''Telefoni Bianchi'' (; white telephones)

film A film, also known as a movie or motion picture, is a work of visual art that simulates experiences and otherwise communicates ideas, stories, perceptions, emotions, or atmosphere through the use of moving images that are generally, sinc ...

s, also called deco films, were made by the 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 of the era, calligrafismo, which was highly artistic. The cinema of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was born from the success of the Italian film comedies of the early 1930s; it was a lighter version, cleansed of any intellectualism or veiled social criticism.

Name

The name derives from the presence of white telephones in the sequences of the first films produced in this period, symptomatic of social well-being, a

status symbol A status symbol is a visible, external symbol of one's social position, an indicator of Wealth, economic or social status. Many luxury goods are often considered status symbols. ''Status symbol'' is also a Sociology, sociological term – as part ...

capable of marking the difference from the "popular"

Bakelite Bakelite ( ), formally , is a thermosetting polymer, thermosetting phenol formaldehyde resin, formed from a condensation reaction of phenol with formaldehyde. The first plastic made from synthetic components, it was developed by Belgian chemist ...

telephones, cheaper and therefore more widespread, which instead were black. Another definition given to these films is "deco cinema" due to the strong presence of furnishing objects that recall the international deco style, in vogue in those years.

Origins

The roots of the ''Telefoni Bianchi'' film genre can be found in Mario Camerini's cinema of the 1920s, in particular in ''

Rails Rail or rails may refer to: Rail transport *Rail transport and related matters * Railway track or railway lines, the running surface of a railway Arts and media Film * ''Rails'' (film), a 1929 Italian film by Mario Camerini * ''Rail'' (1967 fi ...

'' (1929), in which the director photographed — with reverberations of German expressionist cinema or citing the contemporary Soviet cinematographic

avant-garde In the arts and literature, the term ''avant-garde'' ( meaning or ) identifies an experimental genre or work of art, and the artist who created it, which usually is aesthetically innovative, whilst initially being ideologically unacceptable ...

s — the reality of the crisis years, in real time. The cinema of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was then born from the success of the Italian film comedies of the early 1930s; it was a lighter version, cleansed of any intellectualism or veiled social criticism. The first film of the genre ''Telefoni Bianchi'' was '' The Private Secretary'' (1931) by

Goffredo Alessandrini Goffredo Alessandrini (20 November 1904 – 16 May 1978) was an Italian scriptwriter and film director. He also acted, edited, and produced some films. He practiced athletics (sport), athletics in his youth, and won a title of Italian Athletics ...

Overview

In the 1930s and the 1940s, light comedies like those of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' were predominant in Italian cinema. These films featured lavish set designs and promoted conservative values and respect for authority, typically avoiding the scrutiny of government censors. ''Telefoni Bianchi'' proved to be the testing ground of numerous screenwriters destined to impose themselves in the following decades (including Cesare Zavattini and Sergio Amidei), and above all of numerous set designers such as Guido Fiorini, Gino Carlo Sensani and Antonio Valente, who, by virtue of successful graphic inventions led these productions to become a kind of "summa" of the

petite bourgeoisie ''Petite bourgeoisie'' (, ; also anglicised as petty bourgeoisie) is a term that refers to a social class composed of small business owners, shopkeepers, small-scale merchants, semi- autonomous peasants, and artisans. They are named as s ...

aesthetics of the time. Among the authors, Mario Camerini is the most representative director of the genre. After having practiced the most diverse trends in the 1930s, he happily moved into the territory of sentimental comedy with '' What Scoundrels Men Are!'' (1932), '' Il signor Max'' (1937) and ''

Department Store A department store is a retail establishment offering a wide range of consumer goods in different areas of the store under one roof, each area ("department") specializing in a product category. In modern major cities, the department store mad ...

'' (1939). In other films he compares himself with the Hollywood-style comedy on the model of

Frank Capra Frank Russell Capra (born Francesco Rosario Capra; May 18, 1897 – September 3, 1991) was an Italian-American film director, producer, and screenwriter who was the creative force behind Frank Capra filmography#Films that won Academy Award ...

('' Heartbeat'', 1939) and the surreal one of

René Clair René Clair (; 11 November 1898 – 15 March 1981), born René-Lucien Chomette (), was a French filmmaker and writer. He first established his reputation in the 1920s as a director of silent films in which comedy was often mingled with fantasy. H ...

('' I'll Give a Million'', 1936). Camerini is interested in the figure of the typical and popular Italian, so much so that he anticipates some elements of the future Italian comedy. His major interpreter, Vittorio De Sica, will continue his lesson in '' Maddalena, Zero for Conduct'' (1940) and '' Teresa Venerdì'' (1941), emphasizing above all the direction of the actors and the care for the settings. Other directors include

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 comed ...

('' Schoolgirl Diary'', 1941),

Jean de Limur Jean de Limur (13 November 1887, Vouhé, Charente-Maritime – 5 June 1976, Paris) was a French film director, actor and screenwriter. His works include ''La Garçonne (1936 film), La Garçonne'' (1936) and ''The Letter (1929 film), The Letter' ...

(''Apparition'', 1944) and Max Neufeld ('' The House of Shame'', 1938; '' A Thousand Lire a Month'', 1939). The realist comedies of Mario Bonnard ('' Before the Postman'', 1942; '' The Peddler and the Lady'', 1943) are partially different in character, which partially deviate from the imprint of ''Telefoni Bianchi''. Soon the subjects began to become repetitive and more and more predictable and banal; later, with the worsening of

World War II World War II or the Second World War (1 September 1939 – 2 September 1945) was a World war, global conflict between two coalitions: the Allies of World War II, Allies and the Axis powers. World War II by country, Nearly all of the wo ...

, the production of this genre became more and more sparse and discontinuous until it disappeared completely with the fall of the Fascist regime (1943).

Characteristics

The most important symbol in these films are the quite expensive Art Deco sets featuring white telephones, a status symbol of bourgeois wealth generally unavailable to the movie-going public, and children wearing '' Shirley Temple'' curls. The films tended to be socially

conservative Conservatism is a cultural, social, and political philosophy and ideology that seeks to promote and preserve traditional institutions, customs, and values. The central tenets of conservatism may vary in relation to the culture and civiliza ...

, promoting

family values Family values, sometimes referred to as familial values, are traditional or cultural values that pertain to the family's structure, function, roles, beliefs, attitudes, and ideals. Additionally, the concept of family values may be understood ...

, respect for authority, a rigid class hierarchy and country life. The genre is also referred by modern film critics as "Hungarian style comedies", because the scripts were often

adaptation In biology, adaptation has three related meanings. Firstly, it is the dynamic evolutionary process of natural selection that fits organisms to their environment, enhancing their evolutionary fitness. Secondly, it is a state reached by the p ...

s of stage plays written by Hungarian authors (a popular source material also for Hollywood productions of the time). The functionalism of the Bauhaus also arrived in Italy and, as can be seen in these films, there was a reflection of an Italy that was "rebuilding" its own modern and efficient image and in which the

consumerism Consumerism is a socio-cultural and economic phenomenon that is typical of industrialized societies. It is characterized by the continuous acquisition of goods and services in ever-increasing quantities. In contemporary consumer society, the ...

was timidly beginning to spread. It was represented by the rationalist architectural style and the industrial ferment that the fascist regime was promoting; in these light films there was a fascination that glimpsed hope in the future. The bourgeois setting aesthetically echoed American film comedies, especially Frank Capra. The hopes of the petty-bourgeois could only become reality. Films like '' A Thousand Lire a Month'', as well as the song of the same name, went down in history for their explicit lightheartedness and equally irreverent evocation. The melodic element often returned to peep out, many of these films contained at least one hit song (just think '' Parlami d'amore Mariù'' composed for the film '' What Scoundrels Men Are!'' which later became much more famous than the film itself). However, this representation of well-being and progress was far from the Italian reality of the time; the representation of a wealthy (in some cases even opulent), advanced, emancipated and educated society was enormously contrasting with the real situation of Italy, which, at that time, was instead a substantially poor country, materially and morally backward and with the majority of the illiterate population. As well as the enthusiastic, cheerful and carefree atmosphere of these films, it seemed to clash with the gloomy situation of the nation, subjugated by the fascist dictatorship and which would soon enter World War II.

Major figures

Among the most relevant directors for this genre are: Mario Camerini,

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 ...

, Mario Bonnard,

Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia Carlo Ludovico Bragaglia (8 July 1894 – 4 January 1998) was an Italian film director whose career spanned from the 1930s to the mid-1960s. He mainly directed adventure pictures and popular comedies, including some starring Totò. His 1942 f ...

, Max Neufeld and

Gennaro Righelli Gennaro Righelli (12 December 1886 – 6 January 1949) was an Italian film director, screenwriter and acting, actor. He directed more than 110 films in Italy and Germany between 1910 and 1947. In 1930, he directed the first Italian sound fil ...

. Among the most representative actors and actresses: Caterina Boratto,

Assia Noris Anastasia Nikolaevna von Gerzfeld (, sometimes transliterated as Anastassia von Hertzfeld; 16 February 1912 – 27 January 1998), known professionally as Assia Noris, was a Russian-Italian film actress. Born in Saint Petersburg, Russia, Noris ...

, Cesco Baseggio, Elsa Merlini, Rossano Brazzi, Clara Calamai, Lilia Silvi, Vera Carmi, Gino Cervi, Valentina Cortese, Vittorio De Sica, Doris Duranti, Luisa Ferida, Fosco Giachetti, Amedeo Nazzari,

Alida Valli Baroness Alida Maria Laura Altenburger von Marckenstein-Frauenberg (31 May 1921 – 22 April 2006), better known by her stage name Alida Valli, or simply Valli, was an Italian actress who appeared in more than 100 films in a 70-year career, span ...

, Carlo Campanini and Checco Rissone.

Censorship

To avoid the limitations imposed by the

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 governmen ...

of the authorities, with potentially controversial topics in the plot (for instance

divorce Divorce (also known as dissolution of marriage) is the process of terminating a marriage or marital union. Divorce usually entails the canceling or reorganising of the legal duties and responsibilities of marriage, thus dissolving the M ...

, at the time illegal in Italy, or adultery, a punishable offence by the contemporary Italian laws), the action was often set in various foreign – sometimes imaginary – Eastern European countries, but always with Italian protagonists.

Effect on neorealism

The Neorealist filmmakers saw their gritty films as a reaction to the idealized and mainstream quality of the ''Telefoni Bianchi'' style. They compared and contrasted the high-and-almighty gimmicks of set and studio production, with the dishevelled beauty of everyday life, the rigorous depiction of human life and its sufferings, and chose instead to work on location and with non-professional actors.

Aftermath

In Federico Fellini's film '' Amarcord'' (1973), the popular film movement is satirized in Gradisca's sex dream with the Prince. The era of ''Telefoni Bianchi'' films is remembered in the 1976 film '' The Career of a Chambermaid'', directed by

Dino Risi Dino Risi (23 December 1916 – 7 June 2008) was an Italian film director. With Mario Monicelli, Luigi Comencini, Nanni Loy, and Ettore Scola, he was one of the masters of ''commedia all'italiana''. Biography Risi was born in Milan. He had an ...

Notable films

* '' The Private Secretary'', by

(1931) * '' The Charmer'', by Guido Brignone (1931) * '' Two Happy Hearts'', by Baldassarre Negroni (1932) * '' What Scoundrels Men Are!'', by Mario Camerini (1932) * '' One Night with You'', by Ferruccio Biancini and Emmerich Wojtek Emo (1932) * ''

Paradise In religion and folklore, paradise is a place of everlasting happiness, delight, and bliss. Paradisiacal notions are often laden with pastoral imagery, and may be cosmogonical, eschatological, or both, often contrasted with the miseries of human ...

'', by Guido Brignone (1932) * '' Model Wanted'', by Ferruccio Biancini and Emmerich Wojtek Emo (1933) * '' Nini Falpala'', by Amleto Palermi (1933) * ''

Paprika Paprika is a spice made from dried and ground red peppers, traditionally ''capsicum annuum''. It can have varying levels of Pungency, heat, but the peppers used for hot paprika tend to be milder and have thinner flesh than those used to produce ...

'', by Carl Boese (1933) * '' The Lucky Diamond'', by Carl Boese (1933) * '' I'll Give a Million'', by Mario Camerini (1935) * '' Adam's Tree'', by Mario Bonnard (1936) * '' White Amazons'', by

(1936) * '' But It's Nothing Serious'', by Enrico Guazzoni (1936) * '' King of Diamonds'', by Enrico Guazzoni (1936) * '' Sette giorni all'altro mondo'', by

(1936) * '' Music in the Square'', by

(1936) * '' The Man Who Smiles'', by

(1936) * '' A Woman Between Two Worlds'', by

(1936) * '' I Don't Know You Anymore'', by Nunzio Malasomma (1936) * '' The Two Misanthropists'', by Amleto Palermi (1937) * '' The Make Believe Pirates'', by Marco Elter (1937) * '' The Ferocious Saladin'', by Mario Bonnard (1937) * '' The Three Wishes'', by Giorgio Ferroni (1937) * '' Felicita Colombo'', by

(1937) * '' Hands Off Me!'', by Gero Zambuto (1937) * '' Il signor Max'', by Mario Camerini (1937) * '' The Castiglioni Brothers'', by Corrado D'Errico (1937) * '' These Children'', by

(1937) * '' The Last Days of Pompeo'', by

(1937) * '' The Carnival Is Here Again'', by

Raffaello Matarazzo Raffaello Matarazzo (17 August 1909 – 17 May 1966) was an Italian filmmaker. Life Matarazzo started writing film reviews for the Roman newspaper ''Il Tevere'' before re-editing scripts for the Italian film company Cines. His first films ...

(1937) * '' The Countess of Parma'', by regia di

(1937) * '' I've Lost My Husband!'', by Enrico Guazzoni (1937) * '' Tonight at Eleven'', by Oreste Biancoli (1938) * '' The Lady in White'', by

(1938) * '' The Woman of Monte Carlo'', by André Berthomieu and Mario Soldati (1938) * '' The House of Shame'', by Max Neufeld (1938) * '' For Men Only'', by Guido Brignone (1938) * '' A Lady Did It'', by

(1938) * '' Star of the Sea'', by Corrado D'Errico (1938) * '' I Want to Live with Letizia'', by

Camillo Mastrocinque Camillo Mastrocinque (11 May 1901 – 23 April 1969) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. He directed more than 60 films between 1937 and 1968, and is known to horror film fans for directing ''Terror in the Crypt'' (1964) starring ...

(1938) * '' They've Kidnapped a Man'', by

(1938) * '' A Thousand Lire a Month'', by Max Neufeld (1939) * '' At Your Orders, Madame'', by

(1939) * '' We Were Seven Sisters'', by Nunzio Malasomma (1939) * '' Backstage'', by

(1939) * '' Heartbeat'', by Mario Camerini (1939) * '' Unjustified Absence'', by Max Neufeld (1939) * '' The Castle Ball'', by Max Neufeld (1939) * '' Castles in the Air'', by

Augusto Genina Augusto Genina (28 January 1892 – 18 September 1957) was an Italian film pioneer. He was a movie producer and director. Biography Born in Rome, Genina was a drama critic and wrote comedies for the ''Il Mondo'' Magazine, under advise of Aldo ...

(1939) * '' We Were Seven Widows'', by

(1939) * ''

'', by Mario Camerini (1939) * '' Mille chilometri al minuto!'', by

(1939) * '' Lo vedi come sei... lo vedi come sei?'', by

(1939) * '' The Marquis of Ruvolito'', by

(1939) * '' Father for a Night'', by Mario Bonnard (1939) * '' Diamonds'', by Corrado D'Errico (1939) * '' A Wife in Danger'', by Max Neufeld (1939) * '' Mad Animals'', by

(1939) * '' La voce senza volto'', by

(1939) * '' The Night of Tricks'', by Carlo Campogalliani (1939) * '' The Document'', by Mario Camerini (1939) * '' Two Million for a Smile'', by

Carlo Borghesio Carlo Borghesio (24 June 1905 – 12 November 1983) was an Italian film director and screenwriter. Life and career Born in Turin, Borghesio started his career as an assistant director in the second half of the 1930s, notably collaborating ...

(1939) * '' One Hundred Thousand Dollars'', by Mario Camerini (1940) * '' Goodbye Youth'', by Ferdinando Maria Poggioli (1940) * '' Big Shoes'', by Dino Falconi (1940) * '' Una famiglia impossibile'', by

(1940) * '' Red Roses'', by Giuseppe Amato and Vittorio De Sica (1940) * '' Then We'll Get a Divorce'', by Nunzio Malasomma (1940) * '' Maddalena, Zero for Conduct'', by Vittorio De Sica (1940) * '' La zia smemorata'', by Ladislao Vajda (1940) * '' Red Tavern'', by Max Neufeld (1940) * '' Non me lo dire!'', by

(1940) * '' The Happy Ghost'', by Amleto Palermi (1941) * '' The Brambilla Family Go on Holiday'', by Carl Boese (1941) * '' Lucky Night'', by

(1941) * '' Schoolgirl Diary'', by

(1941) * '' Teresa Venerdì'', by Vittorio De Sica (1941) * '' A Husband for the Month of April'', by

Giorgio Simonelli Giorgio Simonelli (14 November 1901 Birth name: Giorgio Simonelli. – 3 October 1966), was an Italian film director, editor, screenwriter and journalist. Life and career Born in Rome, Simonelli got a high school diploma in business studies, ...

(1941) * '' The Adventuress from the Floor Above'', by

(1941) * '' The Last Dance'', by

(1941) * '' I Live as I Please'', by

(1942) * '' The Queen of Navarre'', by

Carmine Gallone Carmine Gallone (10 September 1885 – 11 March 1973) was an early Italian film director, screenwriter, and film producer, who was also controversial for his works of pro-Fascist propaganda and historical revisionism. Considered one of Itali ...

(1942) * '' Wedding Day'', by

(1942) * '' La signorina'', by László Kish (1942) * ''

Happy Days ''Happy Days'' is an American television sitcom that aired first-run on the American Broadcasting Company, ABC network from January 15, 1974, to July 19, 1984, with a total of 255 half-hour episodes spanning 11 seasons. Created by Garry Marsha ...

'', by

(1942) * '' C'è sempre un ma!'', by

Luigi Zampa Luigi Zampa (2 January 1905 – 16 August 1991) was an Italian film director. Biography Son of a worker, Zampa studied filmmaking from 1932 to 1937 at the Italian film school in Rome. He directed several Italian neorealism films in the 1940 ...

(1942) * '' Il birichino di papà'', by

(1942) * '' Music on the Run'', by

(1943) * '' Lively Teresa'', by

(1943) * '' Without a Woman'', by Alfredo Guarini (1943) * '' Seven Years of Happiness'', by Roberto Savarese (1943) * '' Anything for a Song'', by

(1943) * '' A Little Wife'', by Giorgio Bianchi (1943) * '' What a Distinguished Family'', by Mario Bonnard (1945)