Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (1917)

Il re, le torri e gli alfieri/The King, the Towers and the Bishops (1917) by Ivo Illuminati and Lucio D'Ambra, is a lost film. The Italian production by Medusa Film was released in France as Echéc au Roi and in the Netherlands as De Koning Schaakmat. Lucio D'Ambra wrote the script for the film based on his own novel.


Italian postcard by Ed. Roseo & C., Napoli. Scene from Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (Ivo Illuminati, Lucio D'Ambra, 1917). Luigi Serventi as King Rolando on the right.


Italian postcard by Ed. Roseo & C., Napoli. Scene from Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (Ivo Illuminati, Lucio D'Ambra, 1917). Luigi Serventi as King Rolando in the back, in the middle.

A film that was a fairy tale, phantasy and not reality, and highly decorative

Years after the production of Il re, le torri e gli alfieriThe King, the Towers and the Bishops (1917), writer and co-director Lucio D'Ambra remembered how he wanted to make a film that was a fairy tale, phantasy and not reality, and highly decorative, just like his novel. He clashed with director Ivo Illuminati who wanted to have individuality Illuminati wanted each character to have his or her own movement, while D'Ambra wanted to stress the caricatural by synchronous movement like in children's plays and he stuck to his text.

This resulted in a clash between the two men. Illuminati left the set, after which D'Ambra took over direction for a while. The producer pacified the two men and Illuminati took over direction again.

While Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (1917) was made in the Summer of 1916, its Roman premiere took place on 29 March 1917. The film was a huge international success at the time and the film led the way for the wit and absurdism of Ernst Lubitsch's comedies. The film was praised in the Italian press for its subtle humour and satire with a touch of romance. The film was so different from the slapstick farces or filmed boulevard comedies.

Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (1917) opens in an aristocratic club where the Marquis Armando d'Apré (Enrico Roma) narrates the merry and gallant adventures of Rolando (Luigi Serventi), prince and later king of the country Fantasia. People are seen moving back and forth on a giant chessboard, simulating chess pieces. The film ends with a gigantic ball, which in the mind of a majordomus transforms: goose replace the 'intellectual ladies', goats replace the diplomats, and donkeys replace the academics.

The leading lady of the film was the Milanese countess Giorgia Dentice di Frasso, who acted for charity but she proved to be as good as any actress. The art direction was by Fosco Barberis and the cinematography was by Carlo Montuori.


Italian postcard by Ed. Roseo & C., Napoli. Scene from Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (Ivo Illuminati, Lucio D'Ambra, 1917). Countess Giorgia Dentice di Frasso as the Duchess of Frondosa.


Italian postcard by Ed. Roseo & C., Napoli. Scene from Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (Ivo Illuminati, Lucio D'Ambra, 1917). Luigi Serventi as King Rolando.


Italian postcard by Ed. Roseo & C., Napoli. Scene from Il re, le torri e gli alfieri (Ivo Illuminati, Lucio D'Ambra, 1917).

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (Il cinema muto italiano, 1916, Vol. II), Sempre in penombra (Italian) and IMDb.