Angelina (1947)

A rowdy woman is so forceful that she outdoes her husband in a loud cry against speculators who refuse poor people entrance to a block of new apartments, built after WW2. Without noticing ... See full summary »

Director:

Luigi Zampa

Writers:

Piero Tellini (story), Suso Cecchi D'Amico (story) (as Suso D'Amico)

Stars:

Anna Magnani, Nando Bruno, Ave Ninchi

2 wins & 1 nomination.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Anna Magnani	...	Angelina Bianchi
Nando Bruno	...	Pasquale Bianchi
Ave Ninchi	...	Carmela
Ernesto Almirante	...	Luigi
Agnese Dubbini	...	Cesira
Armando Migliari	...	Callisto Garrone
Maria Donati	...	La signora Garrone
Maria Grazia Francia	...	Annetta Bianchi
Vittorio Mottini	...	Roberto
Franco Zeffirelli	...	Filippo Garrone
Gianni Musy	...	Libero Bianchi (as Gianni Glori)
Ughetto Bertucci	...	Benedetto Zampaglione (as Ugo Bertucci)
Anita Angius	...	Adriana Bianchi
Aristide Baghetti
Gino Cavalieri

Storyline

A rowdy woman is so forceful that she outdoes her husband in a loud cry against speculators who refuse poor people entrance to a block of new apartments, built after WW2. Without noticing it, she starts a people's movement, and leads a march to the capital. She returns to her village a winner, an honourable MP. Yet, she is still the same simple, fiery woman, able to get in a hair-pulling brawl with the local barmaid for the affection of her man.

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Plot Keywords:

italy | poverty | post war | political intrigue | political candidate | 

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Taglines:

Directed by Luigi Zampa, who made "To Live in Peace" - N.Y. Film Critics Prize 1947

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Genres:

Comedy | Drama

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Did You Know?

Trivia

This film's earliest documented USA telecast took place in New York City Saturday 3 June 1950 on WOR (Channel 9).

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Connections

Referenced in We, the Women (1953)

User Reviews

Nothing changes at all

Probably one of the most engaged neo-realist films, showing in a some didactic way the origins of a spontaneous social movement with feminist characteristics in a very poor community. It is very important for its objective the well balanced cast and the pathos commonly associated with Magnani's filmic persona since at least her Pina in Rosselini's "Rome Open City (1945). The movie stills the tension levels of his main character, but shows some unnecessary subplots, like the case of the innocuous love story between the daughter of Angelina and the mogul's son (first and acceptable unique role made by a very young Zefirelli as actor). But what diminish its bright is the end of narrative, with the abortion of the public engagement voluntarily made by Angelina in spite of the community support. She would be awake for her main role as mother and wife, the main unsatisfied with her new role being obvious the ineffective husband (Nando Bruno) that lack his importance in the family since she begun her cathartic leadership. Is a kind of counter climax for someone waiting a more progressive end. This return of status quo values is indicative even in its visual style - the last sequence, in a circular way, reproduce the same long camera movement describing all the family quiet in its respective beds of its prologue. Nothing changes at all. In this sense, is too little in comparison with his next film, "Anni Difficili", a stunning panorama of Italian fascist years from its rise to the fall.

Details

Country:

Italy

Language:

Italian

Release Date:

12 November 1947 (Italy)

Also Known As:

Angelina

Filming Locations:

Rome, Lazio, Italy

Company Credits

Production Co:

Lux Film, Ora Film

Technical Specs

Runtime:

90 min

Sound Mix:

Mono (Western Electric Mirrophonic Recording)

Color:

Black and White

Aspect Ratio:

1.37 : 1