Antonio Leonviola
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Antonio Leonviola, sometimes Leon Viola (13 May 1913 – 4 August 1995), was an Italian
screenwriter A screenwriter (also called scriptwriter, scribe, or scenarist) is a person who practices the craft of writing for visual mass media, known as screenwriting. These can include short films, feature-length films, television programs, television ...
and
film director A film director or filmmaker is a person who controls a film's artistic and dramatic aspects and visualizes the screenplay (or script) while guiding the film crew and actors in the fulfillment of that Goal, vision. The director has a key role ...
and co-founder of the "Libera Università del Cinema di Roma".


Life and career

Leonviola was born in 1913 in
Montagnana Montagnana is a town and ''comune'' in the province of Padova, in Veneto (northern Italy). Neighbouring communes are Borgo Veneto, Casale di Scodosia, Urbana, Bevilacqua, Pojana Maggiore, Pressana, Minerbe and Roveredo di Guà. , the popul ...
as Antonio Leone Viola. In 1934, he won a gold medal at the
Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...
for his silent film ''Fiera di tipi'', which he shot at a fair in
Padua Padua ( ) is a city and ''comune'' (municipality) in Veneto, northern Italy, and the capital of the province of Padua. The city lies on the banks of the river Bacchiglione, west of Venice and southeast of Vicenza, and has a population of 20 ...
. He worked as
war photographer War photography involves photographing armed conflict and its effects on people and places. Photographers who participate in this genre may find themselves placed in harm's way, and are sometimes killed trying to get their pictures out of the war ...
during World War II, an experience that he reflected in a few short films including ''La battaglia dell'Amba Alagi'' and ''La marcia degli eroi''. After the war, Leonviola worked as a screenwriter in a number of adventure films and in 1942 directed his first feature film, ''Rita da Cascia''. After a long break, he returned as director in 1951 with a crime film, ''
The Temptress The Temptress may refer to: * The Temptress (1926 film), an American silent romantic drama film * The Temptress (1920 film), a British silent romance film * The Temptress (1949 film), a British second feature drama film * The Temptress (1951 fi ...
'', which was celebrated by critics. The success did not hold, and his next films were all more or less battered by the critics. There followed the costume film ''Sul ponte dei sospiri'', ''Noi cannibali'' (a story of social discrimination), a remake of his earlier ''Rita da Cascia'' entitled ''Il suo amore più grande'', and ''
Angel in a Taxi ''Angel in a Taxi'' () is a 1958 Italy, Italian film. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti and Vera Tschechowa. Cast * Vera Tschechowa: Camilla, the dancer * : Marietto * Vittorio De Sica: God * Gabriele Ferzetti: Andrea * Guido Lauri: the dance partner * ...
''. ''
Human Torpedoes ''Siluri umani'' (internationally released as ''Human Torpedoes'') is a 1954 Italian war film credited to Antonio Leonviola, who abandoned production and was substituted by director Carlo Lizzani (uncredited). The movie depicts the successful WWII ...
'', a war film credited to Leonviola, was for the large part directed by
Carlo Lizzani Carlo Lizzani (3 April 1922 – 5 October 2013) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and critic. Biography Born in Rome, before World War II Lizzani worked as a scenarist on such films as Roberto Rossellini's '' Germany Year Zero'', ...
, who, however, did not want his name in the credits. In 1961, Leonviola switched to mythological peplum, directing '' Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops'' (starring
Gordon Mitchell Gordon Mitchell (born Charles Allen Pendleton; July 29, 1923 – September 20, 2003) was an American actor and bodybuilder, known for his starring roles in Italian sword-and-sandal and Spaghetti Western films. Early life Charles Allen Pendleto ...
) followed by '' Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules'' (starring
Mark Forest Lou Degni (January 6, 1933 – January 7, 2022), known professionally as Mark Forest, was an American actor and bodybuilder — widely known as the protagonist in a series of 1960s sword and sandal or ''peplum'' movies — including his ...
) the same year. Two years later, in 1963, Leonviola directed another two peplum films both starring Joe Robinson as "Taur" (in the English version: "Thor", in the German: "Taurus"): ''
Thor and the Amazon Women ''Thor and the Amazon Women'' (Italian: ''Le gladiatrici'', lit. "The female gladiators") is a 1963 Italian / Yugoslavian sword and sandal film directed by Antonio Leonviola. The film is also known as ''The Amazon Women'' (United Kingdom censored ...
'' and ''Taur, il re della forza bruta''. Finally, in 1967, after a break of 4 years, Leonviola returned one last time to direct the
caper film The heist film or caper film is a subgenre of crime films and the caper story, focused on the planning, execution, and aftermath of a significant robbery. One of the early defining heist films was '' The Asphalt Jungle'' (1950), which ''Film G ...
''I giovani tigri'' starring
Helmut Berger Helmut Berger (; ''né'' Steinberger; 29 May 1944 – 18 May 2023) was an Austrian actor, known for his portrayal of narcissistic and sexually ambiguous characters. He was one of the stars of European cinema in the late 1960s and 1970s, and is r ...
. Leonviola continued to work as screenwriter. In 1968, his novel ''La virtù sdraiata'' was published under his jumbled birth name "Leone Antonio Viola". It was adapted for
Sidney Lumet Sidney Arthur Lumet ( ; June 25, 1924 – April 9, 2011) was an American film director. Lumet started his career in theatre before moving to film, where he gained a reputation for making realistic and gritty New York City, New York dramas w ...
's film ''
The Appointment The Appointment may refer to: * ''The Appointment'' (film), a 1969 psychological drama * ''The Appointment'' (novel), a 1997 German novel by Herta Müller * ''The Appointment'' (Picasso), a 1900 pastel on paper by Pablo Picasso See also * Appo ...
'' (1969). He was married to director, screenwriter and artist Sofia Scandurra, with whom he founded the "Libera Università del Cinema di Roma" for actors and directors in
San Cesareo San Cesareo ( or ''Statio ad Statuas'') is a town and ''comune'' in the Metropolitan City of Rome. In ancient times, it was on the Via Labicana or Via Latina, from Rome. Sports A.S.D. San Cesareo Calcio is an Italian association football cl ...
in 1983. Further co-founders were
Cesare Zavattini Cesare Zavattini (20 September 1902 – 13 October 1989) was an Italian screenwriter and one of the first theorists and proponents of the Neorealist movement in Italian cinema. Biography Born in Luzzara near Reggio Emilia in northern Italy, o ...
and
Alessandro Blasetti Alessandro Blasetti (3 July 1900 – 1 February 1987) was an Italian film director and screenwriter who influenced Italian neorealism with the film ''Four Steps in the Clouds''. Blasetti was one of the leading figures in Italian cinema during the ...
. Leonviola died on 4 August 1995.


Selected filmography


Screenwriter

* ''
Hurricane in the Tropics ''Hurricane in the Tropics'' () is a 1939 Italian adventure film directed by Pier Luigi Faraldo and Gino Talamo and starring Fosco Giachetti, Rubi D'Alma, and Osvaldo Valenti.Poppi p.396 The film is based on a novel by Anton Giulio Majano. The f ...
'' (1939) * '' The Son of the Red Corsair'' (1943) * ''
Rita of Cascia Rita of Cascia, OSA (born Margherita Ferri Lotti; 1381 – 22 May 1457), was an Italian widow and Augustinian nun. After Rita's husband died, she joined a small community of nuns, who later became Augustinians, where she was known both for pr ...
'' (1943) * ''
For You I Have Sinned ''For You I Have Sinned'' () is a 1953 Italian melodrama film directed by Mario Costa and starring Pierre Cressoy, Milly Vitale and Frank Latimore.Parish & Canham p.63 Cast * Pierre Cressoy as Guido * Milly Vitale as Elena * Frank Latimore as Red ...
'' (1953) * ''
The Appointment The Appointment may refer to: * ''The Appointment'' (film), a 1969 psychological drama * ''The Appointment'' (novel), a 1997 German novel by Herta Müller * ''The Appointment'' (Picasso), a 1900 pastel on paper by Pablo Picasso See also * Appo ...
'' (1969) * ''
Senza sapere niente di lei La Senza Corporation is a Canadian fashion retailer that sells women's lingerie and intimate apparel. The La Senza brand is currently owned by Regent, L.P., Regent which operates and owns La Senza stores in Canada and the United States and uses ...
'' (1969)


Director

* ''Fiera di tipi'' (1934) * ''Rita da Cascia'' (1942) * ''
The Temptress The Temptress may refer to: * The Temptress (1926 film), an American silent romantic drama film * The Temptress (1920 film), a British silent romance film * The Temptress (1949 film), a British second feature drama film * The Temptress (1951 fi ...
'' (1952) * ''
Human Torpedoes ''Siluri umani'' (internationally released as ''Human Torpedoes'') is a 1954 Italian war film credited to Antonio Leonviola, who abandoned production and was substituted by director Carlo Lizzani (uncredited). The movie depicts the successful WWII ...
'' (1954) * ''
Angel in a Taxi ''Angel in a Taxi'' () is a 1958 Italy, Italian film. It stars Gabriele Ferzetti and Vera Tschechowa. Cast * Vera Tschechowa: Camilla, the dancer * : Marietto * Vittorio De Sica: God * Gabriele Ferzetti: Andrea * Guido Lauri: the dance partner * ...
'' (1958) * '' Atlas in the Land of the Cyclops'' (1961) * '' Mole Men Against the Son of Hercules'' (1961) * '' Maciste nella terra dei Ciclopi (Maciste kauhujen maassa)'' (1961) * '' Maciste, l’uomo più forte del mondo (Maciste ja manalan valtiatar)'' (1961) * ''
Thor and the Amazon Women ''Thor and the Amazon Women'' (Italian: ''Le gladiatrici'', lit. "The female gladiators") is a 1963 Italian / Yugoslavian sword and sandal film directed by Antonio Leonviola. The film is also known as ''The Amazon Women'' (United Kingdom censored ...
'' (1963)


References


Bibliography

* * *


External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Leonviola, Antonio 1913 births 1995 deaths People from Montagnana Italian film directors Italian fantasy film directors 20th-century Italian screenwriters Italian male screenwriters 20th-century Italian male writers