Francesca Bertini (born Elena Seracini Vitiello; 5 January 1892 – 13 October 1985) was an Italian

silent film A silent film is a film with no synchronized Sound recording and reproduction, recorded sound (or more generally, no audible dialogue). Though silent films convey narrative and emotion visually, various plot elements (such as a setting or era) ...

actress. She was one of the most successful silent film stars in the first quarter of the twentieth-century.

Biography

Born in

Prato Prato ( , ) is a city and ''comune'' in Tuscany, Italy, the capital of the Province of Prato. The city lies in the north east of Tuscany, at the foot of Monte Retaia, elevation , the last peak in the Calvana chain. With more than 200,000 ...

, she was daughter of a woman who may have been an actress, but she was unmarried and Bertini was registered as Elena Taddei at an orphanage in 1892. Her mother, Adelina di Venanzio Fratiglioni, married Arturo Vitiello in 1910 and she took his family name. Bertini began performing on stages at the age of seventeen she began to perform in the just-born Italian movie production. She had a major role in Salvatore Di Giacomo's melodramatic story '' Assunta Spina''. She had made over 50 films by 1915 including, ''Histoire d'un pierrot'', was under the direction of Baldassarre Negroni in 1913. Gradually she developed her beauty and elegance, plus a strong, intense, and charming personality, which would be the key of her success as a silent movie actress. With ''Assunta Spina'' in 1915 she took care of the scripts as well as performing the role of the main character. Bertini was to claim with some support that she was the true director of the film which included novel acting techniques. She was one of the first film actresses to focus on

reality Reality is the sum or aggregate of all that is real or existent within a system, as opposed to that which is only imaginary. The term is also used to refer to the ontological status of things, indicating their existence. In physical terms, r ...

, rather than on a dramatic stereotype, an anticipation of Neorealistic canons. The expression of authentic feelings was the key of her success through many films. She could perform with success the languid decadent heroine as well as the popular common woman. Other important roles were Odette,

Fedora A fedora () is a hat with a soft brim and indented crown.Kilgour, Ruth Edwards (1958). ''A Pageant of Hats Ancient and Modern''. R. M. McBride Company. It is typically creased lengthwise down the crown and "pinched" near the front on both sides ...

Tosca ''Tosca'' is an opera in three acts by Giacomo Puccini to an Italian libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa. It premiered at the Teatro Costanzi in Rome on 14 January 1900. The work, based on Victorien Sardou's 1887 French-language dr ...

and

the Lady of the Camellias ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

. In 1920,

Fox Film Corporation The Fox Film Corporation (also known as Fox Studios) was an American Independent film production studio formed by William Fox (1879–1952) in 1915, by combining his earlier Greater New York Film Rental Company and Box Office Attractions Film C ...

in Hollywood offered to sign a contract with her, but she refused: she was married to the wealthy Swiss banker Paul Cartier and wanted to move with him to Switzerland. When her husband died, she moved back to Rome, where she would remain until her death. She stepped into sound movies as well, but in the meantime the

Italian cinema The cinema of Italy (, ) comprises the films made within Italy or by Italian directors. Since its beginning, Italian cinema has influenced film movements worldwide. Italy is one of the birthplaces of art cinema and the stylistic aspect of film h ...

had changed greatly (the period of

Telefoni bianchi ''Telefoni Bianchi'' (; white telephones) films, also called deco films, were made by Cinema of Italy, Italian film industry in the 1930s and the 1940s in imitation of American comedies of the time in a sharp contrast to the other important style ...

comedies) and entered into a period of crisis with

fascism Fascism is a far-right, authoritarian, ultra-nationalist political ideology and movement,: "extreme militaristic nationalism, contempt for electoral democracy and political and cultural liberalism, a belief in natural social hierarchy and th ...

and

censorship Censorship is the suppression of speech, public communication, or other information. This may be done on the basis that such material is considered objectionable, harmful, sensitive, or "inconvenient". Censorship can be conducted by governments ...

. It experienced a definite hiatus with World War II.

Last years

In 1976

Bernardo Bertolucci Bernardo Bertolucci (; 16 March 1941 – 26 November 2018) was an Italian film director and screenwriter with a career that spanned 50 years. Considered one of the greatest directors in Italian cinema, Bertolucci's work achieved international ...

was able to convince her to emerge from her stubborn silence, accepting a role of a nun in his movie ''

Novecento Novecento is Italian for “nine hundred” and refers to the 1900s (i.e., one-thousand-and-''nine-hundreds,'' which is a near-synonym for the 20th century). It may also refer to: * Novecento (group), Italian music group * Novecento Italiano, a st ...

''. She allowed herself to be interviewed in 1981 and this was adapted for a three part TV documentary in 1982. She died in Rome at the age of 93.

Selected filmography

* ''Lucrezia Borgia'' (1910) – Lucrezia Borgia * ''

King Lear ''King Lear'' is a tragedy written by William Shakespeare. It is based on the mythological Leir of Britain. King Lear, in preparation for his old age, divides his power and land between two of his daughters. He becomes destitute and insane a ...

'' (1910, Short) – Cordelia * ''Manon Lescaut'' (1911) * ''

Lucrezia Borgia Lucrezia Borgia (; ca-valencia, Lucrècia Borja, links=no ; 18 April 1480 – 24 June 1519) was a Spanish-Italian noblewoman of the House of Borgia who was the daughter of Pope Alexander VI and Vannozza dei Cattanei. She reigned as the Gover ...

'' (1912) – Lucrezia Borgia * ''Il pappagallo della zia Berta'' (1912) * ''Idillio tragico'' (1912) * ''L'avvoltoio'' (1913) – Maria * ''Ninì Verbena'' (1913) – Ninì Verbena * ''La terra promessa'' (1913) * '' Broken Idol'' (1913, Short) * ''Tramonto'' (1913) * ''La bufera'' (1913) – Maria * ''L'ultima carta'' (1913) * ''L'avvoltoio'' (1913) * ''L'arrivista'' (1913) * ''L'arma dei vigliacchi'' (1913) * ''L'anima del demi-monde'' (1913) * '' Pierrot the Prodigal'' (1914) – Pierrot * ''L'Amazzone Mascherata'' (1914) * ''Cabiria'' * ''Rose e spine'' (1914) * ''La principessa straniera'' (1914) * '' Blue Blood'' (1914) – Princess of Monte Cabello * ''Una donna'' (1914) * ''Nelly La Gigolette'' (1915) – Nelly * ''Nella fornace'' (1915) * ''Il capestro degli Asburgo'' (1915) * ''Ivonne, la bella danzatrice'' (1915) – La contessina Edith / Ivonne, la bella della danza brutale * ''

The Lady of the Camellias ''The'' () is a grammatical article in English, denoting persons or things already mentioned, under discussion, implied or otherwise presumed familiar to listeners, readers, or speakers. It is the definite article in English. ''The'' is the m ...

'' (1915) – Margherita Gauthier * '' Assunta Spina'' (1915) – Assunta Spina * ''Don Pietro Caruso'' (1915) * ''Diana, l'affascinatrice'' (1915) – Diana * '' Odette'' (1916) – Odette * ''La perla del cinema'' (1916) * ''La colpa altrui'' (1916) * ''Il destino'' (1916) * ''Lacrymae rerum'' (1916) * ''Vittima dell'ideale'' (1916) * ''Nel gorgo della vita'' (1916) * ''Maligno riflesso'' (1916) * ''L'educanda monella'' (1916) * ''Il patto'' (1916) * ''Fedora'' (1916) – Fedora * ''Baby l'indiavolata'' (1916) * ''Andreina'' (1917) – Andreina – contessa di Toeplitz * ''La piccola fonte'' (1917) – Teresa * '' The Clemenceau Affair'' (1917) – Iza * ''Malìa'' (1917) – Liliana di Sant'Elmo * ''Anima redenta'' (1917) * ''La Tosca'' (1918) – Floria Tosca * ''Frou-Frou'' (1918) – Gilberta Sartorys detta Frou – Frou * '' Mariute'' (1918) * ''La gola'' (1918) – Comtessa Frescalinda Ciufettino * ''L'Orgoglio'' (1918) – Erminia de Beaumesnil * ''L'ira'' (1918) – Elena * ''L'avarizia'' (1918) – Maria Lorini * ''I sette peccati capitali'' (1918) * '' Eugenia Grandet'' (1918) * '' L' Accidia'' (1919) – Bianca Fanelli * ''L'invidia'' (1919) – Lelia di Santa Croce * ''Spiritismo'' (1919) – Simone * ''La lussuria'' (1919) – Magdalena Dutertre * ''La Piovra'' (1919) – Daria Oblosky * '' The Cheerful Soul'' (1919) * '' Countess Sarah'' (1919, Short) * ''La principessa'' (1919) * ''La legge'' (1919) * ''

The Conqueror of the World ''The Conqueror of the World'' (Italian:''Il conquistatore del mondo'') is a 1919 Italian silent film directed by Roberto Roberti and starring Francesca Bertini and Sandro Salvini.Parish p.38 Cast * Francesca Bertini * Sandro Salvini Sandro Sa ...

'' (1919) * '' Beatrice'' (1919) * '' The Serpent'' (1920) * '' Princess Giorgio'' (1920) * '' The Fall of the Curtain'' (1920) * ''

The Shadow The Shadow is a fictional character created by magazine publishers Street & Smith and writer Walter B. Gibson. Originally created to be a mysterious radio show narrator, and developed into a distinct literary character in 1931 by writer Walter ...

'' (1920) * '' The Sphinx'' (1920) * '' Marion'' (1920) – Marion * '' Maddalena Ferat'' (1920) * ''La ferita'' (1920) * ''Anima selvaggia'' (1920) * ''Amore di donna'' (1920) * '' The Girl from Amalfi'' (1921) * ''La donna, il diavolo, il tempo'' (1921) * ''Amore vince sempre'' (1921) * '' The Knot'' (1921) * '' The Nude Woman'' (1922) * ''Fatale bellezza'' (1922) * ''Marion'' (1923) * ''Oltre la legge'' (1923) * ''

The Last Dream ''The Last Dream'' is a collection of fantasy and science fiction stories by American writer Gordon R. Dickson. It was first published by Baen Books in 1986. Most of the stories originally appeared in the magazines ''Fantasy and Science Fictio ...

'' (1924) * '' The Youth of the Devil'' (1925) – La vecchia duchessa / Fausta * ''Fior di levante'' (1925) * '' Consuelita'' (1925) * ''La Fin De Monte Carlo'' (1926) – Cora de Marsa * '' Odette'' (1928) – Odette * ''Montecarlo'' (1928) * ''

La Possession La Possession () is a commune in the French overseas department of Réunion. It is located on the northwest side of the island of Réunion, between the capital of Saint-Denis and the commune of Le Port. To the territory of this commune belong ...

'' (1929) – Jessie Cordier * ''Tu M'Appartiens'' (1929) – Gisele * '' La Femme d'une nuit'' (1931) – La princesse de Lystrie * '' La donna di una notte'' (1931) – La principessa Elena di Lystria * '' Odette'' (1934) – Odette * ''Dora o le Spie'' (1943) * ''A sud niente di nuovo'' (1957) * ''Una ragazza di Praga'' (1969) – Gabriela * '' 1900 (Novecento)'' (1976) – Sister Desolata (final film role) * ''Behind the Screen: Stories of Cinema – The Last Diva'' (1982, TV Movie documentary) – Herself * ''Diva Dolorosa'' (2000, Documentary) – Herself (archive footage)

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Bertini, Francesca 1892 births 1985 deaths Actors from Florence Italian film actresses Italian silent film actresses 20th-century Italian actresses Burials at the Cimitero Flaminio Women film pioneers