Il tenente Giorgio

This is another operatic fireworks spectacle of dramatic intrigue and complications by Raffaelle Matarazzo, a great pioneer in Italian cinema of neo-realism, and although this drama is more dramatic than brutally in the vein of neo-realism, there certainly is realism enough, and like some others of Matarazzo's films, it is very much like a veristic Italian opera. The lieutenant in question is quartered with his soldiers in a castle in Cosenza in southern Italy, and during this one night he is visited by an old maid who requests him to meet an anonymous young lady in trouble. Naturally the lieutenenat can't refuse the request, and we never learn what happened that night, but we can guess. Five years later he returns and finds the same lady in graver distrress than ever, and she has a four year old girl. The lieutenant, now a civilian, having left the army, is employed as a curator by the old count, excellently played by Gualtiero Tumiati, who is in permanent conflict with his neighbour, a baron equally excellently played by Eduardo Ciannelli. The intrigues and complications amass, and it looks pretty bad at times, especially when the small girl gets kidnapped, but the truth always prevails, and nothing can keep it shut up forever. Massimo Girotti is perfect as the intrepid lieutenant, and Milly Vitale as Elisa, the countess, is equally splendid - this is great theatre above all. You will get worried but rewarded.

Post-war Italian cinema-goers lapped up romantic melodramas and one of the best exponents was Raffaello Matarazzo.

The screenplay for this one is by the prolific Aldo de Benedetti and although the plot is absurd enough to be operatic, it is played with passionate conviction by a first rate cast.

Milly Vitale as Elisa does not have an easy task as she is one of those 'woe is me' characters. Mind you, she has a lot to be woeful about. Duped into a marriage with an invalid who is unable to procreate she is tricked by her wicked uncle into spending the night with a stranger so as to produce an heir. The stranger is the handsome 'tenente Giorgio' of the title who is offered the nocturnal assignation on condition he does not look at her face. Based upon the age-old principle that one doesn't look at the fireplace when poking the fire, he accepts. He then rejoins his regiment having fulfilled his function of giving her a child whilst at the same time making quite an impression on her! Naturally they are destined to meet again........

Giorgio is played by Massimo Girotti who belongs to that rare breed, a hunk who can also act. He excelled in 'Ossessione' for Visconti and in Germi's 'In nome della legge' but as time went on, with a couple of exceptions, he rarely had roles that did justice to his talents.

Two splendid character actors here are worthy of note. Gualtiero Tumiati, who is best remembered as Félix Grandet for Mario Soldati, plays the wily uncle and Edouardo Ciannelli, well known to American audiences, is a loathsome Barone who is not above kidnapping Elisa's daughter to achieve his nefarious ends. Thanks to the ineffable mysteries of Italian cinema both of these actors are dubbed and Milly Vitale has the voice of the ubiquitous Lydia Simoneschi, undisputed queen of the dubbers.

Suffice to say Matarazzo has been written off by the critics but he remains an excellent technician whose films never fail to engage our emotions.

As a postscript, both Tumiati and Ciannelli featured in one of Matarazzo's most mesmerising films 'Voyage of Damned Women' which, if rediscovered, has the makings of a cult classic!