''Mid-Century Loves'' () is a 1954 Italian

anthology In book publishing, an anthology is a collection of literary works chosen by the compiler; it may be a collection of plays, poems, short stories, songs, or related fiction/non-fiction excerpts by different authors. There are also thematic and g ...

historical History is the systematic study of the past, focusing primarily on the human past. As an academic discipline, it analyses and interprets evidence to construct narratives about what happened and explain why it happened. Some theorists categ ...

melodrama A melodrama is a Drama, dramatic work in which plot, typically sensationalized for a strong emotional appeal, takes precedence over detailed characterization. Melodrama is "an exaggerated version of drama". Melodramas typically concentrate on ...

film consisting of five segments directed by

Glauco Pellegrini Glauco Pellegrini (1919–1991) was an Italian screenwriter and film director.Mitchell p.200 Selected filmography * ''Il monello della strada'' (1951) * ''Shadows on the Grand Canal'' (1951) * ''What Scoundrels Men Are! (1953 film), What Scoundre ...

Pietro Germi Pietro Germi (; 14 September 1914 – 5 December 1974) was an Italian film director, screenwriter, and actor, noted for his development of the Italian neorealism, neorealist and genres. His 1961 film ''Divorce Italian Style'' earned him a Ac ...

Mario Chiari Mario Chiari (14 July 1909 – 8 April 1989) was an Italian production designer and art director. He was nominated for an Academy Award in the category Best Art Direction for the film '' Doctor Dolittle''. Selected filmography * '' Un gio ...

Roberto Rossellini Roberto Gastone Zeffiro Rossellini (8 May 1906 – 3 June 1977) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and producer. He was one of the most prominent directors of the Italian neorealist cinema, contributing to the movement with films such a ...

and

Antonio Pietrangeli Antonio Pietrangeli (19 January 191912 July 1968) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He was a major practitioner of the commedia all'italiana genre. Biography Pietrangeli was born in Rome. He started in the film industry by writing ...

Plot

Episode # 01: "Romantic love", directed by: Glauco Pellegrini

In 1900 Elena, a young man from a rich bourgeois family, falls in love with the musician Mario. Her father and her aunt Matilde, however, would like the girl to marry a rich count. When Mario leaves for his tour, Matilde promises both young people to foster their feelings, while she actually destroys the letters they send each other, and persuades Elena that Mario has forgotten her. Elena ends up marrying the count.

Episode # 02: "War 1915-18", directed by: Pietro Germi

During the First World War, in a small Abruzzo village the very young lovers Antonio and Carmela get married and are expecting a child. Antonio is called to the front between the draft of 1900: Carmela and all friends and acquaintances are very proud of him and confidently await the end of the war. In the end the victory is announced and the celebrations are unleashed in the town: still no one knows that Antonio was killed in his first assault with the Sicily Brigade.

Episode # 03: "Postwar 1920", directed by: Mario Chiari

Alberto, an exalted squadist, leaves his country greeting his relatives and his girlfriend Susanna to take part in the March on Rome. In reality, he is mainly interested in Rome's nightlife and beautiful women. Susanna joins him in disguise and discovers him in a tabarin in equivocal attitudes with an entrîneuse, to whom she does not fail to reveal her contempt for her peasant girlfriend. But Susanna is not far behind in terms of beauty and sensuality, so much so that she is hired for a provocative number in the part of Salome, and she takes the opportunity to take her revenge on Alberto.

Episode # 04: "Naples 1943", directed by: Roberto Rossellini

During the bombings of the Second World War, actors and extras engaged in rehearsals at the Teatro di San Carlo rush into the air-raid shelter, and there the extra Carla and the airman Renato fall in love, but will be divided by death.

Episode # 05: "Girandola 1910", directed by: Antonio Pietrangeli

We are in the belle époque. A doctor advises a patient to limit his sexual activity; this however asks the doctor to mediate with his mistress so that she is less demanding. The woman is also having another relationship, and she too begs the doctor to intervene discreetly with the second man; and so on until among the whirlwind of lovers the doctor recognizes his wife.

Cast

L'amore romantico

Franco Interlenghi Franco Interlenghi (29 October 1931 – 10 September 2015) was an Italian actor. He made his acting debut at 15 in Vittorio De Sica's 1946 Neorealist film '' Sciuscià''. He worked with great directors such as Alessandro Blasetti in '' Fabiola' ...

: Mario *

Leonora Ruffo Leonora Ruffo (13 January 1936 – 25 May 2007) was an Italian film actress. Career Born in Rome as Bruna Bovi, the daughter of Angelo Bovi, basketball coach of Ginnastica Roma, Italian Championship pluri-winner, Ruffo failed to obtain the main ...

: Elena *

Paola Borboni Paola Borboni (1 January 1900 – 9 April 1995) was an Italian stage and film actress whose career spanned nearly eight decades of cinema. Early life Borboni was born on 1 January 1900 in Parma, Italy. Career Borboni made her stage deb ...

: Matilde *

Carlo Ninchi Carlo Ninchi (31 May 1896 – 27 April 1974) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1931 and 1963. Selected filmography * '' Before the Jury'' (1931) – Marcello Barra, il guardacaccia * '' Mother Earth'' ( ...

: Elena's father *

Luigi Tosi Luigi Tosi (15 July 1915 – 12 March 1989) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than seventy films from 1944 to 1965. Filmography References External links * 1915 births 1989 deaths Italian male film actors Male actors from ...

: Count Edoardo Savelli

Girandola 1910

* Lea Padovani: Isabella * Andrea Checchi: Gabriele *

Umberto Melnati Umberto Melnati (17 June 1897 – 30 March 1979) was an Italian film actor He appeared in over 35 films between 1932 and 1962. He starred in films such as the Mario Mattoli 1936 film ''L'uomo che sorride'' and ''Il signor Max'' (1937). He ...

: Cocò, the policeman *

Carlo Campanini Carlo Campanini (5 October 1906 – 20 November 1984) was an Italian actor, singer and comedian. He appeared in more than 120 films between 1939 and 1969. Life and career Born in Turin, Campanini attended a technical school and a course of ...

: Michelangelo, the doctor * Franco Scandurra

Guerra 1915-18

Maria Pia Casilio Maria Pia Casilio (5 May 1935 – 10 April 2012) was an Italian film actress, best known for major roles in ''Umberto D.'' and ''An American in Rome''. Born in San Pio delle Camere, L'Aquila, Casilio was quite active between 1952 and 1960, ...

: Carmela * Albino Cocco: Antonio * Lauro Gazzolo: the master *

Amedeo Trilli Amedeo Trilli (9 July 1906 – 30 November 1971) was an Italian film and television actor. Life and career Born in Ronciglione, Viterbo, at very young age Trilli worked as a circus artist, then in 1922 he studied performance at the Accademi ...

Dopoguerra 1920

Alberto Sordi Alberto Sordi (15 June 1920 – 24 February 2003) was an Italian actor, comedian, voice dubber, director, singer, composer and screenwriter. Sordi is considered one of the most important actors in the history of Italian cinema and one of the b ...

: Alberto * Silvana Pampanini: Susanna *

Giuseppe Porelli Giuseppe Porelli (24 November 1897 – 5 March 1982) was an Italian stage, film and television actor. Life and career Born Giuseppe Porcelli in Naples, he graduated from the Istituto Tecnico and became an employee of Ferrovie dello Stato. W ...

: Fosco D'Agata * Alba Arnova: Yvonne *

Arturo Bragaglia Arturo Bragaglia (7 January 1893 – 21 January 1962) was an Italian actor. He appeared in more than one hundred films from 1938 to 1961. Selected filmography References External links * 1893 births 1962 deaths Italian male f ...

: zio di Alberto * Franco Migliacci

Napoli 1943

Antonella Lualdi Antonella Lualdi (born Antonietta de Pascale, 6 July 1931 – 10 August 2023) was an Italian actress and singer. She appeared in many Italian and French films in the 1950s and 1960s, notably in Claude Autant-Lara's film ''The Red and the Black'' ...

: Carla * Franco Pastorino: Renato *

Ugo D'Alessio Ugo D'Alessio (26 August 1909 – 16 February 1979) was an Italian film actor.Goble p.113 Selected filmography * '' Malaspina'' (1947) - Nicola * '' Madunnella'' (1948) - Il ragionere, padre di Maria * '' Assunta Spina'' (1948) - Epanimonda Pe ...

References

External links

* 1954 films Italian drama films Italian romance films Italian historical films 1954 drama films 1950s romance films 1950s historical films Films directed by Roberto Rossellini Films directed by Pietro Germi Films directed by Antonio Pietrangeli Films directed by Glauco Pellegrini Films scored by Carlo Rustichelli 1950s melodrama films 1950s Italian films {{1950s-Italy-film-stub