Elena Sangro

Elena Sangro (1896-1969) was a major actress of Italian cinema in the 1920s. Despite the current film crisis, she starred in one film after another. She was also one of the first female directors and had a famous affair with the old poet Gabriele D'Annunzio.


Italian postcard.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 78. Photo: Pittaluga-Films, Torino.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Roma, Milano, no. 320. Photo: Pinto, Roma.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 714. Elena Sangro as Proserpina, wife of Pluto, King of the underworld, in the Italian silent film Maciste all'inferno (Guido Brignone, 1925).


Italian postcar by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 785. Photo: Pittaluga-Films, Torino.

Baron Kanzler

Elena Sangro was born Maria Antonietta Bartoli-Avveduti in Aragona Castle in Vasto, Italy, in 1897. She was the daughter of Avveduto Bartoli-Avveduti, administrator of the affairs and estates of the Duke of Belgioioso, and his wife Ortensia d’Avalos, and of Ida Albini, a lady of noble birth

After attending acting lessons at the Accademia di Santa Cecilia, she debuted on stage in 'La cena delle beffe' (The Jester's Supper) by Sem Benelli and in 'Patria' (Homeland) by Victorien Sardou.

Baron Kanzler spotted her in 1917 and introduced her to director Enrico Guazzoni, who gave the young actress the lead in his film Fabiola (1918). After the success of this film, roles followed in the epic La Gerusalemme liberata / Jerusalem Liberated (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918) based on the poem by Torquato Tasso, and the comedy Primerose (Mario Caserini, 1919).

In a series of films, her cousin Giorgi Fini was her partner: Il più forte amore / The Strongest Love (N.N., 1919), Il fauno di marmo / The Marble Faun (Mario Bonnard, 1921) and L'eredità di Caino / The Legacy of Cain (Giuseppe Maria Viti, 1921). In L'onesto mondo / The Honest World (Torello Rolli, 1921), she played a singer who sacrifices herself for an unworthy man.

She played a proud, patriotic princess opposite Rina De Liguoro in Saracinesca / Portcullis (Augusto Camerini, Gaston Ravel, 1922), set in papal Rome. That same year she also played in the pro-Montenegro drama Non c'è resurrezione senza morte / There Is No Resurrection Without Death (Edoardo Bencivenga, 1922), based on the memoirs of Vladimir Popovic and personally produced by Sangro. A pro-Montenegro group, headed by the famous poet Gabriele D'Annunzio, promoted the film. This century, the film was found, restored, and presented at the Giornate del Cinema Muto, the silent film festival in Pordenone.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate, Series 8, no. 1. Photo: Palatino Film. Elena Sangro as Fabiola in the silent film Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). When her servant accidentally hurts her with a hairpin, the rich and cruel aristocrat Fabiola hurts her slave with a sharp weapon Roman ladies used to have for these matters. This is from the opening scene.


Rina de Liguoro, co-star of Elena Sangro in several films. German postcard by Ross Verlag. no. 3902/1, 1928-1929. Photo: Pinto Roma.


Italian postcard. Photo: Unione Cinematografica Italiana / Medusa Film. Elena Sangro in the Italian period piece Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921), based on the novel by Frances Marion Crawford. Caption: After the killing of her husband, Corona d'Astradente has become a rich heiress.


Italian postcard. Photo: Unione Cinematografica Italiana / Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri and Elena Sangro in the Italian period piece Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921), based on the novel by Frances Marion Crawford. Caption: [At the opera] Corona and Giovanni are now husband and wife.


Italian postcard. Photo: Elena Sangro in Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923).

Hell, like a sort of brothel

Elena Sangro starred in the historical serial Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), as Poppea in Quo vadis? (Georg Jacoby, Gabriellino D'Annunzio - the son of, 1924) starring Emil Jannings and in the fantastic Peplum comedy Maciste all'inferno / Maciste in Hell (Guido Brignone, 1926).

Maciste all'inferno was one of three Maciste films in which she appeared opposite strongman Bartolomeo Pagano. When the film was first released, it was censored because it presented Hell like a sort of brothel in which hordes of semi-naked women lived.

In 1927-1928, Sangro had a famous affair with the then 64-year-old poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. He dedicated to her the erotic poem 'Alla Piacente' (To the pleasant one).

In the cinema, she was the seductress in Addio giovinezza / Farewell to Youthful Romances (Augusto Genina, 1927) with Walter Slezak and Carmen Boni. She played in Germany in Villa Falconieri (Richard Oswald, 1928) with Maria Jacobini and Hans Stüwe.

Elena Sangro finished her silent film career as the spicy Madonna Orietta in the heavily censored Boccaccesca (Alfredo de Antoni, 1928).


Italian postcard by. Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 9. Photo: Fert / Pittaluga-Films. Elena Sangro as Cinzia and René [Raoul] Mayllard as Prince Otis [Ortis] in Maciste imperatore (Guido Brignone, 1924). In the kingdom of Sindagna, the prince regent Stanos tries by all means to dispose of the legitimate heir to the throne, Prince Ortis. When Maciste and Saetta happen to be in the chaotic empire, they set things straight for the poor, weak prince. Maciste is proclaimed emperor of Sindagna after getting rid of the regent and his puppet ruler. He restores peace and arranges that the prince can be united with his beloved. The plot line comes near to Mussolini's takeover of Italy, 'helping' the weak King Victor Emmanuel III and 'restoring order'.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 663. Photo: UCI (Unione Cinematografica Italiana). Elena Sangro as the Empress Poppea in the epic film Quo vadis? (Gabriellino D'Annunzio, Georg Jacoby, 1924).


Italian postcard by Editions di lusso L'Argentografica, Torino (Turin), no. 3053. Photo: Unione Cinematografica Italiana. Elena Sangro in Quo vadis? (Gabriellino D'Annunzio, Georg Jacoby, 1924). Sent by mail in Italy in 1926.


Emil Jannings in Quo vadis? (1924). Italian postcard by editor A. Traldi, Milano.


Italian poster postcard by Giulio Bolaffi Editore, Torino. Design: Lugati. Elena Sangro in Maciste all'inferno / Maciste in Hell (Guido Brignone, 1925).

Restless woman

In the sound era, Elena Sangro had a small role in the film Il re Burlone / The King's Jester (Enrico Guazzoni, 1935). She returned to the stage as a singer under the pseudonym of Lilia Flores.

In 1945, she founded the production company Stella d’Oro Film and made various art documentaries under the name Anton Bià. Her documentary Villa d’Este (1947) marked the debut of the actress Gina Lollobrigida. She served as assistant director on a stage production of 'Aida' (1952) and the film La sonnambula / The Sleepwalker (1954), based on Vincenzo Bellini's opera. Both were directed by Cesare Barlacchi.

Sangro also appeared in bit roles in films such as L'abito nero da sposa / The Black Dress of the Bride (Luigi Zampa, 1945) starring Fosco Giachetti, and the biography Enrico Caruso: leggenda di una voce / The Young Caruso (Giacomo Gentilomo, 1951) with Gina Lollobrigida.

This restless woman's last job was president of Associazione dei Pionieri del Cinema (the Association of Cinema Pioneers), an initiative begun in the early 1960s to safeguard this important part of film history.

Her final film appearance was a cameo in Federico Fellini's masterpiece 8½ (1963). Elena Sangro died in 1969 in Roma (Rome, Italy). She was 71.


Italian postcard by Ed. Romeo Biagi, Bologna, no. 723. Photo: Villoresi, Roma.


Italian postcard by Ed. A. Traldi, Milano, no. 437. Photo: Pinto, Roma.



Italian postcard by Fotocelere, Torino, no. 109.


Italian postcard by Fotocelere, Torino, no. 206.

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (Le dive del silenzio - Italian), Lino Spadaccini (Noi Vastesi - Italian), Anna Battista (Irenebrination - now defunct), Wikipedia (Italian) and IMDb.

This post was last updated on 3 November 2026.

Triboulet (1923)

Triboulet (1923) is an Italian period piece directed by actor Febo Mari for the Società Italiana Cines and the UCI. Achille Vitti played King Francis I of France, Umberto Zanuccoli played the title role, the historical jester of the kings Louis XII and Francis I of France, and Elena Sangro played Giletta. G.B. Falci in Milano was the publisher of this series of black and white postcards for the film.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Fotominio. Giovanni Schettini as Manfred in Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 1st and 2nd episode.


Elena Sangro. Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923)


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 3rd and 4th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 3rd and 4th episode.

Delirium of love

Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923) was based on the novel 'Triboulet'(1910) by Michele Zévaco. Triboulet was a historical figure. His real name was Nicolas Ferrial (1479-1536), and he was a jester of the kings Louis XII and Francis I of France. He appears in Book 3 of François Rabelais' Pantagrueline chronicles.

Triboulet also appears in Victor Hugo's 'Le Roi s'amuse' and its opera version, Giuseppe Verdi's 'Rigoletto', a blend of 'Triboulet' and French rigoler (to laugh), intended to deflect the censorship that Hugo's work had received. Verdi also turned Triboulet more into a tragic figure.

Triboulet (1923) by Febo Mari was originally released as a six-part serial, then reduced to a three-part serial, and finally just one single feature film of 2.500 metres. The six episodes were titled: 1) The King's Buffoon, 2) The King of the Misers, 3) The Mysteries of the Louvre, 4) The Cour des Miracles, 5) The Revenge of the Nameless, and 6) Delirium of Love.

Umberto Zanuccoli played Triboulet, the king's jester, but in reality, he is a nobleman called Ferrial. Achille Vitti played King Francesco (or Francis I), who dedicates himself to peace after the defeat of Pavia. However, the king does not disdain his notorious love life. At the age of 50, he is tired of Mme de Ferron ('la belle Ferronière') and gets interested in young Gillette, played by film diva Elena Sangro.

Triboulet is a true melodrama with many secret identities. Triboulet raised Gillette, who loves Manfred (Giovanni Schettini), the king of the Cour des Miracles, the Paris slums. Manfred saves Gillette from the clutches of Francis. Francis is, in true melodrama style, in reality Gilette's father by a former mistress, Margentina (Tina Ceccaci Renaldi), now a mad and visionary woman. Hurt in one of his actions, Manfred is saved and cured by an Italian couple, who travel with their servant Spadacappa. Manfred later discovers that the Italian couple are his parents, who have come to France to find him.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 3rd and 4th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Fotominio / Cines / UCI. Achille Vitti as King Francis/ François I of France, Umberto Zanuccoli in the title role, Giovanni Schettini as Manfred, and Elena Sangro as Gillette in Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 3rd and 4th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923).


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923).

6 episodes

1. After the defeat of Pavia (1525) and his subsequent imprisonment, the French King Francis I (Achille Vitti) dedicates himself to peace, though not disdaining his notorious love life. At the age of 50, he is tired of Mme de Ferron ('la belle Ferronière'), and gets interested in young Gillette (Elena Sangro), an orphan raised by Triboulet (Umberto Zanuccoli), the king's buffoon, but in reality a nobleman called Ferrial. Mme de Ferron won't stand to have a rival. Gillette instead loves Manfred (Giovanni Schettini), the king of the Cour des Miracles. Manfred fights off all the king's swordsmen but cannot rescue Gillette. Gillette finds refuge at the printer Etienne Dolet (Carlo Gualandri). Francis, in reality is her father by a former mistress, Margentina (Tina Ceccaci Renaldi), now a mad and visionary woman, and asks her to join him at the Louvre. Manfred liberates the locked-up de Ferron, who otherwise would have died, so she is ever so grateful. He himself is then imprisoned, but he manages to escape.

2. Hurt, Manfred is saved and cured by an Italian aristocratic couple, the Count of Ragastens (Totò Majorana) and his wife, who travel with their servant Spadacappa, and are looking for their lost son. Manfred finds Gillette again at the house of the editor Dolet. Instead of the splendour of the Louvre, Gillette selects the modest house of Fleurial, aka Triboulet, the King's buffoon. She thus has two fathers. When she publicly prefers the buffoon, the latter is tortured and imprisoned. Manfred declares his love for Gillette in the King's throne room, causing an enormous sword fight, from which he is rescued at the last moment by Lanthenay (Alfredo Menichelli), his fellow in arms. A huge fire breaks out at the Louvre, caused by Lanthenay and his gang, which Maddalena de Ferron, the scorned ex-mistress of the King, views with mixed feelings, as the King may thus escape her revenge. But the King is still alive.

3. Maddalena de Ferron is set on revenge and has herself become a leper to contaminate the King and his beloved. Having mistaken Gillette for a rival in love, the Duchess of Etampes, royal favourite, hands her over to Margentine, who has descended into madness and almost manages to disfigure her own daughter with acid. Yet, Spadacappa saves Gillette right on time. Manfred is about to be cornered by three cronies from the King, but Maddalena saves him at the last moment. After Manfred has left, Maddalena still swears to avenge herself on the King.

4. Manfred and Lanthenay, both raised in the Paris slums, The Court of Miracles, are the foster sons of Mama Gypsy, who, after her own son was condemned to death by the Provost Monclar (Gino Viotti), stole his son and raised him as a bandit, Lanthenay. Ordered by the King, the provost raids the slums with his army and has Manfred and Lanteney arrested.

5-6. In episodes 5 and 6, other adventures follow, in which Manfred discovers the Italian couple are his parents, who have come to France to find him. Triboulet and Manfred join forces to free Etienne Dolet, accused of having printed heretical works and imprisoned in the Conciergerie, where the executioner awaits him. The trio intends at the same time to defend the Cour des Miracles, whose Grand Provost is preparing to attack it, and to find Gillette, whom the king has taken to Fontainebleau. Through countless twists and turns, Dolet perishes at the stake, Manfred turns out to be the lost son of the Count of Ragastens, and Lanthenay that of the Grand Provost. Margentine regains her sanity and recognises Gillette, with whom Manfred disputes with the king, with his sword. Triboulet sacrifices himself to save Gillette. Broken, François I returns to the Château de Rambouillet and dies there, under the vengeful gaze of Madeleine Ferron, known as the Beautiful Ferronnière.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Fotominio. Left, Umberto Zanuccoli as Triboulet in Triboulet (Febo Mari 1923), 5th and 6th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Fotominio. Umberto Zanuccoli in the title role of the period piece Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 5th and 6th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Fotominio. Elena Sangro as Gillette in Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 5th and 6th episode.


Italian postcard by G.B. Falci, Milano. Photo: Cines / UCI. Publicity still for Triboulet (Febo Mari, 1923), 5th and 6th episode.

Sources: Vittorio Martinelli (Il cinema muto italiano, 1923-1931 - Italian), Herve Dumont, Wikipedia and IMDb.

Saracinesca (1921)

Italian actress, screenwriter, director and producer Elena Sangro (1896-1969) was one of the stars of the Italian period piece Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921), also starring Carlo Gualandri. The film was based on the novel by Frances Marion Crawford. Sangro produced Saracinesca for Medusa Film, and the film was distributed by UCI (Unione Cinematografica Italiana). Sangro was one of the first female directors and was also known for her famous affair with the writer and poet Gabriele D'Annunzio. Ivo Blom collected a wonderful series of postcards of this little-known Italian silent film.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Don Giovanni Saracinesca.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: A reception. The man far left may be Don Giovanni Saracinesca.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: The day he hears that the young Prince Saracinesca wants to marry Donna Tullia Mayer, the cardinal doesn't hide his disapproval.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Alfredo Martinelli as Del Ferice and Sigrid Lind as Dona Tullia in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: The scheming and coquette Donna Tullia stands in a good relationship with the liberals and knows she is no party for the young Prince.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca and Elena Sangro as Corona d'Astradente in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Don Giovanni Saracinesca meets Corona for the first time. (In the back, Donna Tullia and De Feriel look worried at them.)

An extremely popular novel

Little is known about Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). It was based on an extremely popular novel (1887) by Frances Marion Crawford and is set in Rome in the 1860s, then still part of the Papal State. Ivo Blom subtracted the plot of the film from Crawford's novel as indicated on Project Gutenberg.

At a reception at the Embassy, Don Giovanni Saracinesca (Carlo Gualandri) meets Corona D'Astrardente (Elena Sangro), married to an old Duke, a dandy. Giovanni's father wants him to marry the young, rich widow Don Tullia Mayer, but he is hesitant himself, so he asks Corona for advice. Tullia is close with Ugo Del Ferice, who is close with the revolutionaries such as the painter Gouache, but mostly involved with his own interests, waving with the political tides.

Tullia tolerates him as her smooth-talking spy and lapdog. Del Ferice's only weak spot is his detestation of Saracinesca, eager to set a trap for him. At the opera, Giovanni confesses his love to Corona, while the Duke is too deaf to overhear them. At the Frangipani ball, cardinal Antonelli warns Giovanni against marriage with Tullia Mayer, because of her acquaintance with Del Ferice (an arrivé) and his liberal circle.

At the ball, Giovanni forgets his promised dance with Tullia when he talks to Corona. Terribly angered, Tullia makes a scene and leaves. Del Ferice overhears a conversation between Giovanni and Corona, in which she rejects his love. Giovanni calls him a dog. Giovanni's father helps him set up a duel with Del Ferice.

The duel is fierce, and there is also foul play by Del Ferice and his second. Both Giovanni and Del Ferice are wounded but don't die. After the ball, the Duke confesses to Corona he is ill beyond cure. Giovanni's father meets Tullia, who thinks the duel was about her, and Corona, who is offended to hear the duel was about her and is also appalled when she hears about the foul play of Del Ferice and his second, which could have caused Giovanni's death.



Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Alfredo Martinelli as Del Ferice in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Plotting against Don Giovanni Saracinesca.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Alfredo Martinelli as Del Ferice in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: De Feriel at the opera.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca and Alfredo Martinelli as Del Ferice in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Don Giovanni Saracinesca threatens Del Ferice (named on the card: De Feriel).


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Before the duel, Saracinesca gives his last will to his notary.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca, at left, in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: The duel.

Giovanni and Corona marry at last

Afterwards, the Duke hears that Giovanni's second killed Del Ferice's second over foul play, but he is also told the first duel was over his wife, and he explodes. He confronts his wife, she rebukes the affair, he forgives her, falls on his knees... and dies. Giovanni's father then doesn't oppose any marriage, as Corona is a rich widow now. Cardinal Antonelli visits her and convinces her to create a salon for the papal party. Corona intends to leave for the countryside, in vain Giovanni tries to prevent this.

Meanwhile, Del Ferice is cured and plots with Tullia to kill Corona and humiliate Giovanni by preventing their marriage. In exchange for not telling a secret, Tullia promises to marry Del Ferice. Del Ferice, namely, has found out Giovanni is already married. Corona has retreated to the Astradente residence in the countryside. Not far from there is also the Saracinesca estate. Giovanni's father visits the Duchess, sets up a meeting, and proposes Corona marry Giovanni, as they would be a perfect match, socially and materially. A reconciliation between the young couple happens and they declare each other their love. Yet, shortly before they marry, Tullia visits Corona and tells her about Giovanni's earlier marriage to a peasant woman called Felice Baldi. Yet, Corona calls Giovanni and his father, who press Tullia to show proof within 24 hours.

Tullia runs to Del Ferice, who immediately understands what she has done: tell what was secret. He gives her copies of the marriage certificate, knowing she will marry him now. Giovanni suspects De Ferice is behind Tullia's scheme. When Tullia presents the papers, Giovanni's unmasking of a (possible) fraud makes her doubt De Ferice's intentions and she storms out again. Giovanni's father goes to Aquila and finds out there was a namesake and even a distant relative also called Giovanni Saracinesca. Giovanni and Corona marry at last. Giovanni's father urges the Cardinal to arrest Del Ferice as a spy. They send the police after Del Ferice and his servant, but Del Ferice flees dressed as a beggar friar. On the road, Giovanni and Corona meet him, but on Corona's request his life is spared and Giovanni lets him go.

According to Wikipedia, "Crawford, though an American by parentage and citizenship, was born in the Italian resort of Bagni de Lucca, spent most of his life abroad, and wrote 'Saracinesca' while living in Sant' Agnello di Sorrento, Italy." After the success of his book, Crawford continued with several sequels: "She followed it with two brilliant sequels, 'Sant'Ilario' and 'Don Orsino', the three of which are usually considered a trilogy. Subsequent sequels, such as 'Corleone', continue the saga of the Saracinesca family, but with a diversion from the previous focus on the drama and status of family members into heavily plotted, incident-heavy melodrama. Characters from Saracinesca and its sequels also appear in 'A Lady of Rome' (1906) and 'The White Sister' (1909).

The film version, Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921), unfortunately, was less successful with Italian critics, according to two reviews in Vittorio Martinelli's reference work 'Il cinema muto italiano, Vol. 1921-22'. The film premiered in Rome on 31 January 1923. Next to Gaston Ravel, IMDb and Wikipedia mention a second director of the film. It's Augusto Camerini, the brother of the more famous director Mario Camerini and the cousin of another famous director, Augusto Genina. Augusto Camerini was a well-known painter, illustrator and cartoonist and also worked as a writer and assistant film director. In the years 1920-1921, he directed six films. Later he directed three more films.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Elena Sangro as Corona d'Astradente in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: After the killing of her husband, Corona d'Astradente has become a rich heiress.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Elena Sangro as Corona d'Astradente and Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: [At the opera] Corona and Giovanni are now husband and wife.


Italian postcard by Unione Cinemagrafica Italiana. Photo: Medusa Film. Elena Sangro as Corona d'Astradente and Carlo Gualandri as Don Giovanni Saracinesca in Saracinesca (Gaston Ravel, 1921). Caption: Don Giovanni Saracinesca holds his new wife Corona tight, whispering: You are the best among the women - and the most beloved!

Sources: Guttenberg, Vittorio Martinelli (La carrière italienne de Gaston Ravel (1919-1922) - French), Wikipedia (Italian) and IMDb.

Fabiola (1918)

Today film historian Ivo Blom gives a paper in Rome on painter Lawrence Alma-Tadema and the Italian antiquity film Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918), featuring Elena Sangro. Blom will focus on mise-en-scene, especially props and deep staging. The organisers of the event are the German Archaeological Institute, the Austrian Archaeological Institute, and the Cineteca Nazionale. Of course EFSP joins the fun with a post on this silent film.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 1. Photo: Palatino Film. Elena Sangro as Fabiola in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). When her servant accidentally hurts her with a hairpin, the rich and cruel aristocrat Fabiola hurts her slave with a sharp weapon Roman ladies used to have for these matters. This is from the opening scene of the film.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 3. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Agnese (sig.a Poletti) tends to the wound of Syrta, afflicted by Fabiola's stiletto.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 6. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Fulvio remembers how his sister Syra was sold as a slave when she was discovered to be a Christian. He discovers she is in the household of Fabiola.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 14. Photo: Palatino Film. Livio Pavanelli as St. Sebastiano in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918), hosting the blind Cecilia on request of the young Pancrazio.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 12. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Sebastiano (Livio Pavanelli) chases the intruder Fulvio (Amleto Novelli) from Agnese's house.

The Rise of Christianity

The Italian historical film Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918) stars Elena Sangro as Fabiola, Augusto Mastripietri as Eurota, Amleto Novelli as Fulvio, and Livio Pavanelli as San Sebastiano. The secondary role of Quadrato was played by the famous 'forzuto' Bruto Castellani, very popular at the time as the strongman Ursus from Quo vadis? (Enrico Guazzoni, 1913).

The Palatino Film production is an adaptation of the 1854 novel Fabiola by Cardinal Nicholas Patrick Wiseman. The story is set in Rome in the early 4th century AD, during the time of the persecution of Christians under the Roman Emperor Diocletian.

The heroine of both book and film is Fabiola, a young beauty from a noble Roman family. She is spoiled by her father Fabius, who cannot deny her anything. Fabiola seems to have everything, including a superior education in the philosophers, yet under the surface, she is not content with her life.

One day, in a fit of rage, she attacks and wounds her slave girl Syra, who is secretly a Christian. The proud, spoiled Roman girl is humbled by Syra's humility, maturity and devotion to her in this situation, and a slow transformation begins, which finally culminates in her conversion to Christianity, brought on by her own cousin Agnes, whom she adores and dotes on.

Another thread of the novel deals with the young boy Pancratius (in the film called Pancrazio), a pious Christian and son of a martyr, who is himself preparing for martyrdom. Pancratius' nemesis is Corvinus, a bullying schoolmate who is irritated by the young Christian's saintliness. He does everything to bring him and the Christian community of the catacombs of Rome down. This includes the orchestrating of the lynching of their former teacher Cassianus, who is secretly Christian. Yet Pancratius shows his enemy the meaning of Christian forgiveness when he saves his life shortly after Corvinus had Cassianus killed.

Another major villain in the book is the enigmatic Fulvius (in the film called Fulvio), an apparently rich young man from the East who soon reveals himself to be a hunter of Christians who turns them in to the authorities for money. His aim on the one hand is to gain the hand of either Fabiola or Agnes, and on the other hand, to uproot the Christian community in Rome.

After some dramatic events that reveal his surprising connections to Syra, who is his long-lost younger sister Myriam, Fulvius rejects his evil ways, converts to Christianity and becomes a hermit. The story also weaves a number of martyrdom accounts and legends of real-life Christian saints into the fictitious story. These include St. Agnes and St. Sebastian (Sebastiano in the film).


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 11. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Head of the Imperial Guards Sebastiano (Livio Pavanelli) and his aid, the strong Quadrato (Bruto Castellani), have thrown the intruder Fulvio (Amleto Novelli) out, when he wanted to assault Agnese.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 4. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918).In the presence of the Roman governor and his son Corvinus, Fulvio (Amleto Novelli) dares the secretly Christian Quintinus to pay tribute to the Roman gods.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 7. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Eurota (Augusto Mastripietri) and Fulvio (Amleto Novelli) use a love doll from Corvinus and turn it into a voodoo doll that accuses the Christians of wanting to hurt the empress.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 9. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). The Christians secretly gather in the catacombs. The kneeling woman is Agnese (sig.a Poletti).


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 10. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Blackmailed by Fulvio (Amleto Novelli) and Eurota (Augusto Mastripietri), Quintinus leads them to the Christian girl Agnese (sig.a Poletti), whom Fulvio secretly loves.

Violent crowd and circus scenes complete with wild beasts

Fabiola was one of a series of historical epics for which the Italian film industry became famous during the silent era. It is s typical of the Roman and Christian epics directed by director Enrico Guazzoni during his silent film period.

A Cinema History: "It is an interesting example of early Christian cinematographic proselytism. It is not very accurate from an hagiographic point of view because it brings together saints having lived at different times. The historical background of the persecutions against Christians at the beginning of the second century under Emperors Maximilian and Diocletian is correct, and it is at this time that Pancras and Agnes were killed. The way in which Sebastian and Cecilia are killed is also correct, but it happened in reality several years earlier. Finally concerning the title character of Fabiola, she lived several years later and her life does not correspond to what is shown in the film."

Fabiola mostly follows a chronological approach, with cross-cutting between the actions of various characters. Flashbacks are used to show what certain characters are thinking about. While Guazzoni only uses a static camera, editing is very dynamic with well-composed shots and frequent changes between long shots, medium shots and close ups. The indoor and outdoor sets are very varied and convincing.

The action is also very varied ranging from intimate and peaceful scenes, to violent crowd and circus scenes complete with wild beasts. Lighting is very effective, notably for the final baptism scene with the light coming down from the sky. Acting is mostly quite natural for the time, except a bit of over-acting when the saints are touched by heavenly grace.

In 1949, the novel was turned into a lavish Franco-Italian sound film version, Fabiola (1949), directed by Alessandro Blasetti and starring Michèle Morgan as Fabiola and Henri Vidal as Rhual, a gallic gladiator. The film was an international box office hit, but bears little resemblance to its ostensible source.

A third, Peplum version called La Rivolta degli schiavi/The Revolt of the Slaves (Nunzio Malasomma, 1960), starred American actress Rhonda Fleming, Dario Moreno and Ettore Manni. The supporting cast is impressive with Gino Cervi, Fernando Rey and Serge Gainsbourg. This version takes more elements from the novel than the second, such as including both St. Agnes and St. Sebastian, but strays from the novel in many ways.

The postcards in this post were produced in Spain for the chocolate manufacturer Amatller Marca Luna.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 8. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Fabiola (Elena Sangro) protects her niece Agnese (Signora Poletti) from the persecutions of the Christians in Rome and flees with her to her countryside villa.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 5. Photo: Palatino Film. Elena Sangro as Fabiola and signora Poletti as her niece Agnese in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). When the persecutions of the Christians in Rome become too rough, Fabiola takes her niece Agnese to her villa in the countryside.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 2. Photo: Palatino Film. Elena Sangro as Fabiola and signora Poletti as her niece Agnese in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Fabiola implores her niece Agnese to give up her religion to save her life. NB the table on the right is copied from a Roman original.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 17. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). Pancrazio and his mother are about to be thrown to the lions.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 13. Photo: Palatino Film. Publicity still for Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). The execution of (Saint) Sebastian (Livio Pavanelli).


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 16. Photo: Palatino Film. Livio Pavanelli as St. Sebastiano and Amleto Novelli as Fulvio in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918).


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Series 8, no. 18. Photo: Palatino Film. Livio Pavanelli as St. Sebastiano and signora Poletti as Sta. Agnese in Fabiola (Enrico Guazzoni, 1918). While contemplating the supreme light of paganism against Christianism, human reason can only recognise the triumph of the new religion.


Spanish postcard for Amatller Marca Luna chocolate. Courtesy Cineteca di Bologna

The magnificent Alma-Tadema exhibition that premiered at the Fries Museum in the Netherlands and now still can be seen at the Österreichische Galerie Belvedere in Vienna, will open on 5 July at the Leighton House Museum in London. On 20 and 21 October, there will also be a symposium in London on Lawrence Alma-Tadema between art and cinema.

Sources: A Cinema History, Wikipedia and IMDb.