01/09/2005

The Venice Days kicked off Wednesday with a special screening of Giacomo l’idealista as an homage to Italian director Alberto Lattuada, who passed away last July. Giacomo originally came out in 1943 and was Lattuada’s first film as a director; it was screened in the presence of Mr Lattuada’s widow.

The existence of the film itself is a small miracle; it came together despite the difficulties of the ongoing war, the fascist censor board and the relative inexperience of the crew. Lattuada’s experience included a stint as a co-screenwriter and assistant director on Piccolo mondo antico (Soldati 1941) and he turned to many of his colleagues from that film for Giacomo, including screenwriter Emilio Cecchi, producer Carlo Ponti, camera operator Carlo Nebiolo (who was promoted to cinematographer) and star Massimo Serato. The film also offered the first major role for former model Marina Berti.

The film, based on the novel by Emilio De Marchi, tells the story of Giacomo (Massimo Serato) who is the pivot between his own family of humble means and the aristocratic Magnenzio family. A veteran of the war for Italian unification, Giacomo plans to marry his sweetheart Celestina (Marina Berti), but as the story progresses various obstacles threaten to bring both families to shame and these events keep postponing the announced marriage. Lattuada’s flair as a director is already visible in his first work; the transfixing image of a dishevelled Berti on the bow of a ferry at the end of the film is arresting for both its psychological insight and its terrible beauty.