Renato Castellani(1913-1985)

Spent his formative years in Argentina. Worked as a screenwriter for Mario Soldati and Alessandro Blasetti in 1930's Italy, having first studied architecture in Milan. Gained prominence during the immediate post-war period, as director of optimistic, up-beat escapist films -- where love conquered all. Best of these was Dos centavos de esperanza (1952), based on his own script. Much of his later work tended to be more star-driven and commercial.