Teresa Venerdì

This minor but winning little filmic treasure from the Italian fascist era was directed by Vittorio De Sica before he made all the films that brought him international fame like SHOE SHINE, BICYCLE THIEF, MIRACLE IN MILAN, and UMBERTO D. De Sica himself plays a young physician in an orphanage for girls where a young girl named Teresa "Venerdi'" or "Teresa Friday" (because that was the day she arrived) becomes infatuated with him. The doctor is carrying on a romance at the same time with a flirtatious singer, Loletta, played by a feisty Anna Magnani in a short but fabulous supporting role. The expressions of boredom on her face as she goes through a tiresome and tacky dance number are a wonder to behold. Teresa, the love-struck heroine, is played by the lovely Adriana Benetti, whom Italian film buffs remember from Blasetti's landmark QUATTRO PASSI FRA LE NUVOLE, made a year later.