Long Night in 1943
Encyclopedia
Long Night in 1943, The Long Night of '43 or It Happened in '43 (original Italian title - La lunga notte del '43) is an Italian film of 1960 set during the Allied invasion of Italy
in 1943 during the Second World War. It was directed by Florestano Vancini
and adapted by Vancini, Ennio De Concini
and Pier Paolo Pasolini
from a novel by Giorgio Bassani
. At the 1960 Venice Film Festival
, the film won Vancini the award for Best First Work and a nomination for the Golden Lion
(losing out to Le Passage du Rhin
).
Allied invasion of Italy
The Allied invasion of Italy was the Allied landing on mainland Italy on September 3, 1943, by General Harold Alexander's 15th Army Group during the Second World War. The operation followed the successful invasion of Sicily during the Italian Campaign...
in 1943 during the Second World War. It was directed by Florestano Vancini
Florestano Vancini
Florestano Vancini was an award-winning Italian film director and screenwriter.He directed over 20 movies since 1960...
and adapted by Vancini, Ennio De Concini
Ennio de Concini
Ennio De Concini was an Italian screenwriter and film director, winning the Academy Award in 1962 for the "Best Original Screenplay" for Divorce, Italian Style.-Life and career:...
and Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini
Pier Paolo Pasolini was an Italian film director, poet, writer, and intellectual. Pasolini distinguished himself as a poet, journalist, philosopher, linguist, novelist, playwright, filmmaker, newspaper and magazine columnist, actor, painter and political figure...
from a novel by Giorgio Bassani
Giorgio Bassani
Giorgio Bassani was an Italian novelist, poet, essayist, editor, and international intellectual.-Biography:Bassani was born in Bologna into a prosperous Jewish family of Ferrara, where he spent his childhood with his mother Dora, father Enrico , brother Paolo, and sister Jenny...
. At the 1960 Venice Film Festival
Venice Film Festival
The Venice International Film Festival is the oldest international film festival in the world. Founded by Count Giuseppe Volpi in 1932 as the "Esposizione Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica", the festival has since taken place every year in late August or early September on the island of the...
, the film won Vancini the award for Best First Work and a nomination for the Golden Lion
Golden Lion
Il Leone d’Oro is the highest prize given to a film at the Venice Film Festival. The prize was introduced in 1949 by the organizing committee and is now regarded as one of the film industry's most distinguished prizes...
(losing out to Le Passage du Rhin
Le Passage du Rhin
Le Passage du Rhin is a 1960 French film directed by André Cayatte. It was released in the USA as Tomorrow is My Turn. It tells the story of two French soldiers in the aftermath of the German invasion of France who become forced labourers on a German farm under the STO, but become involved in the...
).
Plot
The young wife of a wheelchair user starts an affair with an Italian Army deserter, just as a fanatical local Fascist leader massacres his opponents to seize power. Among those opponents is the deserter's father.Cast
- Belinda LeeBelinda LeeBelinda Lee was an English actress.Born in Budleigh Salterton, England, Lee was signed to a film contract in 1954 by the Rank Studios after being seen performing as a student of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art...
- Anna Barilari - Gabriele FerzettiGabriele FerzettiGabriele Ferzetti is an Italian actor. He has more than 160 credits to his name across film, television and stage. His career was at its peak in the 1950s and 1960s....
- Franco Villani - Enrico Maria SalernoEnrico Maria SalernoEnrico Maria Salerno was an Italian theatre & film actor, also a film director. He was also the voice of Clint Eastwood in the Italian version of Sergio Leone's Dollars Trilogy films, and the voice of Christ in The Gospel According to St...
- Pino Barilari (winning a Silver Ribbon for Best Supporting Actor at the 1961 Italian National Syndicate of Film Journalists awards) - Andrea ChecchiAndrea ChecchiAndrea Checchi was a prolific Italian film actor.Born in Florence, Checchi appeared in over 150 films in his lengthy career, which spanned from 1934 to his death in 1974...
- The pharmacist - Nerio BernardiNerio BernardiNerio Bernardi was an Italian film actor. He appeared in 192 films between 1918 and 1970.He was born in Bologna, Italy and died in Rome, Italy.-Selected filmography:* The Avenger * Vanina Vanini...
- Villani the lawyer - Isa Querio - Signora Villani
- Raffaella PelloniRaffaella CarràRaffaella Carrà , in Italy often simply known as la Carrà and in some Latin American countries sometimes simply as Raffaella, is an Italian singer, dancer, television presenter, and actress...
- Ines, Franco's sister - Loris Bazzocchi - Vincent
- Carlo Di Maggio - Conosole Bolognesi
- Alice Clements - Blanche Villani, Franco's wife