Paolo e Francesca

1950 film

Vittorio Calvino
Raffaello Matarazzo
Guglielmo Petroni

Produced byGiuseppe BordoniStarring

Odile Versois
Armando Francioli

CinematographyMario MontuoriEdited byMario SerandreiMusic byAlessandro Cicognini

Release date

1950 (1950)

LanguageItalian

Paolo e Francesca (Paolo and Francesca), also known as Legend of Love,^[1] is a 1950 Italian historical melodrama film directed by Raffaello Matarazzo and starring Odile Versois and Armando Francioli. It is loosely based on real life events of Paolo Malatesta and Francesca da Polenta.^[2]^[3]

Plot

Italy, 13th century. Two families have just restored peace thanks to the marriage of Gianciotto Malatesta with the beautiful Francesca. Before the wedding, Malatesta sends his brother Paolo to his bride, who inevitably falls in love with Francesca. Theirs is a doomed love because it is immediately discovered by Malatesta, who kills the two lovers out of jealousy.

Cast

Odile Versois as Francesca
Armando Francioli as Paolo Malatesta
Andrea Checchi as Gianciotto Malatesta
Aldo Silvani as The Astrologer
Roberto Murolo as The Court Jester
Sergio Fantoni
Enzo Musumeci Greco as Captain Manfredo
Nino Marchesini as Count Giulio Ilovello
Angela Lavagna as The Mother Badessa

References

^ Parish, James Robert; Canham, Kingsley (1976). Film Directors Guide: Western Europe. p. 189. ISBN 9780810809086.
^ Roberto Chiti; Roberto Poppi; Enrico Lancia (1991). Dizionario del cinema italiano: I film. Gremese. ISBN 8876055487.
^ Paolo Mereghetti (2010). Il Mereghetti – Dizionario dei film. B.C. Dalai Editore. ISBN 978-8860736260.