20 October 2020

Amore rosso (1921)

Italian diva Maria Jacobini was the star of the Italian silent film Amore rosso/Red love (Gennaro Righelli, 1921), based on the novel 'Milotona' by Théophile Gautier, and produced by Fert Film. The film had an all-star cast including Lido Manetti, Amleto Novelli, Oreste Bilancia, Ida Carloni Talli, Alfonso Cassini and Orietta Claudi. Ballerini & Fratini in Florence and Fotominio in Milan both made a series of postcards for the film.

Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso
Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Florence, no. 306. Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921).

Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso
Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Florence, no. 302. Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921).

Maria Jacobini
Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Florence, no. 305. Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921).

Love and death around the arena


In Amore rosso/Red love (Gennaro Righelli, 1921), Don Alvaro (Lido Manetti) is attracted by the pretty commoner Juanita (Maria Jacobini), though he is betrothed to Donna Isabella (Orietta Claudi).

Juanita's friend, the famous torero Barrena (Amleto Novelli) is overcome by jealousy when he sees Juanita with another man. He challenges Alvaro to a duel and wounds him.

He is taken to Juanita's house, who lovingly cares for him. Alarmed by Don Alvaro's disappearance, his family searches for him around the city, until they find him in Juanita's humble house and discover that he is taking care of by Juanita

Isabella expresses her disgust for the lower class and pours all her contempt on Alvaro, but Alvaro rejects Isabella and stays with Juanita.

Barrena in the meanwhile accepts his loss. In the arena, he prepares for the last bullfight: incites the bull and commits suicide by letting the bull pierce him.

Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (1921)
Italian postcard by Fotominio. Photo: G.B. Falci / Fert Film, Milano. Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921). Caption: The beautiful Juanita.

Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso
Italian postcard by Fotominio. Photo: G.B. Falci, Milano / Fert. Ida Carloni Talli and Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921). Caption: Juanita goes to the corrida with her aunt Curra.

Maria Jacobini and Lido Manetti in in Amore rosso
Italian postcard by Fotominio. Photo: G.B. Falci, Milano / Fert. Ida Carloni Talli, Maria Jacobini and Lido Manetti in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921). Caption: During the corrida. Don Alvaro gets to know Juanita.

Maria Jacobini amd Amleto Novelli in Amore rosso (1921)
Italian postcard by Fotominio. Photo: G.B. Falci, Milano / Fert. Maria Jacobini, Lido Manetti and Amleto Novelli in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921).

Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso
Italian postcard. Photo: G.B. Falci, Milano / Fert. Maria Jacobini in Amore rosso (Gennaro Righelli, 1921).

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (The Italian silent cinema 1921-22), Wikipedia (Italian) and IMDb.

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