''Assunta Spina'' is a 1948 Italian drama film directed by

Mario Mattoli Mario Mattoli (; 30 November 1898 – 26 February 1980) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed 86 films between 1934 and 1966. His 1939 film ''Defendant, Stand Up!'' was shown as part of a retrospective on Italian comedy ...

and starring

Anna Magnani Anna Maria Magnani (; 7 March 1908 – 26 September 1973) was an Italian actress.Obituary ''Variety'', 3 October 1973, pg. 47 She was known for her explosive acting and earthy, realistic portrayals of characters. Born in Rome, she worked her ...

Antonio Centa Antonio Centa (10 August 1907 – 19 April 1979) was an Italian film actor. Career Born in Maniago, Province of Pordenone, Centa was among the most active and popular actors between the mid-1930s and 1943 (when the Italian film industry almost ...

and

Giacomo Furia Giacomo Matteo Furia (2 January 1925 – 5 June 2015) was an Italian film, television and stage actor. He appeared in more than 130 films between 1948 and 1998. Life and career Born in Arienzo, near Caserta, Furia started his acting career ...

. It was adapted from

Salvatore Di Giacomo Salvatore Di Giacomo (12 March 1860 – 5 April 1934) was an Italian poet, songwriter, playwright and fascist, one of the signatories to the Manifesto of the Fascist Intellectuals. Di Giacomo is credited as being one of those responsible for ...

's 1909 play of the same title. It was released in the United States with the title ''Scarred''. It was shot at the Farnesina Studios in Rome and on location in

Naples Naples (; it, Napoli ; nap, Napule ), from grc, Νεάπολις, Neápolis, lit=new city. is the regional capital of Campania and the third-largest city of Italy, after Rome and Milan, with a population of 909,048 within the city's adm ...

. The film's sets were designed by the

art director Art director is the title for a variety of similar job functions in theater, advertising, marketing, publishing, fashion, film and television, the Internet, and video games. It is the charge of a sole art director to supervise and unify the vis ...

Piero Filippone Piero Filippone (1911–1998) was an Italian art director who designed the sets for around two hundred films. He created the sets for Roberto Rossellini's 1954 film ''Journey to Italy''.Brunette p.416 Selected filmography * '' Three Cornered Hat ...

. Distributed by Titanus it earned around 70 million

lira Lira is the name of several currency units. It is the current currency of Turkey and also the local name of the currencies of Lebanon and of Syria. It is also the name of several former currencies, including those of Italy, Malta and Israe ...

at the domestic box office.Chiti, Roberto & Poppi, Roberto. ''Dizionario del cinema Italiano: Dal 1945 al 1959''. Gremese Editore, 1991. p. 46-47.

Plot

The film takes place in

at the turn of the twentieth century. Assunta, a passionate and impulsive woman, is scarred on the face by her lover Michele for making him jealous. He is sentenced to serve two years in prison in

Avellino Avellino () is a town and ''comune'', capital of the province of Avellino in the Campania region of southern Italy. It is situated in a plain surrounded by mountains east of Naples and is an important hub on the road from Salerno to Benevento. ...

, despite her efforts to exonerate him at the trial. While he is inside she begins a relationship with a court official. When Michele is released and kills the man, she chooses to take the blame for the crime.

Cast

as Assunta Spina *

Eduardo De Filippo Eduardo De Filippo (; 24 May 1900 – 31 October 1984), also known simply as ''Eduardo'', was an Italian actor, director, screenwriter and playwright, best known for his Neapolitan works ''Filumena Marturano'' and '' Napoli Milionaria''. Consid ...

as Michele Boccadifuoco *

as Chancellor Federico Funelli *

Aldo Bufi Landi Aldo Bufi Landi (7 April 1923 – 2 February 2016) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 100 films between 1947 and 2013. Selected filmography * '' Malaspina'' (1947) * '' Madunnella'' (1948) * '' Assunta Spina'' (1948) * ''L ...

as Brigadier Marcello Flaiano * Titina De Filippo as Emilia Forcinelli *

as Tittariello * Ugo D'Alessio as Epanimonda Pesce *

Pietro Carloni Pietro Carloni (28 October 1896 – 3 August 1968) was an Italian stage and film actor. Life and career Born in Taurisano, Lecce into a family of actors, Carloni debuted on stage at young age in the theatrical company held by Ernesto Murolo. I ...

as President of the Court *

Aldo Giuffrè Aldo Giuffrè (10 April 1924 – 26 June 2010) was an Italian film actor and comedian who appeared in over 90 films between 1948 and 2001. He was born in Naples and was the brother of actor Carlo Giuffrè. He is known for his roles in '' The ...

as Brigadier Mancuso

References

External links

* Italian historical drama films 1940s historical drama films 1948 drama films Italian black-and-white films Films directed by Mario Mattoli Films set in Naples Films shot in Naples Films set in the 1900s Films scored by Renzo Rossellini Italian films based on plays 1940s Italian films {{1940s-Italy-film-stub