Bellissima (film)

Bellissima
Bellissima
	Theatrical release poster
Directed by	Luchino Visconti
Written by	Cesare Zavattini; Suso Cecchi d'Amico; Francesco Rosi; Luchino Visconti
Produced by	Salvo D'Angelo
Starring	Anna Magnani; Walter Chiari; Tina Apicella; Gastone Renzelli; Tecla Scarano; Arturo Bragaglia; Alessandro Blasetti
Cinematography	Piero Portalupi
Edited by	Mario Serandrei
Music by	Franco Mannino, inspired by Donizetti's L'elisir d'amore
Production; company	Film Bellissima
Distributed by	CEI Incom
Release date	27 December 1951
Running time	115 minutes {release version}
Country	Italy
Language	Italian

Bellissima is a 1951 Italian drama film directed by Luchino Visconti and starring Anna Magnani, Walter Chiari and Tecla Scarano.^[1] In 2008, the film was included on the Italian Ministry of Cultural Heritage’s 100 Italian films to be saved, a list of 100 films that "have changed the collective memory of the country between 1942 and 1978."^[2]

Plot edit

Bellissima centers on a working-class mother in Rome, Maddalena, who drags her young daughter to Cinecittà Studios to attend an audition for a new film by Alessandro Blasetti. Maddalena's efforts to promote her daughter grow increasingly frenzied.

Cast edit

Anna Magnani as Maddalena Cecconi
Walter Chiari as Alberto Annovazzi
Tina Apicella as Maria Cecconi
Gastone Renzelli as Spartaco Cecconi
Tecla Scarano as Tilde Spernanzoni
Lola Braccini as the photographer's wife
Arturo Bragaglia as the photographer
Nora Ricci as the laundry girl
Vittorina Benvenuti
Linda Sini as Mimmetta
Teresa Battaggi as a mother
Gisella Monaldi as a concierge
Amalia Pellegrini
Corrado Mantoni as radio announcer

Production edit

Alessandro Blasetti, a contemporary film director, appears as himself. Keeping in with the tradition of Italian neorealism a number of roles went to members of the public.^{[citation needed]} Magnani played a part in their selection, approving of Gastone Renzelli a butcher who was cast as her husband.^[3]

The film's sets were designed by Gianni Polidori. It was shot at the Cinecittà Studios, which appear prominently in the film. It was not a box office success.^[4]

Awards edit

Nastro d'Argento for Best Actress Anna Magnani

References edit

^ Nowell-Smith, Geoffrey (2019). Luchino Visconti. Bloomsbury Publishing. ISBN 9781838716974.
^ "Ecco i cento film italiani da salvare Corriere della Sera". www.corriere.it. Retrieved 2021-03-11.
^ Gundle p.3
^ Gundle p.4