Remembering Sergio Leone

Sergio Leone was born on January 3, 1929 in Rome, Italy. Leone was the son of cinema pioneer

Vincenzo Leone (known as director Roberto Roberti or Leone Roberto Roberti) and the silent film actress Edvige Valcarenghi (Bice Waleran). During his schooldays, Leone was a classmate of his later musical collaborator Ennio Morricone for a time. After watching his father work on film sets, Leone began his own career in the film industry at the age of 18 after dropping out of law studies at the university.

 
Working in Italian cinematography, he began as an assistant to Vittorio de Sica during the movie “Bicycle Thieves” (1948). Leone began writing screenplays during the 1950s, primarily for the 'sword and sandal' (a.k.a. 'peplum') epics, popular at the time. He also worked as an assistant director on several large-scale international productions shot at the Cinecittà Studios in Rome, notably “Quo Vadis” (1951) and “Ben-Hur” (1959), financially backed by the American studios.
 
When director Mario Bonnard fell ill during the production of the 1959 Italian epic “The Last Days of Pompeii”, starring Steve Reeves, Leone was asked to step in and complete the film. As a result, when the time came to make his solo directorial debut with “The Colossus of Rhodes” (1961), Leone was well-equipped to produce low-budget films which looked like larger budget Hollywood movies.
 
In the early 1960s, historical epics fell out of favor with audiences, but Leone had shifted his attention to a sub-genre which came to be known as the "Spaghetti Western", owing its origin to the American Western. His film “A Fistful of Dollars” (1964) was based upon Akira Kurosawa's Edo-era samurai adventure “Yojimbo” (1961). Leone's film elicited a legal challenge from the Japanese director, though Kurosawa's film was in turn probably based on the 1929 Dashiell Hammett novel, Red Harvest. A Fistful of Dollars is also notable for establishing Clint Eastwood as an International star.
 
Leone's next two films “For a Few Dollars More” (1965) and “The Good, the Bad and the Ugly” (1966) completed what has come to be known as the Dollars trilogy, with each film being more financially successful and more technically accomplished than its predecessor. The films featured innovative music scores by Ennio Morricone, who worked closely with Leone in devising the themes. Leone had a personal way of shooting scenes with Morricone's music ongoing. In addition, Clint Eastwood stayed with the film series, joined later by Eli Wallach, Lee van Cleef and Gian Maria Volonte.
 
Based on the success of The Man with No Name trilogy, Leone was invited to the United States in 1967 to direct his epic “Once Upon a Time in the West” for Paramount Pictures. The film was shot mostly in Almería, Spain and Cinecittà in Rome. It was also briefly shot in Monument Valley, Utah. The film starred Charles Bronson, Henry Fonda, Jason Robards and Claudia Cardinale. The film's script was written by Leone and his longtime friend and collaborator Sergio Donati, from a story by Bernardo Bertolucci and Dario Argento, both of whom went on to have significant careers as directors. Before its release, however, it was ruthlessly edited by Paramount, which perhaps contributed to its low box-office results in the United States. Nevertheless, it was a huge hit in Europe, grossing nearly three times its $5 million budget among French audiences, and highly praised amongst North American film students. It has come to be regarded by many as Leone's best film.
 
After Once Upon a Time in the West, Leone directed Duck, You Sucker! (1971). Sergio was intending merely to produce the film, but due to the demands of its stars Rod Steiger and James Coburn he directed the film instead.
 
Leone continued to produce, and on occasion, step in to reshoot scenes in other films. One of these films was “My Name is Nobody” (1973) by Tonino Valerii and “A Genius” by Damiano Damiani.
 
Leone turned down the opportunity to direct “The Godfather”, in favor of working on another gangster story he had conceived earlier “Once Upon a Time in America” for which he devoted ten years to the project. Lasting over just two hours, the recut version shown in North America received much criticism and flopped. The original version, released in the rest of the world, achieved somewhat better box office returns and a mixed critical response. When the original version of the film was released on home video in the U.S.A., it finally gained major critical acclaim, with some critics hailing the film as a masterpiece.
 
While finishing work on “Once Upon a Time in America” in 1982, Leone was impressed with Harrison Salisbury's non-fiction book The 900 Days: The Siege of Leningrad, and he planned on adapting the book as a war epic. Time was running out for Sergio his bad eating habits and the stress caused by “Once Upon a Time in America” had taken its toll and Leone died of a heart attack on April 30, 1989. He was only 60 years old.
 
We remember today Sergio Leone, known as the “Farther of the Spaghetti Western” who would have celebrated his 85^th birthday today.

TARA POKI

La leggende di tara Poki – Italian title

Tara Pokì – Italian title
 
A 1971 Italian production [Poki Cinematografica (Rome)]
Producer: Maria Teresa Siciliano
Director: Amasi Damiani
Story: Salvatore Siciliano, Graziella Marsetti
Screenplay: Stelio Tanzini
Cinematography: Giovanni Varriano [Telecolor, widescreen]
Music: Mino Reitano (Beniamino Reitano), Franco Reitano
Running time: 110 minutes
 
Cast:
Mico Sarrabanda – Mino Reitano (Beniamino Reitano)
Teresa/Tara Pokì – Aliza Adar
Don Fifi – Pedro Sanchez (Ignazio Spalla)
Senor Poki – Furio Meniconi
Donna Grazia – Fulvia Franco
Alphonso – Fortunato Arena
Mike – Spartaco Conversi
Dayton – Dennis Colt (Benito Pacifico)
Juanita – Emy Della Betta
Jimmy – Angelo Boscariol
Outlaw – Roberto Alessandri
Priest – Attilio Dottesio
With: Luciano Conti, Angelo Morano, Rocco Reitano, Amasi Damiani, Silvy De Blasch, Giuseppe Barcella, Franco Ukmar, Enrico Leoni, Piani Lorenzo (Lorenzo Piani), Eleanora Morana, Michele Branca, Stelio Tanzini

Mico Sarrabanda is the son of a farmer and works for Baron Don Cialormo Poki. In love with the baron’s daughter Tara he asks for her hand in marriage but is flatly rejected by Don Cialormo. Mico decides to take revenge against his rival Don Vincenzo Parroni and by burning his olive oil plantation. He then confronts the Baron and kills him. Jesus Poki, the son of the deceased, in turn kills Pasquale, the father of Mico. Mico has been protected by a young teacher named Grace but is no longer enough and he is forced to flee to America where it is received by the Calabrian Don Fifi. Proud and brave, in a short time Mico obtains honor and money by becoming a bounty hunter. Believing that he has obtained enough power to now realize his dream, he asks again for the hand of Tara Poki, to whom he has written numerous letters which had remained unanswered. Tara now joins him in America and pretends to be in love with him only to kill him during their wedding ceremony.
 
Film clip trailer: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qnAByFmOm3I

Happy 80th Birthday Roberto Messina

Roberto Messina was born on January 2, 1934 in Casablanca, Morocco. He is the brother of actor, stuntman Emilio Messina [1936-2007]. Roberto became a prolific character actor known to the general public for having played under the direction of Bruno Corbucci, as Mr. Tozzi in the first four films in the series of “Maresciallo Nico Giraldi” alongside Tomas Milian, where he is voiced by Sergio Fiorentini. Active for thirty years in the Italian film industry he was a regular in the peplum, westerns and detective genres. Messina was often credited in some of these films under the pseudonyms: Bob Messenger, Red Buchanan, Robert Messenger, Messenger Roberto, Robert Messina. Roberto appeared in over 20 Euro-westerns from “The Magnificent Brutes of the West” (1964) to “The Crazy Adventures of Len and Coby” in 1974.

 
Roberto was also a stuntmen in several of these films and later became an master of arms and an assistant director. His last film appearance was as Collins in the 1992 film “Over the Line”.
 
Today we celebrate Roberto Messina’s 80^th birthday.

Remembering Vivi Gioi

Vivi Gioi was born Vivienne Trumpy on January 2, 1914 in Livorno, Tuscany, Italy. Billed as Vivien Diesca she made her film debut in “Ma non è una cosa seria” (1936). She then appeared in Vittorio De Sica “Rose scarlatte” (1940), “L'amante segreta” (1941), and “Bengasi” (1942) directed by Augusto Genina. Her career continued with over 30 films until her final appearance in “Il baco da seta” in 1974. During her film career Vivi appeared in only one Euro-western “Kill the Wicked” (1967) as Molly Verner alongside Larry Ward and Robert Mark.

 
After World War II she turned to the theater, first in the company of De Sica, then, in 1949, in her own company which she founded together with Carlo Ninchi and Harold Tieri. Gioi was also heard on the radio in Thierry Maulnier’s 1951 presentation of “Santa Giovanna”. This versatile performer also pursued a career as a singer.
 
Gioi died in Fregene, Lazio, Italy from a heart attack on July 12, 1975

Today we remember Vivi Gioi on what would have been her 100^th birthday.

2014 Happy New Year!

Happy 75th Birthday Michele Mercier

Michèle Mercier was born Jocelyne Yvonne Renée Mercier on January 1, 1939 in Nice, Provence Alpes Côte d'Azur, France. The daughter of a French pharmacist father and an Italian mother, she initially wanted to be a dancer. The circumstances of war made this difficult and her parents saw it as only a whim; however, her determination won through and she joined the "ballet-rats", as the dancers of the chorus are termed. She was soon advanced to soloist in the Nice Opéra. At 15 she met Maurice Chevalier, who predicted that she would be a success.

 
She moved to Paris aged 17, and first joined the troupe of Roland Petit, then the company of the "Ballets of the Eiffel Tower". Parallel to her career as dancer, Mercier studied acting under Solange Sicard. For her film début her birth name seemed too long and old-fashioned. It was suggested she take the name Michèle - which happened to be name of her younger sister, who had died at the age of five from typhoid fever. However, she adopted the name as a tribute to the actress Michèle Morgan.
 
After some romantic comedies and a small role in François Truffaut's “Tirez sur le pianist” (1960), she worked in England and made some, small-budget, films in Italy, usually playing women of easy virtue.
 
She needed a role which could make her a star. It was in 1963 when many actresses were approached to play the role of “Angélique”. Producer Francis Cosne considered Brigitte Bardot, Annette Stroyberg, Catherine Deneuve, Jane Fonda, Virna Lisi and Marina Vlady, but Mercier won the role after trying out for it - she did not appreciate this very much since she was being treated like a beginner at a time when she was already well known in Italy. At the time she was contacted to play Angélique, she had already acted in over twenty films. During the next four years she made five sequels which enjoyed astonishing success. However the role of Angélique, "the Marquise of the Angels", was both a blessing and a curse. It catapulted her to almost instant stardom, rivaling Brigitte Bardot in celebrity and popularity, but the character of Angélique overshadowed all other aspects of her career. By the end of the 1960s, the names Angélique and Michèle Mercier were synonymous.
 
Attempting to break free from the character Michèle played against Jean Gabin in “The Thunder of God” directed by Denys de la Patellière. She then appeared with Robert Hossein in “La Seconde Vérité” directed by Christian-Jaque. Mercier then left France and tried to restart her career in the United States, unfortunately without much success. Mercier appeared in two Euro-westerns: “Cemetery Without Crosses” (1969) with Robert Hossein and “Call of the Wild” (1972) with Charlton Heston
 



After 14-year layoff she returned in the 1998 film “La Rumbera”, directed by Piero Vivarelli. In 1999, having been swindled out of several million francs in a business venture, Mercier had serious financial problems. She even planned to sell the famous wedding gown of Angélique. In 2002 at the Cannes Film Festival she presented her second book of memoirs. Mercier was made a chevalier dans l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres on the 6th of March 2006.

Remembering Dana Andrews

Carver Dana Andrews was born on January 1, 1909 outside Collins, Covington County, Mississippi. He was one of thirteen children of Charles Forrest Andrews, a Baptist minister, and his wife Annis. The family subsequently moved to Huntsville, Texas, where his younger siblings (including the late actor Steve Forrest) were born.

 
He attended college at Sam Houston State University and also studied business administration in Houston, Texas. In 1931, he traveled to Los Angeles, California, seeking opportunities as a singer. He worked at various jobs, including pumping gas in Van Nuys. Reportedly, an employer paid for his studies in opera and also at the Pasadena Playhouse, a theater and acting school.
 
Andrews signed a contract with Samuel Goldwyn and nine years after arriving in Los Angeles was offered his first movie role in William Wyler's “The Westerner” (1940), starring Gary Cooper. He was also memorable as the gangster in the 1941 comedy “Ball of Fire”. In the 1943 movie adaptation of “The Ox-Bow Incident” with Henry Fonda, he played a lynching victim. His signature roles came as an obsessed detective in “Laura” (1944) opposite Gene Tierney, and as a U.S. Army Air Force officer returning home from the war in the Oscar-winning 1946 film “The Best Years of Our Lives”. In 1945 he co-starred with Jeanne Crain in the musical “State Fair”.
 
From 1952–1954, Andrews starred in the radio series ‘I Was a Communist for the FBI’ about the experiences of Matt Cvetic, an FBI informer who infiltrated the Communist Party. In 1963, he was elected president of the Screen Actors Guild. Between 1969 and 1970, he appeared in a leading role as college president Tom Boswell on the NBC daytime soap opera ‘Bright Promise’. In 1960 he and Efrem Zimbalist, Jr. starred in “The Crowded Sky”; fifteen years later, Andrews and Zimbalist appeared in “Airport 1975”, playing a businessman. In 1975 Andrews appeared in his only Euro-western: “Take a Hard Ride” as Mr. Morgan.
 
He spent his final years living at the John Douglas French Center for Alzheimer's Disease in Los Alamitos, California. Andrews died on December 17, 1992 from congestive heart failure and pneumonia.
 
Today we remember Dana Andrews on what would have been his 105^th birthday.