Categoria: Cronologia 1915

Sposa nella morte! The Shadow of Her Past – Tiber Film 1915

su da theain Cronologia 1915, film scomparsi
Locandina (archivio in penombra)
Locandina, dettaglio (archivio in penombra)

Cronaca Romana. Sposa nella morte della Tiber-Film al Teatro Nazionale.

Semplice è la trama del lavoro: Elyane e Pierre Marsant sono studenti all’Accademia di Francia, a Villa Medici, a Roma, dove cominciano a intendersi ed amarsi. La reputazione di geniale artista, dal fine sentimento, che gode Elyane, la introduce prima, e la rende habituée poi, in Casa Cenci di Vallalta. Qui, il Duca Alberto, con la facilità degli aristocratici amanti, e con il pervertimento delle nature calcolatrici, sottilmente ironiche e volontarie, s’induce a spingere Elyane a correre con lui l’avventura galante, con la lusinga di farla duchessa. Elyane troppo giovane e inesperta e forse non ancora dischiusa al vero sentimento dell’amore, sposta abbastanza facilmente il suo cuore, che da Pierre Marsant, affettuoso e passionale, passa al duca Alberto Cenci, di animo meno genuino, ma più conquistatore.

La fuga dei due a Parigi, una breve vita mondana, il trionfo ottenuto al Salon da Pierre Marsant, per un quadro da lui esposto: « Remember », il fortuito incontro dei due avversari, la partita d’onore che avviene fra loro con la conseguente ferita riportata da Pierre Marsant, l’attitudine di cinismo che, in tale circostanza, dolorosamente sentita da Elyane, assume il duca Cenci, tutto induce la donna a un ritorno verso un passato e un uomo, meno promettenti, ma più datori di pace e d’affetto.

Così, anche la pietà e il rimorso di Elyane, dopo essersi manifestati nella devozione al capezzale di Pierre, durante la malattia di lui, spingono la donna ad offrirsi all’amante genuino. Qui ha luogo la scena, non priva di effetto, sebbene più efficace sarebbe stata se più sostenuta, in cui Pierre, prima respinge, poi accoglie tra le braccia la bella indimenticabile Elyane. Ma l’ombra del passato si frappone tra i due, e il pittore Marsant fugge a Roma, lasciando a Parigi Elyane.

Però troppo sinceri erano la pietà e il rimorso di questa, troppo viva, anche, doveva essere in lei la nostalgia dei primi passi di vita del primo ambiente, il solo che fu veramente amico, conosciuto nella consuetudine di Pierre, buono e leale, perché la donna potesse consentire al gesto di Pierre allontanatosi da lei. Così ella lo raggiunge a Roma, determinata a divenire sua sposa.

Senonché, troppo repentine erano state le vicende perché il cuore della donna avesse potuto risollevarsi dal passato, e liberarsi dal suo male verso una visione di bene, sotto un impulso nuovo di passione purificatrice, per questo, Elyane, alla veglia del gran giorno di nozze, si libera dal dualismo del suo cuore agitato, mettendo fine ai suoi giorni. Indimenticabili le ultime scene, gli ultimi quadri, pieni di quella predestinazione che incombe su tutto; che si esprime nella magnificenza, nella ricchezza intorno profusa, nella serenità immobile, estatica della bella Elyane, già determinata per il suo gesto.

Questa la trama, semplice nella sua originalità, del lavoro che ha dato modo al pubblico di vedere Lina Cavalieri assumere tutti gli aspetti e tutte le sfumature dell’idillio, della gioia semplice e buona; della passione, della pietà, del rimorso e del doIore, come della rigenerazione, dopo il fallo.

La Cavalieri è stata ed è, fra le donne romane, quella la cui fama è mondiale. La sua bellezza è conosciuta ovunque. La sua immagine è fra le più note e diffuse. Al contrario, le legioni dei suoi ammiratori e delle sue ammiratrici rare volte l’hanno vista e conosciuta di persona. Quando la fortuna le arrise improvvisa e dalle piccole e modeste scene del famoso teatro trasteverino fu lanciata nel gran mondo, ella soggiornò per brevi periodi in Italia e a Roma, sicché mentre la fama della sua bellezza si rivelava attraverso le centinaia e migliaia di fotografie e di cartoline, che ne riproducevano l’immagine deliziosa, ella era lontana. Oggi il cinematografo dà a tutti la possibilità di veder vivere, in una illusione che si avvicina alla vita, questa artista che ai più era nota soltanto nella immobile grazia di una posa fotografica, ed ecco, che in ciò sta il successo assicurato della film novissima.

A renderlo completo la Tiber ha poi contribuito componendo una film mirabile per la parte fotografica e per la parte scenografica, e Lina Cavalieri, dal canto suo, ha voluto aggiungere al fascino della sua presenza, come protagonista nella favola ideata da Luciano Muratore, un atto di squisita e delicata bontà per i nostri soldati feriti, in favore dei quali è stata devoluta una parte degli introiti delle rappresentazioni datesi, per la prima volta in Italia al Teatro Nazionale.

Sicché questa Sposa nella morte, che ha vivamente incontrato le simpatie ed il plauso del nostro pubblico, ha dato anche modo di compiere una simpatica opera di amore per i nostri fratelli che, combattendo, sono stati colpiti sul campo.

Per la cronaca aggiungeremo che le proiezioni della bella film sono state riprese, non appena terminate al Teatro Nazionale, ai Cinema Moderno e Regina, contemporaneamente.

Ciò che avvalora il nostro giudizio, lusinghiero nella sua spassionata sincerità.
(La Cinematografia Italiana ed Estera, 15 e 30 novembre 1915)

Lina Cavalieri e Luciano Muratore, Sposa nella morte
Lina Cavalieri, Lucien Muratore, Sposa nella morte – The Shadow of Her Past

The Shadow of Her Past.

The combination of the name of Lina Cavalieri and the title, “The Shadow of Her Past,” should make this five-reel Pathe Gold Rooster Picture play a box office attraction of some strength. The picture without a name like that of the famous grand opera prima donna in the cast, and acted as badly as this is would have but little chance, but in this case it will be the combination of star and title that will draw. Lucien Muratore, the husband of the incomparable Lina, is featured in the picture and some of the advance announcements have stated that he supervised the making of the feature. If that is the case Mons. Muratore had best stick to grand opera, for there will be little or no chance for him as a movie director. The story deals with the love and adventures of two students abroad. The girl studying music is an American and the youth who has gone in for art is evidently a foreigner. They win the highest honors in their respective branches and fall in love. In Rome, where they have gone to continue their studies the girl becomes a social favorite, and although betrothed to her fellow worker, she is blinded by the social thing. When a young Duke proposes to her she immediately forgets poor Peter the artist and plans to elope to Paris. The Duke’s proposal did not, however, mean marriage, but once in Paris it was too late for the girl to back out. In Paris she is quite in the social swim, and even though she is the Duke’s mistress and is generally recognized as such, she is invited to all the big affairs of the season.

Peter in the meantime cannot forget and so he paints a picture of himself and the girl watching an Italian landscape. The picture is sent to Paris for the exhibition and wins the gold award. The girl sees it and as it is entitled “Don’t You Remember” she naturally has to remember. The Duke noting her interest in the picture but unable to recognize her, although everyone in the audience could, tries to buy the picture and the artist orders him out. The Duke is “insult” and a duel follows, with Peter as the victim. Hearing he is wounded, the girl rushes to his side and nurses him and eventually a reconciliation is effected, but at the last moment, when Peter is willing to marry her, in spite of her past, she commits suicide. Now it doesn’t follow that that would be the case in real life, for at least it is evident that some portions of the picture are founded on the fact of a romance in the life of one of the principals and as it is quite evident the girl did not commit suicide. The feature was evidently produced abroad. Its settings are exceedingly lavish and very well done and that can also be said of the photography, which in this particular picture has an exceedingly stereoscopic effect. But as to its direction and tho acting, the least said the better. Lina Cavalieri looks as handsome as ever and wears clothes very well indeed and at one point in the picture does a very graceful dance. Mons. Muratore was at his best in the dueling scene, where his actions after being shot resembled a man in swimming and it was one of the best laughs in the picture, although not Intended for comedy.
Fred
(Variety, July 21, 1916)

Alberto Collo, Lina Cavalieri, Sposa nella morte - The Shadow of Her Past
Left: Alberto Collo, Lina Cavalieri, Sposa nella morte – The Shadow of Her Past

“The Shadow of Her Past”
Pathe Gold Rooster Play Features Lina Cavalieri.
Reviewed by Thomas C. Kennedy

The name of Lina Cavalieri, the star of the Pathé Gold Rooster play released this month, will doubtless attract large attendance at the picture houses where “The Shadow of Her Past” is on the program. Lina Cavalieri, operatic soprano, has been called the most beautiful woman in the world, though this is a distinction she shares with other present day beauties. However, the fact remains that she is a strikingly beautiful woman and her charm of feature and form can be appreciated by the spectators viewing “The Shadow of Her Past.”

Lucien Muratore, also of some renown on the operatic stage, plays opposite the star. The production was made under his direction, and he must be praised for giving the story a handsome setting. In the role of the artist M. Muratore is not highly successful. In a cast whose every member over-acts most of the time, he is the chief offender against the golden rule of natural restraint. When he is wounded in the duel with the Duke the emotion, and the pain, he feels is expressed with much physical effort, and it will not be surprising to learn that a laugh or two were created by it at every showing of “The Shadow of Her Past.”

The story is a love romance which profits much generally by the tragic ending it has been given. The story is good. It bears up well under the strain put upon it by the players, who over-do their parts greatly. “The Shadow of Her Past” is the romance of an American girl who goes to Rome to carry on her study of music. Her meeting with a painter of great promise is the beginning of a deep, noble love which prospers until Elayne meets with success as a musician.

She is feted by society and her head is turned. A Duke is attracted by her beauty and she casts Peter aside for the nobleman. To her sorrow she discovers that the Duke has no intention of marrying her. Circumstances bring the Duke and Peter to hatred and a duel, in which the artist is seriously wounded. Elayne nurses him back to health and they are about to marry when she realizes that she cannot really belong to him in life, and she dies from the effect of a self-administered poison.

The story plays in Rome and Paris. There is a strong Latin flavor imparted to the picture both by the story, the settings and players. Both interior and exterior settings are exceptionally good. Many of the outdoor scenes are rarely beautiful.
(Motography, July 29, 1916)

Alberto Collo, Lina Cavalieri, Sposa nella morte, The Shadow of Her Past
Alberto Collo, Lina Cavalieri, Sposa nella morte, The Shadow of Her Past

Cavalieri Once Earned Twelve Cents Per Day

Lina Cavalieri, who is featured with Lucien Muratore in the Pathe Gold Rooster play, “The Shadow of Her Past,” released July 17, has had a very eventful life. When scarcely twelve years old she folded papers in the mailing room of a daily paper for a few cents a day. Her great beauty attracted the attention of Prince Sciarra, who thought so beautiful a girl should be given a chance and through the mailing room foreman, offered to pay for her education. It wasn’t long before her beauty aided by her voice and acting ability had all Paris at her feet.
(Motography, August 5, 1916)

Cavalieri Strong Box Office Attraction.

That the box office angle is sometimes lost sight of by the newspaper reviewers of a picture is shown by the success of Pathe’s “The Shadow of Her Past,” in which Lina Cavalieri and Lucien Muratore are starred. The fact that the picture was made abroad overshadowed in the reviewers’ minds the wonderful drawing value of Cavalieri “the most beautiful woman in the world.” For a number of years the famous opera singer has been one of the most talked of women in both Europe and America. Every American has read of her; to every American she is more than a name. That vast publicity has money value to the exhibitor, regardless of the locality in which the picture was filmed. The reviewers, being critics and not exhibitors, in many cases “damned it with too faint praise.” It was “foreign.” “the actors gesticulated too much,” “the story was hackneyed.” etc. etc.

Exhibitors, however, saw the opportunity for effective advertising. They clamored for “The Shadow of Her Past,” played it up strong and then reaped a harvest. The crowds came, liked the picture, and spoke about it to their friends. Bookings of three and four days were lengthened to a week. The result was that many a house record was broken and the exhibitors reaped and are reaping a harvest.
(Moving Picture World, October 21, 1916)

Il film è da considerare scomparso, eccetto per un breve frammento conservato nella Filmoteca de Valencia (IVAC).

The film is considered lost, except for a short fragment preserved at the Filmoteca de Valencia (IVAC).

Le riprese di un colossal: Intolerance di D. W. Griffith

su da theain Archivi e Cineteche, Cronologia 1915, film ritrovati, Risorse digitali
International Photo
Una scena del film Intolerance sulla copertina della rivista International Photographer, settembre 1934

D. W. Griffith e il suo operatore Billy Bitzer per una grande scena di masse del film Intolerance, costruirono una torre-piramide mobile, alta 140 piedi, che aveva una superficie di 6 piedi quadrati alla sommità mozza e di oltre 60 alla base; questo apparecchio correva, con 6 zoccoli a 4 ruote ciascuno, su rotaie, spinto da 25 uomini attraverso una massa di comparse radunata nel fastoso salone del re Baldassarre; e nello stesso tempo la macchina da presa saliva lentamente su per l’interno della torre mobile a mezzo di un ascensore, in maniera che, al termine della scena, l’iniziale campo lungo veniva a concludersi in un primo piano dei principi seduti su un alto trono.

L’intera scena fu girata alla luce del sole, con un unico apparecchio Pathé a mano. A molti altri notevoli particolari accenna ancora Billy Bitzer nell’articolo pubblicato dalla rivista International Photographer, che io posso offrirvi grazie al magnifico lavoro svolto dell’Internet Archive, che giusto oggi (la notte scorsa) ha subito un’incendio e avrebbe bisogno di tutti noi per continuare la sua opera. Potete leggere cosa è successo in questo post e, magari, dare una mano, detto questo ecco l’articolo:

Intolerance was made in Hollywood in 1915-’16 on Fine Arts lot, Sunset and Hollywood Boulevard, excepting the scenes taken of Cyrus’ Army, which were taken at Nigger Slough, down toward Culver City.

Every bit of this photography was taken in sunlight, except the night fire scenes of the Babylon towers and walls. These were taken at dusk and with flares. No 24s, 36s, sun arcs or electric lights of any kind were used and, if you remember the picture, you can imagine the original figuring in the placing of sets, all of which had to be shot in sunlight.

An Amazing Dolly

One set, the Feast of Belshazzar in the Babylon period, was set three-eights of a mile long and, in this scene, was used an amazing dolly that even at this time (and I do not want to belittle our present day marvelous photography and angles) has never been equalled for its effects and smoothness of operation. This dolly was one hundred and forty feet high, about six feet square at the top and some sixty feet wide at the bottom. It was mounted upon six sets of four-wheel railroad car trucks and had an elevator in the center. It ran upon tracks starting away back taking in the full scene, or entire set, upon which there were five thousand extras.

Walls 140 Feet High

This scene, or set, had walls one hundred and forty feet high all around it, upon which were huge elephants, many in number. Some of the walls were braced with telegraph poles and there were horses and chariots upon them.

Ishtar, a figure of the Goddess of Love, which looked puny in the full set, was thirty feet tall.

This great dolly was moved backward and forward by some twenty-five men, while another staff operated the elevator until from full set it ended in a close-up of large figures of the Prince and Princess seated at the throne, a pair of doves harnessed to a little golden chariot, carrying love missives between them, and the whole moving so smooth as to be delightful.

In fact, ten years later about this scene Richard Watts said in the New York Herald Tribune: “In this episode there occurs one of the most effective uses of the moving camera I have ever encountered — the scene where the camera moves slowly up the steps of the Babylon Palace.” You see the effect was quite the reverse of the method in which it was photographed.

The Intolerance Way

In some of the pictures I see today, when I learn of the methods used, I wonder why, instead of the apparently roundabout way which looks so mechanical, they are not done in the simpler and more real and effective “Intolerance” way. For instance in a scene showing apparently hundreds of chariots (Cyrus’ army) rushing to war, we simply hooked our Cyrus’ chariot to the side of our automobile, jiggled the shafts up and down (no horses on that one) and rode like hell in amongst all the other chariots. But more about this sort of stuff later. While I am at it this same writer said, when “Intolerance” was revived TEN YEARS LATER: “Here is photoplay pageantry that for richness of fine composition and general beauty is so impressive that it should make the producers of the expensive ‘Ben Hur’ to feel just a bit ashamed of themselves.”

How It Was Shot

This whole scene was made on only one hand cranked Pathe camera. Karl Brown did the cranking, seated underneath the Pathe, through a flexible shaft, and I did the handling of the tilt and pan cranks, looking directly through the Pathe eye-piece focusing glass in the back door of the Pathe on to the film, with a special eye-piece of rubber which fitted around my eye to keep the light from fogging the film.

The highest number of cameras used on the biggest spectacular scenes of the different periods were never more than four — all Pathes and, at no time in the ordinary scenes made in this picture, which took one and one-half years to photograph, was more than one camera used.

Karl Brown Enters

And right here I want to tell you about the wonderful assistant I had in Karl Brown, who was more than an assistant — an inspiration, a practical dreamer, as he later proved in his works in the photographic continuity of lighting in “The Covered Wagon”; that most admirable Tennessee mountain story, “Stark Love” — an intelligent cameraman. Pleasant memories come to me as I recall our working together. His constructive mind helped me greatly in securing effects photographic in “Intolerance.”

There was one and one-quarter million (1,250,000) feet of lumber used in “Intolerance.” The carpenters received two and two and one-half dollars a day, worked each day until finished — no overtime. Extras received five dollars a day and, as I said before, no electricians were ever used. We called the picture “THE SUN PLAY OF THE AGES.”

A $15,000,000 Picture

I have calculated roughly, that at the present scale of wages this picture would have cost over fifteen million dollars ($15,000,000). We were assisted by some of the best scientists in the world. Also in this picture made way back there you see flame throwing machines, poison gas, etc. You won’t believe this, but it’s there and, too, molten lead was used. Some of the moving fighting towers were as tall as the walls and were pushed toward the walls by elephants.

There were seven hundred and fifty (750) horses used; sixty (60) of the persons used became great; sixteen (16) became stars — and some who had the leading parts were never heard of in a big way again.

Costumes

In the four stories — The Babylon of Belshazzar ; The France of Catherine de Medici (French Huguenot period); The Jerusalem of Christ, and America before the World War, there were more than one thousand different kinds of costumes used.

When the fire throwing scenes were in full blast (fire being thrown from the moving fighting towers and from the walls) the neighbors living in little bungalows on streets adjoining the sets summoned the fire department and the big red ladder trucks and apparatus rushed past the gate guards into the scene upon which there were thousands of extras in action and spoiled nine or ten feet of film.

No Casualties

Remember we had only one camera running. Maybe Karl was grinding, too. I don’t recall, despite the fact that one saw apparently hundreds of soldiers falling from one hundred and forty foot walls. In the closer views we used professional jumpers and nets. There were no casualties. We had an ambulance and corps of doctors and nurses, but only minor cuts and headaches happened. “Intolerance” had in it the whole of civilized history combined.

Billy Bitzer
(International Photographer, Hollywood, California, October 1934)

Due film di Francesca Bertini disponibili online

su da theain Archivi e Cineteche, Cronologia 1914, Cronologia 1915, film restaurati, Risorse digitali

… gratis! Grazie al lavoro dell’Eye Film Instituut Nederland, la Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique, e l’European Film Gateway. Complimenti a tutti.

L’amazzone mascherata (Celio Film 1914) messa in scena di Baldassarre Negroni; operatore Giorgio Ricci; interpreti principali Francesca Bertini, Alberto Collo, Emilio Ghione, Teresa Martini.

Francesca Bertini, Emilio Ghione, L'amazzone mascherata (Eye Film Instituut Nederland)
Francesca Bertini & Emilio Ghione, a cavallo (L’amazzone mascherata, Eye Film Instituut Nederland)

Argomento: Una vita di intenso amore, vissuta da giovani sposi e dedita al bene dei miseri e dei derelitti, spezzata dall’infamia di ospiti esotici; un avvenire di onore e di gloria per il giovane ufficiale del nostro esercito infranto dalla mendace accusa del più vile ed obbrobrioso dei tradimenti quello della sua patria; l’eroismo della donna che, sospinta dall’affetto per il marito invasa da ardente passione per le sue immeritate sventure giura a se stessa di ridonarlo alla libertà ed alle supreme gioie dell’amore, e, guidata dal fine intuito del suo sesso, si lancia nei vortici dei circoli equestri degli accampamenti zingareschi, dei viaggi disagiati, delle lotte con polizie straniere, degli agguati, delle minacce, degli applausi scenici, ora incognita e celata sotto misteriosa maschera, ora scoperto il viso fulgente di bellezza, afferra le tracce del delitto, le segna, le svela e trionfa! Ecco la trama di questo dramma grandioso intessuto di affetti purissimi, di sante passioni, di nobili abnegazioni compendiato nella luce che risplende ed emana dall’eterno femminile e che la Celio Film ha messo in scena con vero intelletto artistico affidandone l’interpretazione ad una diva della cinematografia, a Francesca Bertini. (da una locandina d’epoca)

Link per vedere il film qui

Diana l’affascinatrice (Caesar Film 1915) messa in scena di Gustavo Serena; soggetto di Renzo Chiosso; operatore Giuseppe Alberto Carta; interpreti principali Francesca Bertini, Gustavo Serena, Carlo Benetti, Alfredo de Antoni.

Francesca Bertini (Diana l'affascinatrice, Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique)
Francesca Bertini (Diana l’affascinatrice, Cinémathèque Royale de Belgique)

Argomento: Diana è un’avventuriera, assoldata da uno stato nemico, con l’incarico di sottrarre dei preziosi piani di fortificazioni militari, custoditi dal capitano Newse. L’affascinante Diana riesce ad entrare in intimità con l’ufficiale e ad impadronirsi dei documenti, ma, innamoratasi anche lei, rinnega il suo ignobile mandato e preferisce, per salvare il disonore dell’uomo che ama, scomparire per sempre. (da una locandina d’epoca)

Link per vedere il film qui.

Buona visione!