Bellissima (1952)

Director:

Luchino Visconti

Writers:

Cesare Zavattini (story)
Suso Cecchi D'Amico (screenplay) ...
(more)

Release Date:

15 May 1953 (USA)

Genre:

Comedy | Drama

Plot:

A woman from the low class desperately tries to get her daughter into the movies.

Plot Keywords:

Disillusionment | Humiliation | Open Air Cinema | Motion Picture Industry | Rehearsal

Awards:

1 win

Cast

Anna Magnani	...	Maddalena Cecconi
Walter Chiari	...	Alberto Annovazzi
Tina Apicella	...	Maria Cecconi
Gastone Renzelli	...	Spartaco Cecconi
Tecla Scarano	...	Tilde Spernanzoni
Lola Braccini	...	Photographer's Wife
Arturo Bragaglia	...	Photographer
Nora Ricci	...	Laundry Worker
Vittorina Benvenuti
Linda Sini	...	Mimmetta
Teresa Battaggi	...	Snob Mother
Gisella Monaldi	...	Door-keeper
Amalia Pellegrini
Luciana Ricci
Giuseppina Arena
Liliana Mancini	...	Iris (as Iris)
Alessandro Blasetti	...	Himself
Vittorio Glori	...	Himself
Mario Chiari	...	Himself
Luigi Filippo D'Amico	...	Himself (as Filippo Mercati)
George Tapparelli	...	Himself (as Geo Tapparelli)
Scuola di Ballo del Teatro dell'Opera	...	Le bambine
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Luciano Caruso
Michele Di Giulio
Mario Donatone
Pietro Fumelli
Lilly Marchi
Anna Nighel
Orchestra Sinfonica della Radiotelevisione Italiana	...	Themselves - Orchestra (as del Coro e dell'Orchestra della R.A.I.)
Coro della Radiotelevisione Italiana	...	Themselves - Coro (as del Coro e dell'Orchestra della R.A.I.)
Lina Rossoni
Franco Ferrara	...	Il direttore d'orchestra della R.A.I. (uncredited)
Corrado Mantoni	...	Himself (uncredited)
Sonia Marinelli	...	Young Girl (uncredited)
Guido Martufi	...	Young Boy at Hair-Dresser's Shop (uncredited)
Vittorio Musy Glori	...	Himself (uncredited)

Directed by
Luchino Visconti

Writing credits
Cesare Zavattini		(story)
Suso Cecchi D'Amico		(screenplay) &
Francesco Rosi		(screenplay) &
Luchino Visconti		(screenplay)

Produced by
Salvo D'Angelo	....	producer (uncredited)

Cinematography by
Piero Portalupi
Paul Ronald

Film Editing by
Mario Serandrei

Production Design by
Gianni Polidori

Costume Design by
Piero Tosi

Makeup Department
Alberto De Rossi	....	makeup artist

Production Management
Vittorio Glori	....	production manager
Paolo Moffa	....	production manager
Orlando Orsini	....	production supervisor

Second Unit Director or Assistant Director
Francesco Rosi	....	assistant director
Franco Zeffirelli	....	assistant director

Art Department
Italo Tomassi	....	construction department head (uncredited)

Sound Department
Ovidio Del Grande	....	sound

Camera and Electrical Department
Idelmo Simonelli	....	camera operator
Oberdan Troiani	....	camera operator (as Oberdan Troianni)
Paul Ronald	....	still photographer (uncredited)

Editorial Department
Rinaldo Ricci	....	editing secretary

Music Department
Gaetano Donizetti	....	music: based on "L'Elisir d'Amore"
Franco Ferrara	....	conductor
Franco Mannino	....	music supervisor
Orchestra Sinfonica di Roma	....	orchestra (as Orchestra Sinfonica del Teatro dell'Opera)

Other crew
Spartaco Conversi	....	production secretary

Production Companies

• CEI Incom (presents) (as CEI-Incom)

Distributors

• CEI Incom (1951) (Italy) (theatrical)
• Medusa Video (2005) (Italy) (DVD) (PAL)
• Art Free (2009) (Greece) (theatrical) (re-release)
• I.F.E. Releasing Corporation (1953) (USA) (theatrical)
• Nippon Herald Eiga (1981) (Japan) (theatrical) (subtitled)
• Arthaus Filmverleih (2013) (Germany) (DVD) (Luchino Visconti Edition)
• Eureka Entertainment (2007) (UK) (DVD) (PAL) (series "The Masters of Cinema")
• Homescreen (2005) (Netherlands) (DVD)
• Kinokuniya (2005) (Japan) (DVD) (PAL Master)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (DVD)
• Umbrella Entertainment (2008) (Australia) (video) (VOD)
• Versátil Home Vídeo (2005) (Brazil) (DVD) (Portuguese subtitles)

Other Companies

• Edizioni Musicali Ardea  music publisher
• Cinecittà  studio

Also Known As:

Runtime:

Japan:115 min | USA:108 min | UK:100 min | West Germany:115 min | Argentina:110 min

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1

Sound Mix:

Mono (RCA Sound System)

Certification:

Finland:S | West Germany:12 | Argentina:Atp | Australia:M | Singapore:PG

Filming Locations:

Cinecittà Studios, Cinecittà, Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company:

CEI Incom

Trivia:

The poem Maria recites is "Addio a Venezia" (1849) by Arnaldo Fusinato.

Movie Connections:

References Sotto il sole di Roma (1948)

Soundtrack:

L'elisir d'amore

A Tale of Disillusion

In a post-war Italy, Maddalena Cecconi (Anna Magnani) is a woman from the lower classes abused by her husband Spartaco Cecconi (Gastone Renzelli), who is obsessed to make her young daughter Maria (Tina Apicella) a star in the cinema industry. She expects a better life for Maria, and she sacrifices her marriage and her savings paying interpretation and ballet teachers, dress, hairdresser and bribe for the small time crook Alberto Annovazzi (Walter Chiari) to make her dream come true. When the director sees the test of Maria, Maddalena realizes the reality and cruelty of the entertainment industry.

"Belissima" is a beautiful tale of disillusion. Anna Magnani has a magnificent interpretation in a role of a very poor mother and frustrated woman, spanked by her husband, trying to give a better life for her young daughter. Living nearby a movie theater, she sees the opportunity when a famous director is chasing a young talent for his next movie. Her characters gives the best effort within her short culture and vision trying to make her dream comes true, being very touching the moment when her dreams are shattered. The direction of Luchino Visconti is precise and flawless as usual, and the story is very real and credible. My vote is eight.

Title (Brazil): "Belíssima" ("Very Beautiful")