Giovanni Arpino
Encyclopedia
Giovanni Arpino was an Italian writer and journalist
.
(in Istria
, then part of Italy
) to Piedmont
ese parents, Arpino moved to Bra in the Province of Cuneo
. Here he married Caterina Brero before moving to Turin
, where he would remain for the rest of his life.
He graduated in 1951 with a thesis on the Russia
n poet Sergei Yesenin
, and the following year made his literary debut with the novel Sei stato felice, Giovanni, published by Einaudi.
He took up sports journalism, writing for the daily papers La Stampa
and Il Giornale
; together with Gianni Brera
at the La Gazzetta dello Sport
he brought a new literary quality to Italian writing on sport. His most important work in this line was the 1977 football
novel Azzurro tenebra. In Italy he got to know the Argentinian writer, and fellow sports enthusiast, Osvaldo Soriano
.
Arpino also wrote plays, short stories, epigrams and stories for children.
He won the Strega Prize
in 1964 with L'ombra delle colline, the Premio Campiello
of 1972 with Randagio è l'eroe and the 1980 SuperCampiello with Il fratello italiano. His novels are characterised by a dry and ironic style.
His novel Un delitto d'onore became Pietro Germi
’s highly regarded 1962 comedy Divorce, Italian Style
, with Marcello Mastroianni
.
His story Il buio e il miele was made into two films: Dino Risi’s Profumo di donna
, with Vittorio Gassman
, and Martin Brest
’s Scent of a woman
, which earnt Al Pacino
an Academy Award for Best Actor
.
Arpino died in Turin in 1987. His links to his childhood town of Bra have been maintained by the establishment of a multi-functional cultural centre and of a prize for children’s literature.
In 2005 Mondadori published a volume of selected works, edited by the literary critic Giorgio Bàrberi Squarotti.
Journalist
A journalist collects and distributes news and other information. A journalist's work is referred to as journalism.A reporter is a type of journalist who researchs, writes, and reports on information to be presented in mass media, including print media , electronic media , and digital media A...
.
Life
Born in PulaPula
Pula is the largest city in Istria County, Croatia, situated at the southern tip of the Istria peninsula, with a population of 62,080 .Like the rest of the region, it is known for its mild climate, smooth sea, and unspoiled nature. The city has a long tradition of winemaking, fishing,...
(in Istria
Istria
Istria , formerly Histria , is the largest peninsula in the Adriatic Sea. The peninsula is located at the head of the Adriatic between the Gulf of Trieste and the Bay of Kvarner...
, then part of Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
) to Piedmont
Piedmont
Piedmont is one of the 20 regions of Italy. It has an area of 25,402 square kilometres and a population of about 4.4 million. The capital of Piedmont is Turin. The main local language is Piedmontese. Occitan is also spoken by a minority in the Occitan Valleys situated in the Provinces of...
ese parents, Arpino moved to Bra in the Province of Cuneo
Province of Cuneo
ayr is a province in the southwest of the Piedmont region of Italy. To the west it borders on the French region of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur ....
. Here he married Caterina Brero before moving to Turin
Turin
Turin is a city and major business and cultural centre in northern Italy, capital of the Piedmont region, located mainly on the left bank of the Po River and surrounded by the Alpine arch. The population of the city proper is 909,193 while the population of the urban area is estimated by Eurostat...
, where he would remain for the rest of his life.
He graduated in 1951 with a thesis on the Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
n poet Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Yesenin
Sergei Alexandrovich Yesenin was a Russian lyrical poet. He was one of the most popular and well-known Russian poets of the 20th century but committed suicide at the age of 30...
, and the following year made his literary debut with the novel Sei stato felice, Giovanni, published by Einaudi.
He took up sports journalism, writing for the daily papers La Stampa
La Stampa
La Stampa is one of the best-known, most influential and most widely sold Italian daily newspapers. Published in Turin, it is distributed in Italy and other European nations. The current owner is the Fiat Group.-History:...
and Il Giornale
Il Giornale
il Giornale is an Italian daily newspaper published in Milan, Italy.-History:The newspaper was planned in 1972 by the journalist Indro Montanelli, together with the colleague Enzo Bettiza, after some disagreements with the new pro-left editorial line adopted by the newspaper Corriere della Sera,...
; together with Gianni Brera
Gianni Brera
Giovanni Luigi "Gianni" Brera was an Italian sports journalist and novelist.-Biography:Brera was born in San Zenone al Po, near Pavia, the son of Carlo, a tailor, and Marietta Ghisoni...
at the La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport
La Gazzetta dello Sport is an Italian newspaper dedicated to coverage of various sports. It was first published on April 3, 1896, allowing it to cover the first modern Olympic Games held in Athens...
he brought a new literary quality to Italian writing on sport. His most important work in this line was the 1977 football
Football (soccer)
Association football, more commonly known as football or soccer, is a sport played between two teams of eleven players with a spherical ball...
novel Azzurro tenebra. In Italy he got to know the Argentinian writer, and fellow sports enthusiast, Osvaldo Soriano
Osvaldo Soriano
Osvaldo Soriano, Journalist and writer. Born January 6, 1943 in Mar del Plata, Argentina – died on January 29, 1997 in Buenos Aires.-Biography:...
.
Arpino also wrote plays, short stories, epigrams and stories for children.
He won the Strega Prize
Strega Prize
The Strega Prize is the most prestigious Italian literary award. It has been awarded annually since 1947 for the best work of prose fiction by an Italian author and first published between 1 May of the previous year and 30 April...
in 1964 with L'ombra delle colline, the Premio Campiello
Premio Campiello
The Premio Campiello is an annual Italian literary prize.A Jury of Literary Experts identifies books published during the year and, in a public hearing, selects five of those as finalists. These books are called il Premio Selezione Campiello...
of 1972 with Randagio è l'eroe and the 1980 SuperCampiello with Il fratello italiano. His novels are characterised by a dry and ironic style.
His novel Un delitto d'onore became Pietro Germi
Pietro Germi
Pietro Germi was an Italian actor, screenwriter, and director. Germi was born in Genoa, Liguria, to a lower-middle class family. He was a messenger and briefly attended nautical school before deciding on a career in acting.He studied acting and directing at Rome's Centro Sperimentale di...
’s highly regarded 1962 comedy Divorce, Italian Style
Divorce, Italian Style
Divorce, Italian Style is a 1961 Italian comedy film directed by Pietro Germi. The screenplay was written by Ennio De Concini, Pietro Germi, Alfredo Giannetti, and Agenore Incrocci; based on the novel Un delitto d'onore by Giovanni Arpino...
, with Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Mastroianni
Marcello Vincenzo Domenico Mastroianni, Knight Grand Cross was an Italian film actor. His honours included British Film Academy Awards, Best Actor awards at the Cannes Film Festival and two Golden Globe Awards.- Personal life :...
.
His story Il buio e il miele was made into two films: Dino Risi’s Profumo di donna
Profumo di donna
Profumo di donna is a Commedia all'italiana film directed by Dino Risi in 1974 based on Il buio e il miele, a story by Giovanni Arpino. Both Risi and the leading actor Vittorio Gassman won important Italian and French awards...
, with Vittorio Gassman
Vittorio Gassman
Vittorio Gassman Knight Grand Cross OMRI , popularly known as Il Mattatore, was an Italian theatre and film actor and director...
, and Martin Brest
Martin Brest
Martin Brest is an American film director, screenwriter, and producer.-Education:He was born in a Jewish family in the Bronx, New York....
’s Scent of a woman
Scent of a Woman
This article is about the American film. For the Korean drama, see Scent of a Woman .Scent of a Woman is a 1992 drama film directed by Martin Brest that tells the story of a preparatory school student who takes a job as an assistant to an irascible, blind, medically retired Army officer...
, which earnt Al Pacino
Al Pacino
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is famous for playing mobsters, including Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Tony Montana in Scarface, Alphonse "Big Boy" Caprice in Dick Tracy and Carlito Brigante in Carlito's Way, though he has also appeared...
an Academy Award for Best Actor
Academy Award for Best Actor
Performance by an Actor in a Leading Role is one of the Academy Awards of Merit presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences to recognize an actor who has delivered an outstanding performance while working within the film industry...
.
Arpino died in Turin in 1987. His links to his childhood town of Bra have been maintained by the establishment of a multi-functional cultural centre and of a prize for children’s literature.
Works
- Sei stato felice, Giovanni (1952)
- Gli anni del giudizio (1958)
- La suora giovane (1959)
- Un delitto d'onore (1960)
- Una nuvola d'ira (1962)
- L'ombra delle colline (1962)
- Un'anima persa (1966)
- La babbuina (1967)
- Il buio e il miele (1969)
- Randagio è l'eroe (1972)
- Racconti di vent’anni (1974)
- L'assalto al treno ed altre storie (1974)
- Rafé e Micropiede (1974)
- Domingo il favoloso (1975)
- Il primo quarto di luna (1976)
- Azzurro tenebra (1977)
- Il fratello italiano (1980)
- Le mille e una Italia (1980)
- Un gran mare di gente (1981)
- Bocce ferme (1982)
- La sposa segreta (1983)
- Il contadino Genè (1985)
- Passo d'addio (1986)
- La trappola amorosa (postumo, 1988)
In 2005 Mondadori published a volume of selected works, edited by the literary critic Giorgio Bàrberi Squarotti.
Filmography
- In Renzo e Luciana, an episode from Boccaccio '70Boccaccio '70Boccaccio '70 is a 1962 Italian portmanteau film directed by Mario Monicelli, Federico Fellini, Luchino Visconti and Vittorio de Sica, from an idea by Cesare Zavattini...
taken from Italo CalvinoItalo CalvinoItalo Calvino was an Italian journalist and writer of short stories and novels. His best known works include the Our Ancestors trilogy , the Cosmicomics collection of short stories , and the novels Invisible Cities and If on a winter's night a traveler .Lionised in Britain and the United States,...
’s L'avventura di due sposi and directed by Mario MonicelliMario MonicelliMario Monicelli was an Italian director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the Commedia all'Italiana , three times nominated for Oscar.-Biography:...
(1962), Arpino worked on the screenplayScreenplayA screenplay or script is a written work that is made especially for a film or television program. Screenplays can be original works or adaptations from existing pieces of writing. In them, the movement, actions, expression, and dialogues of the characters are also narrated...
alongside Calvino, Susi Cecchi D'Amico and Mario MonicelliMario MonicelliMario Monicelli was an Italian director and screenwriter and one of the masters of the Commedia all'Italiana , three times nominated for Oscar.-Biography:...
. - His Il buio e il miele was turned into the well-known and multiple prize-winning film Profumo di donnaProfumo di donnaProfumo di donna is a Commedia all'italiana film directed by Dino Risi in 1974 based on Il buio e il miele, a story by Giovanni Arpino. Both Risi and the leading actor Vittorio Gassman won important Italian and French awards...
(1974), directed by Dino Risi with Vittorio GassmanVittorio GassmanVittorio Gassman Knight Grand Cross OMRI , popularly known as Il Mattatore, was an Italian theatre and film actor and director...
as Captain Fausto Consolo and Agostina BelliAgostina BelliAgostina Belli is an Italian film actress. She has appeared in over 50 films since 1968. She was born in Milan, Italy.-Selected filmography:* Bandits in Milan * The Seduction of Mimi * Revolver...
as Sara. This film in turn was remade in 1992 as Scent of a WomanScent of a WomanThis article is about the American film. For the Korean drama, see Scent of a Woman .Scent of a Woman is a 1992 drama film directed by Martin Brest that tells the story of a preparatory school student who takes a job as an assistant to an irascible, blind, medically retired Army officer...
(1992). - In 1977 Dino Risi’s film Anima persa, with Vittorio GassmanVittorio GassmanVittorio Gassman Knight Grand Cross OMRI , popularly known as Il Mattatore, was an Italian theatre and film actor and director...
as Fabio Stolz and Catherine DeneuveCatherine DeneuveCatherine Deneuve is a French actress. She gained recognition for her portrayal of aloof and mysterious beauties in films such as Repulsion and Belle de jour . Deneuve was nominated for an Academy Award for Best Actress in 1993 for her performance in Indochine; she also won César Awards for that...
as Sofia Stolz, was freely adapted from Arpino’s novel of the same name. - In a 1991 documentary for the French television series Un livre un jour Arpino appeared as himself.
Further reading
- Mariano D’Amora, ‘Giovanni Arpino’ in Encyclopedia of Italian literary studies, ed. by Gaetana Marrone and others, 2 vols (New York; London: Routledge, 2007) II, 95–97.
- Parco Letterario: Giovanni Arpino
- "Giovanni Arpino romanziere delle Langhe", di Giorgio Barberi Squarotti