Golden Arrow'' ( ...
(1939)
* ''
A Wife in Danger'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1939)
* ''
Mad Animals
''Mad Animals'' (Italian:''Animali pazzi'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Totò, Luisa Ferida and Calisto Bertramo.Moliterno p.316 It was made at the Titanus Studios in Rome.
Pl ...
'', by
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...
(1939)
* ''
La voce senza volto'', by
Gennaro Righelli
Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound film, ''T ...
(1939)
* ''
The Night of Tricks
''The Night of Tricks'' (Italian: ''La notte delle beffe'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Carlo Campogalliani and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Dria Paola and Maurizio D'Ancora.Moliterno p.10
It was shot at Cinecittà S ...
'', by
Carlo Campogalliani
Carlo Campogalliani (10 October 1885 – 10 August 1974) was an Italian screenwriter, actor and film director. Campogalliani directed around eighty films during his career and acted in another fifty. He directed the 1934 sports film '' Stadio''.R ...
(1939)
* ''
The Document
''The Document'' (Italian: ''Il documento'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Ruggero Ruggeri, Armando Falconi and María Denis.Stewart p.71
It was made at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome. ...
'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1939)
* ''
Two Million for a Smile
''Two Million for a Smile'' (Italian: ''Due milioni per un sorriso'') is a 1939 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Carlo Borghesio and Mario Soldati and starring Enrico Viarisio, Giuseppe Porelli and Elsa De Giorgi.Curti p.22
It w ...
'', by
Carlo Borghesio
Carlo Borghesio (24 June 1905 – 12 November 1983) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
Life and career
Born in Turin, Borghesio started his career as an assistant director in the second half of the 1930s, notably collaborating ...
(1939)
* ''
One Hundred Thousand Dollars
''One Hundred Thousand Dollars'' (Italian: ''Centomila dollari'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Camerini and starring Assia Noris, Amedeo Nazzari and Lauro Gazzolo.Gundle p.169
It was shot at the Palatino Stu ...
'', by
Mario Camerini
Mario Camerini (6 February 1895 – 4 February 1981) was an Italian film director and screenwriter.
The cousin of Augusto Genina, he made the most well-known films in Italy during the 1930s, most of them comedies starring Vittorio De Sica. H ...
(1940)
* ''
Goodbye Youth'', by
Ferdinando Maria Poggioli
Ferdinando Maria Poggioli (15 December 1897 – 2 February 1945) was an Italian screenwriter, film editor and director. He directed fifteen films including the 1940 melodrama '' Goodbye Youth''.Gundle p.56 He had previously worked as assistant ...
(1940)
* ''
Big Shoes
''Big Shoes'' (Italian: ''Scarpe grosse'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Dino Falconi and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Lilia Silvi and Elena Altieri.Pruzzo & Lancia p.63 It is based on a play by Sándor Hunyady which h ...
'', by
Dino Falconi
Dino Falconi (September 18, 1902–February 17, 1990) was an Italian screenwriter and film director.Waldman p.158 His parents were Armando Falconi and Tina Di Lorenzo, both actors. The actor Arturo Falconi was his uncle.
Selected filmography
...
(1940)
* ''
Una famiglia impossibile'', by
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...
(1940)
* ''
Red Roses
Red Roses ( cy, Rhos-goch, "red moor") is a village in Carmarthenshire, Wales.
Situated in south-west Carmarthenshire, the village forms part of the Eglwyscummin community, and with Ciffig and Marros, forms part of the Laugharne Township e ...
'', by
Giuseppe Amato
Giuseppe Amato (born Giuseppe Vasaturo; 24 August 1899 – 3 February 1964) was an Italian film producer, screenwriter and director. He produced 58 films between 1932 and 1961, and is especially known for ''Bicycle Thieves''.
He was born in ...
and
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
(1940)
* ''
Then We'll Get a Divorce
''Then We'll Get a Divorce'' (Italian: ''Dopo divorzieremo'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Nunzio Malasomma and starring Amedeo Nazzari, Vivi Gioi and Lia Orlandini.Gundle p.197
The film's sets were designed by t ...
'', by
Nunzio Malasomma
Nunzio Malasomma (4 February 1894 – 12 January 1974) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 41 films between 1923 and 1968.
Selected filmography
* '' Mister Radio'' (1924)
* '' Orient'' (1924)
* '' The Doll Queen'' (1 ...
(1940)
* ''
Maddalena, Zero for Conduct
''Maddalena, Zero for Conduct'' (Italian: ''Maddalena... zero in condotta'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Vittorio De Sica.Cardullo p.117 It is a remake of the Hungarian film '' Magda Expelled'' (1938).
Plot
A mys ...
'', by
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
(1940)
* ''
La zia smemorata
''La zia smemorata'' (i.e. "The Amnesiac Aunt") is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Ladislao Vajda and starring Dina Galli.Fabrizio Sarazani (14 March 1941). "La zia smemorata" (review). '' Il Giornale d'Italia''.
Plot
...
'', by
Ladislao Vajda
Ladislao Vajda (born Weisz László; 18 August 1906, Budapest – 25 March 1965, Barcelona) was a Hungarian-Spanish film director who made films in Spain, Portugal, the United Kingdom, Italy and West Germany.
Biography
He was born in Budapest, ...
(1940)
* ''
Red Tavern
''Red Tavern'' (Italian: ''Taverna rossa'') is a 1940 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Max Neufeld and starring Alida Valli, André Mattoni, and Lauro Gazzolo. It was made at Cinecittà in Rome. A young woman eventually marries ...
'', by
Max Neufeld
Max Neufeld (13 February 1887 – 2 December 1967) was an Austrian film director, actor and screenwriter. He directed 70 films between 1919 and 1957. He directed the 1934 film '' The Song of the Sun'', which starred Vittorio De Sica.
Select ...
(1940)
* ''
Non me lo dire!'', by
Mario Mattoli (1940)
* ''
The Happy Ghost'', by
Amleto Palermi
Amleto Palermi (11 July 1889 – 20 April 1941) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 70 films between 1914 and 1942. He directed '' The Old Lady'', which starred Vittorio De Sica in his first sound film.
Se ...
(1941)
* ''
The Brambilla Family Go on Holiday'', by
Carl Boese
Carl Eduard Hermann Boese (; 26 August 1887 – 6 July 1958) was a German film director, screenwriter, and film producer, producer. He directed 158 films between 1917 and 1957.
Selected filmography
* ''Farmer Borchardt'' (1917)
* ''Donna Lucia ...
(1941)
* ''
Lucky Night
''Lucky Night'' (1939) is a comedy movie from MGM starring Robert Taylor and Myrna Loy, directed by Norman Taurog.
Plot
Two people meet in a park (Cora, played by Myrna Loy, and William "Bill" Overton, played by Robert Taylor). They becom ...
'', 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 ...
(1941)
* ''
Schoolgirl Diary
''Schoolgirl Diary'' ( it, Ore 9: lezione di chimica) is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" drama film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Alida Valli.
Cast
* Alida Valli as Anna Campolmi
* Irasema Dilián as Maria Rovani (as Irasema Dilian ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1941)
* ''
Teresa Venerdì
''Teresa Venerdì'' is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Vittorio De Sica.
Cast
*Vittorio De Sica ... Il dottore Pietro Vignali
*Adriana Benetti ... Teresa Venerdì
*Irasema Dilián ... Lilli Passalacqua
*Guglielm ...
'', by
Vittorio De Sica
Vittorio De Sica ( , ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: ''Sciuscià'' and ''Bicycle Thieves'' (honorary) ...
(1941)
* ''
A Husband for the Month of April
''A Husband for the Month of April'' (Italian: ''Un marito per il mese di aprile'') is a 1941 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Giorgio Simonelli and starring Vanna Vanni, Carlo Romano and Pina Renzi.Brunetta p.96
It was shot ...
'', by
Giorgio Simonelli
Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwriter and journalist.
Life and career
Born in Rome, Simonelli obtained a high school diploma in business stud ...
(1941)
* ''
The Adventuress from the Floor Above'', 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 ...
(1941)
* ''
The Last Dance'', by
Camillo Mastrocinque
Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing '' Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...
(1941)
* ''
I Live as I Please'', by
Mario Mattoli (1942)
* ''
The Queen of Navarre
''The Queen of Navarre'' (Italian: ''La regina di Navarra'') is a 1942 Italian " white-telephones" historical film directed by Carmine Gallone and starring Elsa Merlini, Gino Cervi and Renato Cialente.Nowell-Smith, Hay & Volpi p.57 It was made at t ...
'', by
Carmine Gallone
Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...
(1942)
* ''
Wedding Day'', 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 ...
(1942)
* ''
La signorina
''La signorina'' (i.e. "The young lady") is a 1942 Italian " white-telephones" romantic drama film directed by and starring Loredana and Nino Besozzi. It is based on a novel by Gerolamo Rovetta.
Plot
The young daughter of a libertine is plac ...
'', by
László Kish (1942)
* ''
Happy Days
''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marshall, it was one of the most succ ...
'', by
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...
(1942)
* ''
C'è sempre un ma!
''C'è sempre un ma!'' is a 1942 Italian " white-telephones" drama film directed by Luigi Zampa and starring Carla Del Poggio.
Cast
* Carla Del Poggio as Carla
* Adriana Benetti as Giulia
* Rubi Dalma as Laura
* Jone Morino as Isabella
* Ar ...
'', by
Luigi Zampa
Luigi Zampa (2 January 1905 – 16 August 1991) was an Italian film director.
Biography
Son of a worker, Zampa studied filmmaking from 1932 to 1937 at the Italian film school Centro sperimentale di cinematografia in Rome.
He directed several ...
(1942)
* ''
Il birichino di papà
''Il birichino di papà'' ("''The fluffy dad''") is a 1942 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film written and directed by Raffaello Matarazzo. It is an adaptation of the 1905 novel ''Papas Junge'' by Henny Koch.
Cast
* Armando Falconi as Leop ...
'', 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 ...
(1942)
* ''
Music on the Run
''Music on the Run'' (Italian: ''Fuga a due voci'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" musical comedy film directed by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia and starring Gino Bechi, Irasema Dilián and Guglielmo Barnabò.Burke p.381
The film's sets were de ...
'', by
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia
Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 ...
(1943)
* ''
Lively Teresa
''Lively Teresa'' (Italian: ''La vispa Teresa'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Lilia Silvi, Roberto Villa and Carlo Ninchi. It was produced in the style of the White Telephone comedie ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1943)
* ''
Without a Woman
''Without a Woman'' (Italian: ''Senza una donna'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Alfredo Guarini and starring Giuseppe Lugo, Silvana Jachino and Umberto Melnati.Chiti & Lancia p.326
The art directors Piero Filip ...
'', by
Alfredo Guarini
Alfredo Guarini (1901–1981) was an Italian screenwriter, film producer and director. Guarini is noted in particular for his management of the career of the Italian actress Isa Miranda, who he eventually married. In the mid-1930s he was respons ...
(1943)
* ''
Seven Years of Happiness
''Seven Years of Happiness'' (Italian: ''Sette anni di felicità'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Ernst Marischka and Roberto Savarese and starring Vivi Gioi, Wolf Albach-Retty and Hans Moser.
The film's sets were ...
'', by
Roberto Savarese
Roberto Savarese (1910–1996) was an Italian screenwriter and film director. He also worked as an assistant or second unit director, as he did on Henri-Georges Clouzot's ''The Wages of Fear'' in 1953.Lloyd p.92
Selected filmography
* '' La p ...
(1943)
* ''
Anything for a Song
''Anything for a Song'' ( it, Ho tanta voglia di cantare) is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" musical film directed by Mario Mattoli and starring Ferruccio Tagliavini, Vera Carmi and Luisa Rossi.Chiti & Poppi p.176 It was shot at the Palati ...
'', by
Mario Mattoli (1943)
* ''
A Little Wife
''A Little Wife'' (Italian: ''Una piccola moglie'') is a 1943 Italian " white-telephones" drama film directed by Giorgio Bianchi and starring Fosco Giachetti, Assia Noris and Clara Calamai.Chiti & Poppi p.435
It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios ...
'', by
Giorgio Bianchi (1943)
* ''
What a Distinguished Family
''What a Distinguished Family'' (Italian: ''Che distinta famiglia!'') is a 1945 Italian " white-telephones" comedy film directed by Mario Bonnard and starring Gino Cervi, Assia Noris and Aroldo Tieri.Moliterno p.227
The film's art direction was ...
'', by
Mario Bonnard
Mario Bonnard (24 December 1889 – 22 March 1965) was an Italian actor and film director.
Bonnard was born and died in Rome. He began his cinematic career as an actor becoming a popular romantic lead in numerous silent films made before World ...
(1945)
See also
*
Cinema of Italy
The cinema of Italy (, ) comprises the films made within Italy or by Italian directors. Since its beginning, Italian cinema has influenced film movements worldwide. Italy is one of the birthplaces of art cinema and the stylistic aspect of film ...
*
Calligrafismo
Calligrafismo (, "caligraphism") is an Italian style of filmmaking relating to some films made in Italy in the first half of the 1940s and endowed with an expressive complexity that isolates them from the general context. Calligrafismo is in a sh ...
*
Italian neorealism
Italian neorealism ( it, Neorealismo), also known as the Golden Age, is a national film movement characterized by stories set amongst the poor and the working class. They are filmed on location, frequently with non-professional actors. They pri ...
Notes
References
Bibliography
*
*
*
External links
*
{{Italian film genres
Italian films by genre
Film genres
Italian words and phrases
Conservatism in Italy
1930s in film
1940s in film