The Art of the Benshi

One the sections of Le Giornate del Cinema Muto 2026 is dedicated to the mesmerising artistry of Japan’s celebrated benshi. These movie orators have, since the days of the first film screenings by the Lumieres, breathed life into silent film. During the heyday of the benshi, more than 7,000 of these artists narrated the action in films, and made silent actors speak. Their voices rang out in cinemas across Japan, as well as in Korea and other Japanese colonies, and in Japanese American communities in the United States. The greatest benshi were famous enough to rival the stars on screen. Ivo Blom recently acquired a set of rare vintage postcards with Japanese film stars from the period before WW II. For this occasion, we share this set with you. Thanks to Japanese film scholar Hiroshi Komatsu, we identied most of the actors. Do you recognise the last two actresses?


Japanese postcard. Minoru Takada (1899-1977).

Minoru Takada was a Japanese actor and film producer in the Taisho and Showa periods. He appeared in over 230 films between 1924 and 1971. His wife was the former actress Mikiko Mitsuki. Takada starred e.g. in Wakasa yo saraba (Shigenori Sakata, 1924), one of his first films, and Yasujirō Ozu's film I Graduated, But.../ Daigaku wa detakeredo (1929).


Japanese postcard. Hideo Takamine (1924-2010).

Along with Setsuko Hara and Kinuyo Tanaka, Hideko Takamine remains one of Japan's most admired and prolific film actresses. Born as Hirayama Hideko in Hakodate, Hokkaido in northern Japan in 1924, she became a child actress for Shochiku Studio at age five, appearing in the film Haha. She would go on to work with directors like Kinoshita, Ozu, and arguably most notably Mikio Naruse. Mid-career, she switched to P.C.L. Film Studio (later Toho Studios) and then became independent, yet she would work for notable directors nonetheless. By the time she married director Zenzo Matsuyama in 1955, she had acquired a reputation for depicting feminist roles where women seek their independence or are oppressed. She died in 2010 of lung cancer, but had recorded songs and written biographies before her death. Source: Aghaemi (IMDb).


Japanese postcard. Satoko Date (1910-1972).

Japanese actress Satoko Date was born on 11 October 1910 in Yokosuka, Japan, and died on 23 October 1972. She acted in almost 100 films between 1929 and 1952. She started in the silent era in such films as Yasujirō Ozu's Walk Cheerfully (1930), The Revengeful Spirit of Eros (1930), and The Lady and the Beard (1931). Date then played the neighbour's wife in the comedy The Neighbor's Wife and Mine / Madamu to nyōbō (Heinosuke Gosho, 1931), the first feature-length Japanese all-talkie sound film. In the 1930s she acted in films such as Mikio Naruse's Morning's Tree-Lined Street (1936) and The Loves of a Kabuki Actor (Kajirō Yamamoto, 1938). Until 1952, she acted in many supporting parts in Japanese cinema.


Japanese postcard. Shizue Natsukawa (1909-1999).

Shizue Natsakawa was a Japanese actress, born on 9 March 1909, in Tokyo, where she also died on 24 January 1999. Between 1919 and 1984 she acted in over 170 films. working with directors such as Kenji Mizoguchi (Tokyo March, 1929), Shirō Toyoda (Young People, 1937), and Keisuke Kinoshita. In 1927, she joined the Nikkatsu studio, where she gained popularity through films such as Tsubakihime/ A Woman Called Tsubakihime (Minoru Marata, 1927) and Kekkon nijuso: zenpen (Tomotaka Tasaka, 1927-1928). Natsakawa is also known for the trilogy Kono taiyô - Dai sampen (1930), Kono taiyô - dainihen Tamie no maki (1930) and Kono taiyô - Dai ippen (1930), all by Minoru Marata. In 1937 she married Nobuo Iida, and withdrew from acting, but she returned to the screen with Shirō Toyoda's Spring on Leper's Island (1940). After the war, she played many secondary roles in films and on television and continued acting till in her mid-seventies.


Japanese postcard. Shizue Natsukawa (1909-1999).


Japanese postcard. Yukiko Tsukuba (1906-1977).

Yukiko Tsukuba was born on 10 June 1906 in Tokyo, Japan, where she died on 8 June 1977. She was a prolific actress, acting in some 60 films between 1924 and 1936. She is known for such films as Renaî kônsen / Crossed Line of Love (Yasujirō Shimazu, 1927), Renbo kouta / Short Song of Love (Hiroshi Shimizu, 1929), Ukikusa-musume tabi fûzoku / Travelling Manners of a Vagrant Girl (Shimizu, 1929), and Nasanu naka / No Blood Relation (Mikio Naruse, 1932).


Japanese postcard. Unknown actress. If you happen to be able to identify this actress or the actress below, we would be very grateful.


Japanese postcard. Unknown Japanese actress dressed as geisha.

Ancient Greece in early cinema

Ivo Blom is in Pordenone, Italy, for the Museum of Dreamworlds project. At the Giornate del Cinema Muto, he and his Dreamworlds colleagues will present two programmes with unique prints from the BFI National Archive. Both programmes include early films set either in Ancient Rome and Pompeii, or in Ancient Greece and Greek mythology. For the 'Greek programme', early Italian and French films by Aquila, Gaumont and Itala are selected, but also the rare British film Pygmalion and Galatea (1912) with Ivy Close.

For this occasion, EFSP presents a series of postcards with photos by Reutlinger of well-known as well as little-known French stage actresses and singers who are dressed up in ancient Greek attire. Around 1900, Leopold Reutlinger photographed a large series of known and unknown stage actresses before a set of a large kind of tombstone, inspired by Greek architecture, yet containing both Greek and Roman letters. On top, one reads 'Ellada', referring to Hellas, the ancient name for Greece. The cards were issued by both French and German editors. Some of the outfits in the photos, and sometimes the photo itself of the actress like those of Gabrielle Robinne, were recycled for all kinds of postcards, suggesting a romantic vision of Antiquity, which in the early twentieth century was quite common.

Gabrielle Robinne

French postcard by Ed. WS or SW, no. 0469. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Mailed in France in 1906. Comédie Française actress Gabrielle Robinne (1886-1980) was one of the first French film stars. The peak of her film career was in the 1910s when she starred in mundane and romantic dramas by Pathé. With her blond hair, passionate eyes and elegant posture, she was the perfect ‘femme du monde’.


French postcard by Ed. WS or SW, no. 0469. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris.


French postcard by KE Editeurs d'art, Paris, series 12.32. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Reutlinger used this Greek-style set for several photos, edited on (coloured) postcards.


French postcard by KE Editeurs d'art, Paris, series 12.32. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Reutlinger used this Greek-style set for several photos, edited on (coloured) postcards.


French postcard by Editions S.I.P., no. 1591. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris. Beauregard and Robinne.


French postcard, no. 1261. Photo: Reutlinger, Paris. Sent by mail in 1905.


French postcard, no. 1347. Photo: Reutlinger.

Beauregard

French postcard by Eds. S.I.P., no. 1591. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Little is known about Mlle Beauregard, other than that she was a singer at the Casino of Enghien in the early 1900s.


French postcard by Editions S.I.P., series 66, no. 9. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Caption: Bacchante buvante (Drinking Bacchante). The postcard was mailed in 1903.


French postcard by Editions S.I.P. series 66, no. 10. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Caption: Bacchante aux cymbales (Bacchante with cymbals).


French postcard by Editions S.I.P., no. 845/2. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Card mailed in France in 1904.


French postcard by Editions S.I.P., no. 845/3. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Card mailed in France, year unknown.


German postcard by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft), no. 119/6. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. The postcard was mailed in the Netherlands in 1903.


German postcard by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft), no. 175/6. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. The postcard was mailed in the Netherlands in 1904.


German postcard by NPG (Neue Photographische Gesellschaft), no. 175/8. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris.

Louise Myriel

French postcard, series 21.32s. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. The postcard was mailed in France in 1907. This card was also released with the title 'Bacchante au thyrse'. Louise Myriel (1873-1943) was a French singer of light opera and operetta.


French postcard, series 21.32. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. The postcard was mailed in France in 1907.


French postcard by Editions S.I.P., no. 845/17. Photo: Leopold Reutlinger, Paris. Mailed in France in 1904.

L'arzigogolo (1924)

Le Giornate del Cinema Muto is the world’s leading international silent film festival. From 4 to 11 July 2025, EFSP contributor Ivo Blom is in Pordenone in Northern Italy to attend the 44th edition of the festival. And like Ivo, the festival is still going strong. It presents many rediscoveries and highlights. One programme is dedicated to Italian diva Italia Almirante Manzini and includes the wonderful costume drama L'arzigogolo / The Court Jester (Mario Almirante, 1924), which co-starred Annibale Betrone and Oreste Bilancia.


Italian postcard by Ed. Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 526. Photo: Scoffone. Italia Almirante Manzini as Monna Violante in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 528. Photo: Scoffone. Publicity still for L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924), with Italia Almirante.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 529. Photo: Scoffone. Italia Almirante in L'Arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Annibale Betrone in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 197. Photo: publicity still for L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924) with Oreste Bilancia and Italia Almirante


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 198. Italia Almirante Manzini as Monna Violante and Alberto Collo as Count Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, no. 202. Photo: Alba Film. Oreste Bilancia in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 203. Photo: publicity still for L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924) with Italia Almirante and Alberto Collo.


Italian postcard by Ed. G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 204. Photo: publicity still for L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924) with Italia Almirante.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano, no. 209. Photo: Italia Almirante and Alberto Collo in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924).

An attractive cast

L'arzigogolo/The Court Jester (Mario Almirante, 1924) has an attractive cast. The leading lady is Italia Almirante Manzini (1890-1941), the cousin of director Mario Almirante. After she had starred in the classic epic Cabiria (1914), Almirante had become one of the divas of the Italian silent cinema.

Her co-star was Annibale Betrone (1883-1950), an important figure in the Italian theatre of the first half of the 20th century. Betrone also appeared in several silent and sound films. Oreste Bilancia (1881-1945) was another well-known face of the Italian silent cinema. As in L'arzigogolo, he mostly worked as a supporting actor, but occasionally played the main character.

Almirante plays Monna Violante, daughter of the Prince of Carpi. Her father forces her to find a husband from among her suitors, or he will lock her up in a convent. Violante chooses Floridoro (Oreste Bilancia), a fat and rich merchant, self-confident and convinced that he is protected by good fortune.

Even after the wedding, however, Violante does not abandon her goal of finding the man of her dreams. On a visit to the castles of the Principality, she meets Count Giano (Alberto Collo), one of her former suitors. Cruelly, she pretends to be willing to give him up. So Giano orders Spallatonda (Annibale Betrone), his court jester and servant, to bring her to him, or Giano will chop his head off.

Spallatonda attempts, but with such vehemence that Violante is sensually disturbed. She even allows herself to be seduced by the jester, who then no longer wants to take her to his master. So Giano will carry out his terrible threat. Violante, however, offers herself for the jester's life, and Giano accepts. Spallatonda will be beheaded in mockery. The jester feigns unconsciousness and hides in Violante's room. When Giano arrives, Spallatonda kills him, and then Monna Violante and Spallatonda flee together.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 205. Photo: Alba Film. An ensemble shot from the opening scene of L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The tournament in honour of Violante.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 206. Photo: Alba Film. Italia Almirante as Monna Violante in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Violante leaves for the hunt.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 20?. Photo: Alba Film. Italia Almirante as Monna Violante and Alberto Collo as Count Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Giano tries in vain to conquer Violante's coldness.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 209. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Spallatonda chased from the village.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 210. Photo: Alba Film. In the back, Italia Amirante as Monna Violante and Alberto Collo as Count Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The dinner in the house of Count Giano.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 211. Photo: Alba Film. Publicity still for L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The arrival of the buffoon at the castle of Giano.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 214. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Giano to the Jester: ... if you don't manage to convince Violante of my love, I will have your head chopped off!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 216. Photo: Alba Film. Italia Almirante and Annibale Betrone in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: In the calm moonlight, the buffoon sees Violante and declares her his love.

Classic love story

L'arzigogolo is a classic love story in the vein of William Shakespeare's 'Romeo and Juliet'. Director Mario Almirante wrote the script originally in French. Almirante directed such films as Il fornaretto di Venezia / The Baker Boy of Venice (1923) and L'ombra / The Shadow (1923). He wrote a liberal adaptation of a popular 1922 Sem Benelli's 'comic poem in four acts'. The Italian playwright, essayist and librettist Benelli provided the texts for several noted Italian operas, including Italo Montemezzi's 'L'amore dei tre re' and 'L'incantesimo', and Umberto Giordano's 'La cena delle beffe', based on Benelli's own play of the same title.

The sets for L'arzigogolo were designed by Luigi Sapelli, better known as Caramba, who specialised in costume dramas. The Director of photography was Ubaldo Arata, who was one of Italy's most famous cinematographers.

After the premiere, the critic of Il Roma della Domenica wrote: "L'arzigogolo did not delude the high expectations, because it is the result on the screen of an original and interesting work. Therefore the poet (Sem Benelli) can be satisfied."

The critic of La Vita Cinematografica adds: "We never saw Italia Almirante so perfect in place. She exquisitely figures as an intelligent woman. Her plastic beauty, preserved by exuberant costumes, makes the complex and enigmatic character of Violante more fascinating and suggestive."

Società Anonima Stefano Pittaluga distributed the film. L'arzigogolo became one of the most successful films in Italy in 1924. The most popular film that year was Die Nibelungen, a two-part German fantasy film by Fritz Lang. L'arzigogolo is now in the public domain.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 217. Photo: Alba Film. Oreste Bilancia as Floridoro in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Floridoro and the servant. Floridoro: Her true love? Who is it? When will he come? Is he far away? Is he here?


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 218 or 219. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester and Italia Almirante Manzini as Monna Violante in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The Jester: What! No Milady! You have too great haste to forget. But I remember!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 220. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The mockery. The Jester: She is in this, it is hers. She whom you'll never have... never!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 221. Photo: Alba Film. Italia Almirante as Monna Violante, Annibale Betrone as The Jester, Oreste Bilancia as Floridoro, and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The Jester rebels against Giano and defies death out of love for Violante.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 222. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The Jester in prison.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 224. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester, Oreste Bilancia as Floridoro, and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The Jester: I redeem myself! I am no longer a jester, but a man!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 226. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone as The Jester, Oreste Bilancia as Floridoro, and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: Dead!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 227. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone and Italia Almirante in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: True love...attained in vain... He is dead!


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 228. Photo: Alba Film. Annibale Betrone and Oreste Bilancia in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The buffoon resurrected to the great terror of Floridoro.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 229. Photo: Alba Film. Oreste Bilancia as Floridoro, and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The Death of Giano.


Italian postcard by Ballerini & Fratini, Firenze, no. 230. Photo: Alba Film. Italia Almirante Manzini as Monna Violante, Annibale Betrone as The Jester, and Alberto Collo as Giano in L'arzigogolo (Mario Almirante, 1924). Caption: The flight of Violante and Spallatonda after Giano's death.

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (Il Cinema Muto Italiano 1923-1931 - Italian), Wikipedia (Italian and Cymraeg) and IMDb.