Diomira Jacobini

Diomira Jacobini (1899-1959) was one of the stars of the Italian silent cinema. She was the younger sister of film diva Maria Jacobini, in whose shadow she always stayed. Diomira appeared in some 55 films in Italy and Germany.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3748/1, 1928-1929. Source: Terra-Film. Diomira Jacobini in Revolutionshochzeit//The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1928).


Italian postcard, no. 248. Photo: Bettini, Roma.


Italian postcard. Photo: Fert Film. Diomira Jacobini in L'isola della felicità/The Island of Happiness (Luciano Doria, 1921). Caption: Towards new happiness.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 792. Photo: Pitaluga-Films, Torino (Turin).


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 793. Photo: Pittaluga-Films, Torino (Turin).


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 794. Photo: Pittaluga-Films, Torino. Perhaps this card refers to Der Trödler von Amsterdam/The Dealer from Amsterdam (Victor Janson, 1925). The plot deals with a poor old dealer, Arent van Bergh (Werner Krauss), whose only friend is Oliver, a young philosopher (Alf Blütecher). The dealer's daughter Annette (Diomira Jacobini) wants to escape the black hole she lives in and is easily won over by a friend to explore the sinful places of the city, where she becomes infatuated with a wild criminal (Anton Pointner). With Oliver's help, the dealer will unmask the criminal as a ruthless murderer, which will open Annette's eyes.

A scandal in the noble family

Diomira Jacobini was born in Rome, Italy in 1896. She was the niece of a Vatican-based cardinal. When her older sister, Maria Jacobini, chose to work as an actress in the young film industry, it caused a scandal in the noble family.

The young Diomira decided to follow in her sister’s footsteps. She started to work for the prestigious Cines film studio in Rome. There she first appeared in such short films as Anna Maria/For Her Father's Sake (1912) with Ida Carloni Talli. Her name was included in the title when she appeared in the short comedy Le birichinate di Kri Kri e Diomira/Bloomer and Diomira at Play (1913) featuring Raymond Dandy, whose comic character Kri Kri was very popular at the time. According to Wikipedia, Jacobini had her first starring role in Il piccolo mozzo/The small hub (Carmine Gallone, 1915).

In the same year, she participated next to Lyda Borelli in Marcia nuziale/Wedding March (Carmine Gallone, 1915) in which she had one of her finest and prettiest parts. For the Celio film company, she co-starred with her sister Maria and another diva, Leda Gys in Ananka/Fate (1915), directed by Maria’s fiancé Nino Oxilia.

In 1916, she moved on to Tiber Film. For the Tiber studio, Jacobini made many films. Under the direction of Emilio Ghione, she made La rosa di granata/The Rose of Granada (Emilio Ghione, 1916) with Ida Carloni Talli and Lina Cavalieri.

Other films were Tormento gentile/Kind Torment (Emilio Ghione, 1916) with Alda Borelli, and Il figlio dell'amore/The Love Child (Emilio Ghione, 1916). A success was Demonietto/Imp (Gennaro Righelli, 1917). The male lead of this film was played by Alberto Collo, who would also be her co-star in several other films.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 525.


Italian postcard by IPA CT Duplex, no. 5111. Photo: Tiber Film. Tullio Carminati and Diomira Jacobini in L'aigrette/The Egret (Baldassarre Negroni, 1917), based on the play by Dario Niccodemi. Caption: Enrico and his fiancee, the duchess of Frontenac.


Italian postcard. Around 1917-1918, after they acted together in L'aigrette (1917), Diomira Jacobini and Tullio Carminati acted together a few times at Tiber Film, but with Jacobini always in supporting parts, e.g. in La via della luce (1917) with Hesperia, and La via più lunga (1918) starring Maria Jacobini.


Italian postcard. Photo: Fert Film. Diomira Jacobini and Alfonso Cassini in L'isola della felicità/The island of happiness (Luciano Doria, 1921). Caption: The happiness of a simple life.


Italian postcard by Ed. Traldi, Milano, no. 795. Photo: Pittaluga Films, Torino.


Vintage postcard. Photo: Fox / Deutsche Vereins-Film AG (Defa-Deutsche Fox). Diomira Jacobini in the German Fox production Der Trödler von Amsterdam/The Dealer from Amsterdam (Victor Janson, 1925).

A deep crisis

After finishing her engagement at Tiber Film, Diomira Jacobini signed a contract with Fert Film. The 1920s were less satisfactory for the actress, although she could show her talents successfully in films like La rosa di Fortunio/The Rose of Fortunio (Luciano Doria, 1922), Jolly, clown da circo/Jolly, circus clown (Mario Camerini, 1923) and La casa dei pulcini/The House of Pulcini (Mario Camerini, 1924) with Amleto Novelli.

She also starred opposite the popular ‘forzuto’ (strongman) Bartolomeo Pagano in the action film Maciste e il nipote d'America/Maciste and the nephew from America (Eleuterio Rodolfi, 1924).

At that time, the Italian film industry was in a deep crisis and only a few films were produced. Some of the best film actors and directors went to work abroad. Maria Jacobini was already working in Germany. There, Diomira co-starred with Werner Krauss in Der Trödler von Amsterdam/The junk dealer of Amsterdam (Victor Janson, 1925) and in some other films.

In Germany, she also appeared in Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1927) opposite Gösta Ekman. In the 1930s, she returned to Italy and worked again at Cines, where she acted in Il buon ragazzo/The good boy (Mario Camerini, 1930).

She made only two sound films: L'ultima avventura/The Last Adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932) starring Armando Falconi, and Cento di questi giorni/Hundred of these days (Augusto and Mario Camerini, 1933). Then she retired to private life with her husband L. Ghezzi. However, she participated in Quando eravamo muti/When we were silent (Riccardo Cassano, 1935). Diomira Jacobini died in 1959 in Rome.


Danish postcard by Alex. Vincent's Kunstforlag, Eneret, no. 253. Photo: Gösta Ekman and Diomira Jacobini in Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1927).


Danish postcard by Alex. Vincent's Kunstforlag, Eneret, no. 254. Photo: publicity still for Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1927). This was a German dramatisation of Sophus Michaëlis' play 'Revolutionshochzeit' (Revolutionary Wedding), with ;Gösta Ekman, Karina Bell, Walter Rilla and Fritz Kortner, and produced by Terra-Filmkunst.


Italian postcard, even if with French written captions, no. 52. Photo: Prod. Cines - Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Armando Falconi in L'ultima avventura/The last adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932).


Italian postcard, even if with French written captions, no. 64. Photo: Prod. Cines - Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Carlo Fontana in L'ultima avventura/The last adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932).


Italian postcard by Stab. Fotografico G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 88. Photo: Production Cines Pittaluga. Armando Falconi and Diomira Jacobini in L'ultima avventura/The last adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932).


Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 554.

Sources: Treccani.it (Italian), Wikipedia (Italian), and IMDb.

Revolutionshochzeit (1928)

EFSP's co-editor Ivo Blom is in Germany, where he visits the Bonn Stumfilmtage. Tonight he attends the screening of Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (1929), a revolutionary drama which shows the sophistication with which a "mere entertainment film" could be made in the late 1920s. The stage play, 'Revolutionsbryllup', on which the film is based, by the famous Danish writer Sophus Michaëlis, had previously been filmed four times in Denmark and Germany. This last silent film adaptation is a masterstroke of international cooperation: a Danish director, A.W. Sandberg, staged a Danish play with French content on behalf of a German production company. The small ensemble consisted of the Swede Gösta Eckman, the Italian Diomira Jacobini, the Austrian Fritz Kortner, the German Walter Rilla and the Dane Karina Bell. And the 35mm print that is shown in Bonn comes from the Danish Film Institute in Copenhagen.


Danish postcard by Alex. Vincent's Kunstforlag, Eneret, no. 253. Photo: Diomira Jacobini and Gösta Ekman in Revolutionshochzeit/ The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1927).


Danish postcard by Alex. Vincent's Kunstforlag, Eneret, no. 254. Photo: publicity still for Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1928). This was a German-Danish dramatisation of Sophus Michaëlis' play 'Revolutionsbryllup' (Revolutionary Wedding) and produced by Terra-Filmkunst. This card shows left Gösta Ekman and Karina Bell and in the back Fritz Kortner as the Jacobine Monteloup, and right Diomira Jacobini whose character, the aristocratic Alaine, has changed clothes with her maid Leontine (Karina Bell) to get a pass to leave Paris.

Paris in 1793, in the midst of the French Revolution

Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding (A.W. Sandberg, 1928) evolves in Paris in 1793, in the midst of the French Revolution. To fulfil her late father's last wish, the Comtesse Alaine de l'Estelle has become engaged to the noble Erneste de Tressailles.

Alaine de l’Estelle (Diomira Jacobini) and her maid Leontine (Karina Bell) try to flee Paris. Alaine is expected by her fiance, Ernest de Tresailles (Walter Rilla), at the castle of Trionville.

Erneste is fighting as a so-called émigré officer in the Austrian army against the Republicans. When Erneste is stationed near Alaine's castle of Trionville, he visits her in order to marry quickly. But that's when a Republican army led by the cold-hearted citizen-commissar Jacobine Monteloup (Fritz Kortner) invades the chateau and arrests Erneste.

As an émigré officer and enemy of the people, he is sentenced to death. In order to save Erneste, Alaine asks the good-natured Republican lieutenant Marc-Arron (Gösta Ekman) for help. He is a member of the Jacobines, who right after the marriage of Ernest and Alaine occupy Trionville.

For the love of Alaine, Marc tries to help Ernest and, consequently, is arrested and executed.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3746/1, 1928-1929. Photo: Terra Film. Gösta Ekman in the Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding (A.W. Sandberg, 1928).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3746/2, 1928-1929. Photo: Terra Film. Gösta Ekman in the Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding (A.W. Sandberg, 1928).

A still enjoyable film full of excitement

Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding (A.W. Sandberg, 1928) is an adaptation by Norbert Falk and Robert Liebmann of the 1906 play of the same name by Sophus Michaelis and was produced by the Berlin company Terra-Film AG. Filming took place in the Terra Glass House and the surrounding area of Paris.

After passing through the Reich film censors, who gave the film the rating "Volksbildend" (educating the people), it premiered in Berlin (Mozartsaal) on 3 October 1928. In the following weeks, it was shown in other European countries, and later worldwide.

Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding was described by contemporary critics as a "top work", a "great film" and a "great revolutionary film". In particular, the courage of the tragic ending and the performance of Gösta Ekman and the direction of Anders Wilhelm Sandberg were praised.

Hans Wollenberg in Lichtbild-Bühne, no. 239, 4.10.1928: A. W. Sandberg, the Danish director, not only proves to be a master of the magnificent, splendidly moving and animated mass scenes but rather, above the outer unfolding, devotes all his love to the inner human core and thus to the actual play scenes with the finest feeling for the unravelling of the human heart, makes his directorial achievement an artistic deed. One must realise the unusual tasks that this demanding subject confronted the director with in order to appreciate the rich and great art of interpretation to which it owes its realisation as a silent film.

Revolutionshochzeit/Revolution Wedding was popular with the public, but after the film had been shown in cinemas, it fell into oblivion. It took till 2010 for a print from Moscow to emerge at the film archive of Toulouse, which was sent to the Filmmuseum Potsdam, where it was restored and re-premiered in March 2011. It was considered then to have an overdose of pathos and heroism, but it is also an enjoyable film full of excitement.


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3747/1, 1928-1929. Photo: Terra Film. Karina Bell in Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1928).


German postcard by Ross Verlag, no. 3748/1, 1928-1929. Source: Terra-Film. Diomira Jacobini in Revolutionshochzeit/The Last Night (A.W. Sandberg, 1928).

Sources: Bonn Stumfilmtage (German), Wikipedia (German) and IMDb.

L'ultima avventura (1932)

Diomira Jacobini and Armando Falconi were the stars in the Cines-Pittaluga production of L'ultima avventura/The Last Adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932). The postcards for this early Italian sound film have French-written captions at the backside, but are Italian.


Italian postcard, no. 26. Photo: Prod. Cines-Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Armando Falconi in L'ultima avventura (Mario Camerini, 1932).


Italian postcard, no. 52. Photo: Prod. Cines-Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Armando Falconi in L'ultima avventura (Mario Camerini, 1932).

An old and rich Don Juan

In L'ultima avventura/The Last Adventure (Mario Camerini, 1932), Armando Falconi plays count Armando, an old and rich Don Juan, who hopes to have a final adventure with the charming Lilly (Diomira Jacobini). He takes her on vacation to seaside resort Rapallo, situated on Italy’s Ligurian Coast

When for once in his lifetime Armando is too timid to confess his love, the young woman is courted by a second man of her own age (Carlo Fontana).

When the young man declares his love to Lilly, the young woman leaves the old nobleman, who hesitated too long. The old Don Juan thus lets escape his 'last adventure'.

Jacobini and Falconi had both been stars of the Italian silent cinema. And although Falconi was much older than his female colleague in real life too, he had a longer career in the sound cinema and  starred in films till the late 1940s.

L'ultima avventura/The Last Adventure's sets were designed by the art director Gastone Medin and the photography was done by Ubaldo Arata.


Italian postcard, no. 54. Photo: Prod. Cines-Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Armando Falconi in L'ultima avventura (Mario Camerini, 1932).


Italian postcard, no. 64. Photo: Prod. Cines-Pittaluga. Diomira Jacobini and Carlo Fontana in L'ultima avventura (Mario Camerini, 1932).

Sources: Wikipedia (Italian and English) and IMDb.