Assunta Spina

'Diva' was used to describe operatic sopranos of the late nineteenth century who were viewed as Goddess-like by their devotees. The term was then applied to the stars of Italian silent cinema, the most notable of whom in its heyday were Lyda Borelli, Pina Menichelli and Francesca Bertini. Of this trio Francesca is considered to be the actress with the greater emotional range and the ability to take on a wider variety of parts.

Judging by her performance here in the title role her reputation was fully justified. Although Gustavo Serena who also plays her jealous husband is credited as director there is reason to believe that she was at least co-director if not more. Hers is an intense and full-blooded portrayal and although operatic in keeping with the times, is far more naturalistic than those of her contemporaries and one is not surprised to learn that she was strongly influenced by Asta Neilsen. She fully convinces as a loving wife who is prepared to 'stand by her man' even though he has shamelessly disfigured her.

The reasonably recent restoration has been colourised with no less than four colours which renders Alberto G. Carta's images of Naples even more impressive. A new score has been added and although idiomatic as regards the setting, is not nearly passionate enough for the material.

Francesca resisted the blandishments of Hollywood and continued acting throughout Europe until the very end. In 1976 at the age of 84, she was persuaded by Bertolucci to appear as a nun in '1900'.

This is the first version on film and is infinitely more effective than Mattoli's of 1948 despite the powerful presence of Anna Magnani.

Italian neo-realism in film, introduced in 1943 and lasting through the early 1950's, has created a huge impact on the movies produced today. Set among poor or the working class while being cheaply filmed on location as opposed to inside expensive studio set, these Italian movies enlisted mostly amateur actors with only professional leads. Italy's film industry was basically forced to take such austere steps since World War Two caused enormous economic hardships for that country.

But Diva actress Francesca Bertini had made the claim, and with some justification, that her October 1915 "Assunta Spina" was the first to showcase a low budget, non-professional cast filmed in the exterior of Naples--all true hallmarks of Italian neorealism cinema.

The actress plays a working class laundress whose fiancee is hot-tempered. During an outdoor festival where she dances with an admirer, her fiancee cuts up her face in a fit of jealousy. A soft spot in her heart for her intended husband causes her to create a series of twists which produces both tragedy and signs of loyalty.

"Assunta Spina" has Gustavo Serena, who plays the fiancee, credited as director. However, Bertini is also listed as co-director, placing the Italian film as unique in the annuls of cinema as being one of the few, if only, movie where the two lead actors are also co-directors. Bertini claimed she was the one who solely directed the film.

What Bertini is known for in "Assunta Spina" is introducing a new art form of acting. Rising to the level of being the number one international actress, more popular than even Mary Pickford, as well as being the highest paid in the film industry, Bertini had been on screen since 1910. She gradually developed a realistic method of acting, something silent movie actors were hesitate to adapt to since their stage dramatic profession called for both physical and facial over exaggerations. In "Assunta Spina," Bertini shows a measured acting method where, despite the plot centering on a highly-charged emotional narrative, the actress sustains a composure rarely seen in silent film. Not looking at the camera, refraining from overly physical gestures and failing to contort her face in agony while undergoing the tragic events, Bertini illustrates what a realistic portrayal of an everyday composed woman looks like facing fatal events.

Once sound was introduced to movies in the late 1920's, Bertini's work in film diminished. But she still appeared in an occasional movie, with her last screen appearance being in Bernardo Bertolucci's 1976 epic "1900," with Robert De Niro.

The other Italian films that I've seen from this early period of cinema history are poor imitations of theatre. In the US, the movies were more cinematic, but often confined to studios. At least in the beginning, "Assunta Spina" is outdoors a lot. One or two images of the Naples landscape are even pretty nice. It's difficult to go wrong with a shot of a boat against the horizon. Some of the outdoor footage suffers from (probably) a combination of poor lighting and deterioration of the negative.

Generally, though, the camera barely moves and the framing is always long shots. The story is a trashy melodrama about a dysfunctional couple. One is a jealous dolt, the other a clinging, masochistic drama queen. Francesca Bertini, apparently a star in her day, is a lousy screen actress--posturing histrionically and repeatedly staring into nothing in an attempt to convey emotion. It's very boring.

If the Italian early cinema is known for its epic antique spectacles, Assunta Spina means a nice change. But it is obvious that it's not the only different film compared to the mainstream in the era. The Italian early cinema took a lot of influences from literature and people started to describe the lives of the common people; workers and lovers. Assunta Spina is one of these film and a very good one. In 1914 World War I begun in Europe, at first Italy didn't take part in it, but in May 1915 it joined the Allied Powers. One of the consequences of WWI for cinema was that Italy and France lost their places as the leading developers of it and the United States started making more and more films. Italian early cinema is part of the era when Italy was among the biggest cinema countries in the world and Assunta Spina is one of its most well known products.

Assunta Spina is basically a love triangle story. Assunta is a young woman, who is married with Michele but also loved by Raffaele. Love, hatred and jealousy culminate in tragical consequences. As said before the story is very simple and the narrative is minimalistic. But the gestures and expressive behaviour is magnificent. The gestures used in cinema were already very well known; to beckon, fists held high, hands on face etc. Assunta Spina is naturalistic realism and the expressions feel very natural or if not natural at least touching, beautiful and far away from exaggerating, which is common for many Hollywood silent films.

Assunta Spina is typical of the early Italian melodrama genre. It shows ordinary people in their daily life overcome by a fate they can't control. The natural way of acting and the fact that many scenes are filmed outside in natural settings gives it great authenticity.

At the opposite of historical epics such as Cabiria, which intended to make people dream of being transported to other places or times, it is a film which made it possible for spectators to identify themselves with the characters and empathize with them. It is also a remarkable document on life in Naples before WWI.

Photography is often beautiful with special attention given to lighting. The final scene is particularly original in this respect. The depth of field is striking and some scenes combine views inside and outside through a window with all elements in focus and perfectly lit.

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