''Condottieri'' is a 1937 Italian

historical drama A historical drama (also period drama, costume drama, and period piece) is a work set in a past time period, usually used in the context of film and television. Historical drama includes historical fiction and romance film, romances, adventure f ...

film directed by

Luis Trenker Luis Trenker (born Alois Franz Trenker, 4 October 1892 – 13 April 1990) was a South Tyrolean film producer, director, writer, actor, architect, Mountaineering, alpinist, and Bobsleigh, bobsledder. Biography Early life Alois Franz Trenker was b ...

and starring Trenker, Loris Gizzi and

Laura Nucci Laura Nucci (1913–1994) was an Italian film actress. Nucci was one of the stars of the Fascist era, emerging after she won a competition.Gundle, Stephen. ''Mussolini's Dream Factory: Film Stardom in Fascist Italy''. Berghahn Books, 2013. p.56 H ...

. It portrays the life of Giovanni de' Medici, a celebrated condottiere of the sixteenth century. A separate German-language version was also made. The film received 9.6 million lire of funding from the Italian government, as part as a major drive by the Fascist authorities to develop the Italian film industry (which also involved the construction of the large Cinecittà complex in Rome). Along with ''

Scipio Africanus Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus (, , ; 236/235–183 BC) was a Roman general and statesman, most notable as one of the main architects of Rome's victory against Carthage in the Second Punic War. Often regarded as one of the best military com ...

'', the film was an attempt to harness history to support the Fascist regime's current policies. ''Condottieri'' drew parallels between the dictator

Benito Mussolini Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini (; 29 July 188328 April 1945) was an Italian politician and journalist who founded and led the National Fascist Party. He was Prime Minister of Italy from the March on Rome in 1922 until his deposition in 194 ...

and the historical figure of de' Medici, portraying both as unifying Italy. The film's elaborate sets were designed by Virgilio Marchi and Erich Grave, while Herbert Ploberger produced the costumes.

Cast

as Giovanni de' Medici * Loris Gizzi as Malatesta *

as Tullia delle Grazie * as

Maria Salviati Maria Salviati (17 July 1499 – 29 December 1543) was a Florentine noblewoman, the daughter of Lucrezia di Lorenzo de' Medici and Jacopo Salviati. She married Giovanni delle Bande Nere and was the mother of Cosimo I de Medici. Her husband died ...

* as Caterina Sforza * Mario Ferrari as

Cesare Borgia Cesare Borgia (; ca-valencia, Cèsar Borja ; es, link=no, César Borja ; 13 September 1475 – 12 March 1507) was an Italian ex- cardinal and '' condottiero'' (mercenary leader) of Aragonese (Spanish) origin, whose fight for power was a major ...

* Angelo Ferrari *Giulio Cirino as Rüschli *Sandro Dani as D'Argentière * Tito Gobbi as Nino * Augusto Marcacci as Daniello * Nino Marchetti as Corrado * as Pedro *Ernesto Nannicini * Umberto Sacripante as Sanzio *

Carlo Tamberlani Carlo Tamberlani (11 March 1899 – 5 August 1980) was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 127 films between 1931 and 1976. He was born in Salice Salentino, Italy and died in Subiaco, Italy. His brother Nando Tamberlani was also an actor. ...

as Duke of Urbino * Gino Viotti as Pope * Giuseppe Addobbati as Duke of Imola *Friedl Trenker as Giovanni * Oreste Bilancia *Alberto Emmerich * Carlo Fontana *Tullio Galvani *Luis Gerold as Barbo *Alberto Minoprio *

Carlo Simoneschi Carlo Simoneschi (25 August 1878 – 4 January 1943) was an Italian stage and film actor.Michell p.173 He also directed a number of films during the silent era. Selected filmography * '' The Sack of Rome'' (1920) * ''The Gift of the Morning'' (1 ...

*Virgilio Botti *Mara Danieli * Claudio Ermelli * Carlo Duse

References

External links

* 1930s action war films 1930s historical films Italian action films Italian war films Italian historical films Films of Nazi Germany German black-and-white films 1930s Italian-language films Films directed by Luis Trenker Films set in the 16th century Italian multilingual films Italian black-and-white films Cultural depictions of Cesare Borgia Cultural depictions of Caterina Sforza 1937 multilingual films Fascist propaganda 1930s Italian films {{1930s-Italy-film-stub

Cast

See also

References

External links