Lorenzino de 'Medici (1935)
Lorenzino de 'Medici is an Italian historical film from 1935 with the famous Austrian theater actor Alexander Moissi in the title role . Directed by Guido Brignone .
action
Florence in the early 16th century, at the time of the Renaissance .
Lorenzino de 'Medici, a member of the powerful and wealthy Medici family who ruled large parts of northern Italy in the 16th century, is an ambitious man. He does not plan to murder his relatives, Duke Alessandro , who is just as lusty and enjoyable as he is ruthless , in order to end his tyrannical rule , but for purely personal and Machiavellian reasons. Because he strives to rule over family and land and is passed over by Alessandro in the succession. Shimmering in his personality, Lorenzino is a man of dignity and culture, a noble appearance with a sense of style for all his lust for power.
He hesitates for a long time to have his plump cousin disposed of. Because Lorenzino is torn between the loyalty to his family on the one hand and his love for the beautiful Bianca Strozzi. She is the daughter of Filippo Strozzi , head of the other famous Florentine family. Only when Bianca threatens danger from the Duke, Lorenzino becomes active. He organizes a solid conspiracy that is said to end with the murder of the hated duke. The young soldier Michele del Tavolaccino is supposed to carry out his murder plan, whose lover Nella is one of many victims of the insatiable Alessandro. The plan succeeds, Duke Alessandro dies a slow, painful death. Then Lorenzino and Bianca flee to Venice . There the curse of evil finally catches up with Lorenzino. A hired contract killer kills him.
Production notes
The film, made at the end of 1934, premiered in February 1935. In Austria, where Lorenzino de 'Medici had its first performance in a German-speaking country with its Viennese premiere on March 20, 1936, it was also presented under the second title Der Verräter and with the predicates “Magnificent furnishings” and “A colorful picture from Italy of the 16th century ”. It ran there in the original Italian with German subtitles.
The importance of Lorenzino de 'Medici in film history is mainly due to the fact that the legendary theater star Alexander Moissi was in front of the camera for the last time. He died a few months after the shooting ended.
Reviews
Film critic Enrico Roma wrote in the Cinema Illustrazione on March 13, 1935: “Brignone shows us primarily the personality as a politically intriguing one and also limits the drama to a few months of his life in Florence, which preceded the murder of Alessandro. […] From a cinematic point of view, the film is not lacking in quality (…). However, it lacks originality and the crowd scenes are sloppily executed. Better, on the other hand, are the actors who were selected from among the best in spoken theater and because of their achievements this work deserves support and prestige. "
Max Reinhardt's former dramaturge, Dr. Franz Horch , in his role as a critic , devoted a detailed review of the production in the Wiener Zeitung under the title “The Moissi Film”. In the edition of March 21, 1936 it says: "The experience as the rest of the pushing back impression of this picture strip is called: Alexander Moissi. When you see him for the first time, he stands as Lorenzino behind a barred window and greets the passing Bianca outside Strozzi: There are only a few very everyday words that Moissi speaks on this occasion, and yet they contain all the magic, all the charm of this unmistakable voice, which knows how to flatter and caress with tones. [...] The physical grace is always fascinating of this actor, the perfect harmony of the movements, which are the personal expression of his being and belong to Moissi like voice and head posture, like the wide open eyes, from which melancholy and some hints of human and all too human shine. Alexander Moissi hardly gives the role of Lorenzino Opportunity to exhaust all his rich acting possibilities. [...] All advantages and advantages The peculiarities of the deceased seem to be packed together in a very small space and have an immediate effect as if the person to whom they were given was still alive ... [...] The film directed by Guido Brignoni contains magnificent Florentine shots, the big party at the end is dynamically sent guided and safely increased. In addition to Moissi, Camillo Pilotto, who could be called the Italian Laughton, must be praised as the juicy Duca, the beautiful and intimate Germana Paoliere as the noble Bianca and Marie Denis as the graceful Nella, also one of the victims of Alessandro, because they are actors of stature and Can."
The Österreichische Film-Zeitung said in its edition of March 27, 1936 on page 3: "For the last time you have the opportunity to admire Moissi's great art, his expressive facial expressions, his smooth movements and the wonderful music of his voice that is capable of modulation. [... ] Guido Brignone staged the world of the Florentine princely court of the Renaissance with great splendor and enlivened it with numerous details. "
In the April 14, 1936 edition, the critic HTS in the New York Times summed up : “A year after his untimely death the shadow of Alexander Moissi, one of the greatest actors on the Teutonic stage, makes its appearance on the screen of the Cine -Roma to prove that Moissi was just as effective in the soft Italian tongue to which he was born in Trieste as in the German language. [...] Presumably most of the story is fanciful, but as Duke Alessandro really met a violent end, the scenarist has built a highly entertaining and colorful tale upon a foundation of fact. Magnificently mounted and acted by a cast apparently inspired by the work of their leader, "Lorenzino de 'Medici" is a credit to the rejuvenated Italian film industry. "
Individual evidence
- ↑ according to a short message in the Österreichische Film-Zeitung of December 1, 1934, page 6. Online at ANNO .
- ↑ Österreichische Film-Zeitung, April 3, 1936, p. 4
- ↑ In the original: “Brignone ci presenta il personaggio soltanto come intrigante politico, limitando il dramma, inoltre, ai pochi mesi della sua vita fiorentina che precedono l'assassinio di Alessandro. […] Dal punto di vista cinematografico il film non è privo di qualità (…) Manca piuttosto di originalità so come nelle scene di massa è sciatto, il meglio sono gli interpreti scelti tra i più valenti del teatro di prosa, e per loro merito l'opera si sostiene e ha prestigio. "
- ↑ "Lorenzino de 'Medici". In: Wiener Zeitung , March 21, 1936, p. 10 (online at ANNO ).
- ↑ "Lorenzino de 'Medici". In: Österreichische Film-Zeitung , March 27, 1936, p. 3 (online at ANNO ).
- ^ Lorenzino de 'Medici in New York Times
- ↑ Translation: “One year after his untimely death, the shadow of Alexander Moissi, one of the greatest actors on the Teutonic stage, appears on the screen of Cine-Roma to prove that Moissi was equally at home with Italian, especially since he was in Trieste was born as he was in the German language. […] Much of the story is probably imaginary, but when Duke Alessandro faces his terribly brutal end, the screenwriter has created a highly entertaining and colorful story that is basically based on a fact. Wonderfully constructed and supported by a cast obviously inspired by the work of its leader, "Lorenzino de 'Medici" can be attributed to the rejuvenation of the Italian film industry. "
Web links
- Lorenzino de 'Medici in the Internet Movie Database (English)