Vittorio De Sica
Born 7 July 1901 Died 13 November 1974 (aged 73) Occupations Years active 1917–1974 Spouses Children
Vittorio De Sica ( də SEE -kə , Italian: [vitˈtɔːrjo de ˈsiːka] ; 7 July 1901 – 13 November 1974) was an Italian film director and actor, a leading figure in the neorealist movement.
Four of the films he directed won Academy Awards: Sciuscià and Bicycle Thieves (honorary), while Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow and Il giardino dei Finzi Contini won the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film . Indeed, the great critical success of Sciuscià (the first foreign film to be so recognized by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences ) and Bicycle Thieves helped establish the permanent Best Foreign Film Award. These two films are considered part of the canon of classic cinema.[1] Bicycle Thieves was deemed the greatest film of all time by Sight & Sound magazine's poll of filmmakers and critics in 1958,[2] and was cited by Turner Classic Movies as one of the 15 most influential films in cinema history.[3]
De Sica was also nominated for the 1957 Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for playing Major Rinaldi in American director Charles Vidor 's 1957 adaptation of Ernest Hemingway 's A Farewell to Arms , a movie that was panned by critics and proved a box office flop. De Sica's acting was considered the highlight of the film.[4]
Life and career [ edit ] De Sica in the late 1920s De Sica was born on 7 July 1901 in Sora, Lazio , the son of Neapolitan parents.[5] His father was an officer of the Bank of Italy, and was transferred from Naples to Sora, Italy.[6] De Sica began his career as a theatre actor in the early 1920s and joined Tatiana Pavlova 's theatre company in 1923. In 1933 he founded his own company with the actress, Giuditta Rissone , who later became his wife, and Sergio Tofano . The company performed mostly light comedies , but they also staged plays by Beaumarchais and worked with famous directors like Luchino Visconti .
His meeting with the screenwriter Cesare Zavattini was a very important event: together they created some of the most celebrated films of the neorealistic age , like Sciuscià (Shoeshine ) and Bicycle Thieves (released as The Bicycle Thief in America), both of which De Sica directed.
De Sica appeared in the British television series The Four Just Men (1959).
Personal life [ edit ] His passion for gambling was well known and because of it, he often lost large sums of money and accepted work that might not otherwise have interested him. He never kept his gambling a secret from anyone; in fact, he projected it on characters in his own movies, like Count Max (which he acted in but did not direct) and The Gold of Naples , as well as in General Della Rovere , a film directed by Rossellini in which De Sica played the title role.[10]
In 1937 Vittorio De Sica married the actress Giuditta Rissone , who gave birth to their daughter, Emilia (Emi). In 1942, on the set of Un garibaldino al convento , he met Spanish actress María Mercader (cousin of Ramon Mercader , Leon Trotsky 's assassin), with whom he started a relationship. After divorcing Rissone in France in 1954, he married Mercader in 1959 in Mexico, but this union was not considered valid under Italian law. In 1968 he obtained French citizenship and married Mercader in Paris. Meanwhile, he had already had two sons with her: Manuel , in 1949, a musician, and Christian , in 1951, who would follow his father's path as an actor and director.
He was a Roman Catholic [12] and a communist .[13] [14] Although divorced, De Sica never parted from his first family. He led a double family life, with double celebrations on holidays. It is said that, at Christmas and on New Year's Eve, he used to put back the clocks by two hours in Mercader's house so that he could make a toast at midnight with both families. His first wife agreed to keep up the facade of a marriage so as not to leave her daughter without a father.
Vittorio De Sica died at 73 after surgery due to lung cancer at the Neuilly-sur-Seine hospital in Paris.[15]
Awards and nominations [ edit ] Vittorio De Sica was given the Interfilm Grand Prix in 1971 by the Berlin International Film Festival .
Filmography [ edit ] Directing credits [ edit ] Acting credits [ edit ] Il processo Clemenceau (1917, by Alfredo De Antoni ) as Pierre Clémenceau bambinoLa bellezza del mondo (1927, by Mario Almirante )La compagnia dei matti (1928, by Mario Almirante ) as Prof. RosolilloLa vecchia signora (1932, by Amleto Palermi ) as Il fine dicitoreGli uomini, che mascalzoni! (1932, by Mario Camerini ) as BrunoDue cuori felici (1932, by Baldassarre Negroni ) as Mister BrownPaprika (1933, by Carl Boese )Pasa el amor (1933, by Adolf Trotz)Lisetta (1934, by Carl Boese ) as Fritz PetersLa canzone del sole (1934, by Max Neufeld (he stars too the German version titles Das lied der sonne )) as Dr. Giuseppe PaladinoUn cattivo soggetto (1933, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia ) as WillyLa segretaria per tutti (1933, by Amleto Palermi ) as Un gagàTempo massimo (1934, by Mario Mattoli ) as Il professore Giacomo BantiIl signore desidera? (1934, by Gennaro Righelli ) as MartinoThe Song of the Sun (1934, by Max Neufeld) as Paladino, il avvocatoDarò un milione (1935, by Mario Camerini ) as GoldAmo te sola (1936, by Mario Mattoli ) as Prof. Giovanni AganoNon ti conosco più (1936, by Nunzio Malasomma ) as Il dottore Alberto SpinelliLohengrin (1936, by Nunzio Malasomma ) as AlfredoL'uomo che sorride (1937, by Mario Mattoli ) as Pio FardellaIl signor Max (1937, by Mario Camerini ) as Gianni / Max VaraldoBut It's Nothing Serious (1937, by Mario Camerini ) as Memmo SperanzaNaples of Olden Times (1938, by Amleto Palermi ) as Mario EspositoLa mazurka di papà (1938, by Oreste Biancoli ) as Stefano San Mauro / Il figlio di San MauroIl Trionfo dell'amore (1938, by Mario Mattoli ) as VincenzoThe Cuckoo Clock (1938, by Camillo Mastrocinque ) as Il capitano DucciDeparture (1938, by Amleto Palermi ) as Paolo VerondaThey've Kidnapped a Man (1938, by Gennaro Righelli ) as L'attore cinematograficoAi vostri ordini, signora! (1939, by Mario Mattoli ) as Pietro HaguetNaples That Never Die (1939, by Amleto Palermi)Questi ragazzi (1939, by Mario Mattoli ) as VincenzoCastles in the Air (1939, by Augusto Genina (He stars too the German version Ins blaue leben )) as Riccardo PietramolaDepartment Store (1939, by Mario Camerini ) as Bruno ZacchiIt Always Ends That Way (1939, by Enrique Telémaco Susini ) as Alberto MillerManon Lescaut (1940, by Carmine Gallone ) as Renato Des GrieuxTwo on a Vacation (1940, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia ) as Il conte Corrado ValliRed Roses (1940, by Giuseppe Amato and Vittorio De Sica) as Alberto VeraniThe Two Mothers (1940, by Amleto Palermi ) as SalvatoreThe Sinner (1940, by Amleto Palermi ) as Pietro BandelliMaddalena, Zero for Conduct (1940, by Vittorio De Sica) as Alfredo HartmanThe Adventuress from the Floor Above (1941, by Raffaello Matarazzo (script too, not credited)) as Fabrizio MarchiniTeresa Venerdì (1941, by Vittorio De Sica) as Dott. Pietro VignaliSe io fossi onesto (1942, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (script too)) as Pietro KovachA Garibaldian in the Convent (1942, by Vittorio De Sica) as Nino Bixio (uncredited)La guardia del corpo (1942, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (script too)) as Riccardo, L'investigatore privatoNon sono superstizioso... ma! (1943, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (script too)) as Il barone RobertoI nostri sogni (1943, by Vittorio Cottafavi (script too)) as LeoNessuno torna indietro (1945, by Alessandro Blasetti ) as MaurizioL'ippocampo (1945, by Gian Paolo Rosmino (script too, and assistant to director, not credited)) as Pio SandiVivere ancora (1945, by Nino Giannini)Lo sbaglio di essere vivo (1945, by Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia ) as Adriano LariRoma città libera (1946, by Marcello Pagliero ) as Il signore distintoAbbasso la ricchezza! (1946, by Gennaro Righelli (story and script too)) as Il conte GhiraniNatale al campo 119 (1947, regia di Pietro Francisci (script too and supervision director, not credited)) as Don VicenzinoSperduti nel buio (1947, by Camillo Mastrocinque ) as NunzioLo Sconosciuto di San Marino (1948, by Michal Waszynski and Vittorio Cottafavi ) as Leo, l'ateoCuore (1948, by Duilio Coletti (producer and script too)) as Professor PerboniIl mondo vuole così (1949, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as Paolo MorelliDomani è troppo tardi (1949, by Léonide Moguy (consulting director too, not credited)) as Il professor LandiCameriera bella presenza offresi... (1951, by Giorgio Pàstina ) as Leonardo LeonardiMamma Mia, What an Impression! (1951, by Roberto Savarese )Buongiorno, elefante! (1952, by Gianni Franciolini (producer too)) as Carlo CarettiGli uomini non guardano il cielo (1952, by Umberto Scarpelli)In Olden Days (1952, by Alessandro Blasetti ) as L'Avvocato Difensore (segment "Il processo di Frine")The Earrings of Madame de... (1953, by Max Ophüls ) as Baron Fabrizio DonatiVilla Borghese (1953, by Gianni Franciolini ) as L'avvocato Arturo Cavazzuti (segment: Incidente a Villa Borghese)Pane, amore e fantasia (1953, by Luigi Comencini ) as Maresciallo CarotenutoIl matrimonio (1954, by Antonio Petrucci ) as Gregory Stefanovich SmirnovCento anni d'amore (1954, by Lionello De Felice ) as Duke Giovanni del Bagno aka Signor Pallini (segment "Pendolin")Gran Varietà (1954, by Domenico Paolella ) as Veneziani - il fine dicitore (segment "Il censore")A Slice of Life (1954, by Alessandro Blasetti et Paul Paviot) as Il conte Ferdinando (segment "Don Corradino")Il letto (1954, by Gianni Franciolini ) as Roberto (segment "Divorce, Le")Vergine moderna (1954, by Marcello Pagliero ) as Antonio ValliAllegro squadrone (1954, by Paolo Moffa ) as Il generalePane, amore e gelosia (1954, by Luigi Comencini ) as Maresciallo CarotenutoL'oro di Napoli (1954, by Vittorio De Sica) as Il conte Prospero B. (segment "I giocatori") (uncredited)Peccato che sia una canaglia (1954, by Alessandro Blasetti ) as Vittorio StroppianiIl segno di Venere (1955, by Dino Risi ) as Alessio SpanoGli ultimi cinque minuti (1955, by Giuseppe Amato ) as Carlo ReaniLa bella mugnaia (1955, by Mario Camerini ) as Don Teofilo - governatoreRacconti romani (1955, by Gianni Franciolini ) as Avvocato Mazzoni BarallaPane, amore e... (1955, by Dino Risi ) as Comandante CarotenutoLucky to Be a Woman (1955, by Alessandro Blasetti) as Minor Role (uncredited)Il bigamo (1956, by Luciano Emmer ) as L'onorevole Principe / Attorney PrincipeI giorni più belli (1956, by Mario Mattoli )Mio figlio Nerone (1956, by Steno ) as SenecaTempo di villeggiatura (1956, by Antonio Racioppi ) as Aristide RossiThe Monte Carlo Story (1956, by Samuel Taylor and Giulio Macchi (director's assistant too)) as Count Dino della FiabaNoi siamo le colonne (1956, by Luigi Filippo D'Amico ) as Alfredo CelimontaniPadri e figli (1957, by Mario Monicelli ) as Vincenzo CoralloI colpevoli (1957, by Turi Vasile ) as GiorgioSouvenir d'Italie (1957, by Antonio Pietrangeli ) as The CountCount Max (1957, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as Conte Max Orsini VaraldoCasinò de Paris (1957, by André Hunebelle ) as Alexandre GordyLa donna che venne dal mare (1957, by Francesco De Robertis (1957) as Console BordoginIl medico e lo stregone (1957, by Mario Monicelli ) as Antonio LocoratoloA Farewell to Arms (1957, directed by Charles Vidor (Oscar nomination for Best Supporting Actor) as Major Alessandro RinaldiVacanze a Ischia (1957, by Mario Camerini ) as Ingegner OcchipintiTotò, Vittorio e la dottoressa (1957, by Camillo Mastrocinque ) as Marchese De VittiAmore e chiacchiere (1958, by Alessandro Blasetti ) as Avvocato BonelliDomenica è sempre domenica (1958, by Camillo Mastrocinque ) as Comandante CastaldiAnna of Brooklyn (1958, by Carlo Lastricati and Vittorio De Sica) as Don LuigiPezzo, capopezzo e capitano [it ] (1958, by Wolfgang Staudte ) as Il comandante Ernesto De RossiBallerina e buon Dio (1958, by Antonio Leonviola ) as GodGli zitelloni (1958, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as Il professorePane, amore e Andalusia (1958, by Javier Setó (director's assistant too)) as Maresciallo CarotenutoLa ragazza di Piazza San Pietro (1958, by Piero Costa ) as Armando ConfortiLa prima notte (1959, by Alberto Cavalcanti ) as AlfredoIl nemico di mia moglie (1959, by Gianni Puccini ) as Ottavio Terenzi, padre di MarcoUomini e nobiluomini (1959, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as Marchese Nicola Peccori Macinelli di AfragolaVacanze d'inverno (1959, by Camillo Mastrocinque ) as MauriceIl mondo dei miracoli (1959, by Luigi Capuano ) as Director Pietro GiordaniIl moralista (1959, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as The O. I. M. P. PresidentIl generale della Rovere (1959, by Roberto Rossellini ) as Bardone AKA 'Grimaldi'Ferdinando I, re di Napoli (1959, by Gianni Franciolini ) as Salvatore CaputoNel blu dipinto di blu (1959, by Piero Tellini ) as SpartacoPolicarpo, ufficiale di scrittura (1959, by Mario Soldati )Gastone (1960, by Mario Bonnard ) as The princeThe Angel Wore Red (1960, by Nunnally Johnson and Mario Russo ) as Gen. ClaveAusterlitz (1960, by Abel Gance ) as Pope Pius VIIIt Started in Naples (1960, by Melville Shavelson ) as Mario VitaleLe tre eccetera del colonnello (1960, by Claude Boissol ) as Colonel BelalcazarLe pillole di Ercole (1960, by Luciano Salce ) as Piero CuocoloThe Millionairess (1960, by Anthony Asquith ) as JoeIl vigile (1960, by Luigi Zampa ) as Il sindacoUn amore a Roma (1960, by Dino Risi ) as DirectorGli attendenti (1961, by Giorgio Bianchi ) as Attore di FumettiL'onorata società (1961, by Riccardo Pazzaglia ) as Salvatore, the 'Capintesta'Vive Henri IV, vive l'amour (1961, by Claude Autant-Lara ) as L'ambassadeur d'EspagneThe Last Judgment (1961, director) as Defense lawyerThe Wonders of Aladdin (1961, by Mario Bava and Henry Levin ) as GenieGli incensurati (1961, by Francesco Giaculli ) as Colonnello Filippo BitossiI due marescialli (1961, by Sergio Corbucci ) as Maresciallo Vittorio CottoneLa Fayette (1962, by Jean Dréville ) as BancroftEva (1962, by Joseph Losey and Guidarino Guidi ) (uncredited)The Amorous Adventures of Moll Flanders (1965, by Terence Young ) as The CountIo, io, io... e gli altri (1966, by Alessandro Blasetti ) as Commendator TrepossiUn italiano in America (1967, by Alberto Sordi ) as Giuseppe's FatherAfter the Fox (1966, director) as Himself (uncredited)Gli altri, gli altri e noi (1967, by Maurizio Arena )The Biggest Bundle of Them All (1968, by Ken Annakin ) as Cesare CelliDarling Caroline (1968, by Denys de la Patellière ) as Le comte de Bièvre - le père de CarolineThe Shoes of the Fisherman (1968, by Michael Anderson ) as Cardinal RinaldiIf It's Tuesday, This Must Be Belgium (1969, by Mel Stuart ) as ShoemakerThe Thirteen Chairs (1969, by Nicolas Gessner and Luciano Lucignani ) as Carlo De Seta - The CommendatoreCose di Cosa Nostra (1970, by Steno ) as Don MicheleIo non-vedo, tu non-parli, lui non-sente (1971, by Mario Camerini ) as Player in Venice casinoTrastevere (1971, by Fausto Tozzi ) as Enrico FormichiSiamo tutti in libertà provvisoria (1972, by Manlio Scarpelli ) as Giuseppe Mancini 'Pulcinella'Ettore lo fusto (1972, by Enzo G. Castellari ) as GioveSnow Job (1972, by George Englund ) as Enrico DolphiL'odeur des fauves (1972, by Richard Balducci ) as MilordLe avventure di Pinocchio (1972, by Luigi Comencini (both Film and TV versions)) as Il giudiceThe Small Miracle (1973, TV Movie, by Jeannot Szwarc ) as Father DamicoStoria de fratelli e de cortelli (1973, by Mario Amendola ) as Maresciallo CenciarelliIl delitto Matteotti (1973, by Florestano Vancini ) as Mauro Del Giudice Viaggia, ragazza, viaggia, hai la musica nelle vene (1973, by Pasquale Squitieri )Blood for Dracula (1974, by Paul Morrissey and Antonio Margheriti ) as Il Marchese Di FioreC'eravamo tanto amati (1974, by Ettore Scola ) as HimselfIntorno (1974, Short, by Manuel De Sica )L'eroe (1976, TV Movie, by